Post by Stewart on Feb 8, 2013 20:30:24 GMT
I have just read this on the non league forum. Very interesting.
Wasn't there an issue with the Blue Square League as I heard the Sutton United Press Officer saying on Radio Marsden recently that they'd like to install one but couldn't get sanction for it.
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This was discussed on NLM recently in light of Maidstone United's climb back up the pyramid. In the past the Conference wouldn't allow them but now every league in the National League System from the Conference down to step 6 has the same standardised rules (there are a couple of ammendments individual leagues can make but not many). As I said, the FA have specifically stated they're acceptable at all levels of the non-league pyramid now.
The actual wording is:
"THIRD GENERATION FOOTBALL TURF PITCHES (Artificial Grass)
It has been agreed that matches for steps 1 – 6 of the football pyramid from next season may be played on Football Turf pitches that conform to the FIFA 1 star standard, or the equivalent International Artificial Turf Standard (IATS)"
The wording in each league's set of rules says "Competition matches shall NOT be played on any synthetic or artificial grass surfaces without the prior written approval of the Board." Some people on forums are picking this sentance out of the Conference's rules and thinking it means they're not allowed (maybe the capital 'NOT' is causing this) but leagues like the Isthmian that has teams with 3G pitches in it have the same wording, as does the CCL. It just means you need written permission first.
A lot of people still haven't got their heads around the fact that the FA make the rules for leagues in the pyramid now, not the leagues nor the clubs at the AGM. And they forget rules do change over time.
