Plastic has no place at top level

By Sean Wallace

Published:

UNHAPPY: Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood isn't a lover of plastic pitches.

RISK: Zander Diamond.

ABERDEEN boss Jimmy Calderwood today called for artificial pitches to be banned from Scottish senior football.

The Dons face a tricky Scottish Cup fourth round tie on Alloa Athletic’s plastic pitch on Saturday.

But Calderwood reckons there is no way his stars should be playing on such a dangerous surface.

He said: “Artificial pitches do not have a place at this level of football.

“I cannot stand them and if I had my way, we would never play on them.

“People say the artificial surfaces have improved with time, but I have yet to be convinced of that.

“When I was managing in Holland, clubs in the Second Division used artificial pitches due to the financial benefits.

“But they were all eventually replaced, which was a good thing.”

The Pittodrie chief experienced first hand the pitfalls of synthetic surfaces during his time at Dunfermline.

“I was always pushing for the artificial pitch at Dunfermline to be replaced,” he said.

“From that Dunfermline team who played under me on the artificial pitch, 12 players have gone on to have hernia surgery.

“That included players like Barry Nicholson and Greg Shields.

“That is a very high number for that sort of operation. Maybe they were not all due to the pitch, but it certainly didn’t help.”

Aberdeen were due to train on Alloa’s artificial surface today as Calderwood assessed the FIFA Grade 2 approved surface.

Calderwood has been warned the surface could crock Scott Severin, Zander Diamond, Darren Mackie, Lee Mair, Derek Young, Stuart Duff and Jamie Smith.

All have had surgery to repair muscle injuries, and it is feared the surface could flare up old injuries.

“Supposedly Alloa’s pitch is better than the one Dunfermline had,” said Calderwood.

“We will train on the pitch for 90 minutes and the players will have to use that time to show me they are comfortable with the surface.”