League Chairman backs artificial surfaces
Ryman League Chairman Alan Turvey has called on the Football Conference to think again and back 3G pitches for the long term good of the game.
In a letter to Football Conference Chairman Brian Lee, Turvey has urged the governing body of English football’s fifth and sixth tiers below the Football League to allow the latest high-tech artificial surfaces after seeing the results in the Ryman League and benefits all the way up to Football’s highest levels in the Champions League and international fixtures.
With Maidstone United and their artificial surface at the Gallagher Stadium, vying to be in contention for promotion to Conference South and increasing numbers of clubs from Step 3 with artificial surfaces likely to follow, Turvey believes their wider introduction and eventual acceptance throughout the game is inevitable.
The Ryman Chairman added his weight to the debate on Thursday with the Stones due to hold discussions with representatives of the Football Conference later this month in an effort to avoid the possibility of a future legal dispute over entry into the Football Conference and the stepping stone it provides for an eventual return to the Football League for the Kent club.
Maidstone United are spear-heading 3G4US, the growing group of clubs lobbying for blocks to the introduction of 3G to be removed, and in his letter to his Conference counter-part the Ryman’s Chairman and President backed their on-going campaign.
He wrote: "As you will be aware the Ryman League now has two members with the new 3G surface namely Maidstone United and Harlow Town. I have witnessed matches at both of these clubs and their acceptance is well known, no complaints received from either players or match officials.
"I would ask if the Conference will give serious consideration to this type of proven surface and allow promotion to your competitions without further delay. Initially the acceptance could be to the two Regional Divisions. I really hope that the Conference will seriously reconsider the matter of 3G. In the event that a club should qualify for promotion and be rejected I feel that football at our levels will get very bad publicity."
Taken from the Ryman League website