DAVIE MARTINDALE says he’d have no problem swapping Livingston’s plastic pitch for grass.
But the Lions manager reckons it will cost at least £3million and fears the cash-strapped club will struggle to foot the bill.
Livingston’s Tony Macaroni Arena sports an artificial surface[/caption]
Livi boss David Martindale admits a grass pitch would be the preferred option[/caption]
Club bosses are considering a vote to scrap artificial pitches in the Premiership, with Kilmarnock planning to make the switch at Rugby Park by 2025/26.
Livi have already held talks with SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster over their cash concerns.
Martindale said: “There is a huge appetite for plastic parks to come out of the league.
“I know it’s something that is more than likely going to happen in the next two or three years.
“The big one for me is, who pays for it? If you’re in the Premiership you’ll need to change to grass.
“If this is what Scottish football wants and the majority votes it through, I’m alright with that.
“But it’s a million quid straight away to change to grass. That is not even looking at the undersoil heating side of it.
“Then where do the 11 or 12 teams that train on our park on a daily basis train and play? Say the council are open to giving land up at the back car park, I think you’re then another minimum £2m.
“You’d need a grass park and synthetic pitch for first team women’s teams, and academy. That is the best case scenario.”
Around the time when Killie announced their plans to rip up their plastic surface, Martindale said there had been no conversations about them moving to grass.
He said: “There’s been no conversation about us going back to grass.
“If anything, the conversation — providing there is no rule change by the SPFL — will more likely be about renewing the current artificial surface when the time comes.
“Of course, in everybody’s world a fantastic, top-end grass pitch would be best.
“That’s what everybody wants but at our level, and what we are doing as a club, we have a certain finance and fanbase.
“Everyone knows the way we are as a club, the budget here is not amazing.
“The money is just not there.”
Meanwhile, Livi striker Joel Nouble is on the verge of agreeing a deal to join Exeter City.
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