English Football League could face legal action from non-league clubs over rules against artificial pitches

The group 3G4US is determined to force a change to the EFL’s rules which state no match in the Championship, League One or League Two can be played on an artificial surface

The debate over artificial pitches refuses to go away (Getty)

The English Football League could face the threat of legal action from a group of non-league clubs over its rules against artificial surfaces if it fails to loosen current regulations.

The group 3G4US, which champions the benefits of 3G pitches in the English game, is determined to force a change to the EFL’s rules which state no match in the Championship, League One or League Two can be played on an artificial surface.

3G4US passionately believes struggling lower-league clubs can be giving a new lease of life from the asset of an artificial pitch which can be used every day by the club, and can be rented out to boost revenue streams and improve local engagement.

The threat of a legal case helped persuade the National League to allow 3G in 2014, when it was then the Conference. Maidstone United’s co-owner Oliver Ash, who plays a leading role in the 3G4US campaign, told The Independent that the group is now trying to figure out how to unlock the door to allow clubs like Maidstone to use their artificial pitches in the EFL. “Is it legal to restrain us?” Ash said. “We’re having to look at this because what else is left?”

Artificial pitches are back on the EFL’s agenda and were discussed at a meeting last week ahead of its AGM in June, when 3G could be given the green light for the start of the 2019-20 season. One aspect discussed was whether a specific rule could be applied to League Two, without affecting League One and the Championship.

However, any new proposal would require the support of the majority of the EFL’s 72 member clubs, and there is still significant opposition towards the idea of artificial surfaces beyond the belief that football is a game played on grass. Most Championship and League One clubs already have high-quality grass pitches, while there are concerns over player safety as well as the quality of football which 3G promotes.

Artificial pitches are back on the EFL’s agenda (Getty)

3G4US rejects those arguments, and believes there is little evidence to support the idea of increased injuries on artificial surfaces, particularly when comparing them to low-quality grass surfaces. “Perhaps it is a case of turkeys not wanting to vote for Christmas,” Ash said. “[The EFL] are stopping clubs from progressing and taking their place in the Football League.”

The EFL is confident the issue will not become a legal case. All of the National League clubs are understood to have signed an agreement that in the event of promotion to League Two, they would switch to grass, including the three clubs currently playing on 3G – Sutton United, Maidstone United and Bromley FC.

The trio released a joint statement at the start of the season demanding action by the EFL to allow 3G in the lower leagues, which they said is of “far higher quality than many natural mud-grass pitches” and is conducive to “good technical football”.

The EFL is confident the issue will not become a legal case (Getty)

Sutton, who are currently second in the National League, could achieve promotion this season and said they would rip up their pitch with a heavy heart. Sutton have been involved in 3G4US but chairman Bruce Elliott told The Independent that they would respect the EFL’s current rules, although they “won't dismiss any options”.

A further obstacle to 3G4US is the Professional Footballers’ Association. The PFA ran a survey this season which revealed that 94 per cent of its members are against artificial surfaces – four per cent more than the result of a similar survey in 2014.

While it is up to the EFL’s club members to vote on any rule change, the PFA will have an influential voice at the table of any discussions that take place in the coming months, given it is their members who will play on the pitches.

The EFL do not permit artificial pitches (Getty)

The PFA’s assistant chief executive, Simon Barker, said players have three primary concerns: increased fatigue, increased likelihood of injury and the subsequent shortening of careers, and the more direct style of football that artificial surfaces are perceived to promote.

“We understand [the financial benefits],” Barker said. “But the quality of pitches at the top level is excellent. The price is coming down on real grass pitches. The more and more you use [3G pitches], the lifetime goes down and then you need to replace them for another half a million pounds.”

The EFL has also acknowledged the commercial opportunities cited by clubs like Maidstone, but reiterated last week: “There are any number of other parties that have a significant interest, including … the PFA whose members have historically been against the use of artificial pitches in the EFL. Their views will also need taking into account before any decision is made.”

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