Rules To Change?

Last updated : 21 January 2003 By Stuart Gillespie
The article can be read here. According to the article, when SPL chairmen meet today they will discuss plans to add a requirement for undersoil heating along with the requirement for 10,000 seats in the stadium. Supposedly, Hibs are the team pushing for the rule to ensure they aren't relegated, as Falkirk said they would rent Airdrie United's 10,000 seater stadium. Hibs are currently 5th in the league!

Currently, only St. Johnstone and Queen's Park have undersoil heating and are in the SPL. With Queen's Park in the third division then the SPL won't be bothered about them, and could probably make up a rule to stop them gaining promotion as they use Hampden. Whats even more ludicrous is, if I am correct, Dunfermline, Dundee and possibly Livingston are in the SPL and don't have undersoil heating! How on earth can the SPL approve this rule when some of its clubs don't have undersoil heating? I'm pretty sure Dunfermline use the blanket/baloon way of keeping the pitch from freezing, dunno about Livingston or Dundee.

Currently Love Street doesn't have undersoil heating. With a new stadium move looking likely, there would be no point installing undersoil heating, and there are no plans for this at the new stadium. Changing the rules during the season like this is an absolute joke. Whilst a club can easily build a new stand to ensure they have 10,000 seats (ourselves and Partick Thistle have done just that), undersoil heating would require the turf to be dug up, which would be ludicrous. It is also expensive, there is no way most SFL clubs could afford it.

So whilst the 10,000 seats rule is fine, a rule for undersoil heating is an absolute joke. Let's hope the SPL don't let it go through.