DRFC Gamesmanship and artificial pitches on agenda

Football League clubs are set to vote on a proposal to re-introduce artificial pitches at their AGM in Portugal.

Club representatives will vote on the possible reintroduction of artificial pitches in the Football League, in an attempt to cut down on the number of games lost to the weather.

Queens Park Rangers, Luton Town, Oldham Athletic and Preston North End all experimented with artificial pitches in the 1980`s and 90`s, with Preston the last to use one in 1994.

Both Accrington Stanley and Wycombe Wanderers have already expressed a desire to change to an artificial surface.

Representatives have also voted to back a proposal to cut down on cheating in the game next season.

Clubs have met at their annual general meeting to discuss a number of topics ahead of next season including sportsmanship and cutting out gamesmanship in the game.

Exeter City chairman Edward Chorlton put forward three main proposals aimed at cutting down on gamesmanship.

In an article on the Football League website, the following proposals were made:


The Football League have said: "Clubs will undertake to instruct managers, coaches and players accordingly - in particular to discourage actions which bring the game's reputation into disrepute, such as:

a) showing disrespect to match officials

b) those actions that undermine a sporting culture including diving/simulation, time wasting and feigning injury."

The League have also confirmed they want referees, in the first year, to support this by taking more robust action particularly with players who obstruct the quick taking of free kicks and steal ground at throw ins.

There is also set to be a vote on the amount of named substitutes in the League next season. It was cut from seven to five last season but in a joint proposal by Derby County and Birmingham City, they are looking to increase it back to seven for the start of the 2012/13 season.




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