Plastic pitches could be banned in the SPFL Premiership next season.

Kilmarnock are set to return to grass for the 2024/25 season, but Livingston’s boss says doing so would be too costly.

Plastic pitches could be banned in the Premier League before the start of the next season.

According to Record Sport, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster has led discussions about banning all synthetic surfaces from the top flight, with further discussions with clubs scheduled for the new year. And that could lead to a vote to go ‘grass only’ before the end of the campaign, with clubs given a grace period to complete necessary renovations.

Kilmarnock chairman Billy Bowie has already announced plans to demolish the astro turf at Rugby Park in 2026, and it is expected that all clubs currently using 3G surfaces will be given a similar timeframe to transition. Livingston are the only other top 12 club to play on an all-weather pitch, but they were forced to postpone a home game against Ross County on Saturday due to sections of it being frozen solid.

The club’s boss, David Martindale, insists that the club would be willing to follow Killie’s lead if the SPFL was willing to foot the bill. “I’d rather have a grass park, and if the authorities give us a couple of million dollars, we’ll have one with undersoil heating and a separate training ground,” he said.

“Realistically, it’d cost us between £2m-£3m.We’re paying for VAR and energy costs have increased. Overall, we’re handing out £300,000-400,000 extra and our incoming revenue doesn’t match that. It’ll be five or 10 years before we can be where Kilmarnock are now.

“We’re the only team in the Premiership that doesn’t own their stadium – the only licence we own is the one from the SFA – and since returning to the Premiership in 2018 we’ve spent £600,000 upgrading the ground.”

Livi also splurged in order to have Saturday’s game played, purchasing covers from the SPFL and spreading 200 kilos of salt.

GET MORE RELATED CONTENTS ON FAXSOCCER