© 2012 Cardiff Scientific Society

The Perfect Football Pitch - is Artificial Turf the Answer?

Professor Len Nokes MD PhD

Cardiff School of Engineering and Consultant to FIFA

Cardiff University

Abstract

Many of us who are old (and interested) enough will remember the

controversy surrounding the installation of artificial pitches (now termed

football pitches) in the early 80's at football grounds including Loftus road, the home of Queens Park Rangers Football Club.  At the time it was greeted with excitement and enthusiasm by the supporters as players had to adapt to a faster and more technically demanding surface. The future looked good for football…. or was it?! Within two to three years most of these newly installed expensive pitches were all pulled up and replaced

                                                                                              by the conventional natural

                                                                                              turf pitches. What went                                                                                                     wrong? This lecture will

                                                                                              describe the recent work

                                                                                              undertaken (by FIFA) to

                                                                                              revisit this potentially life

                                                                                             changing subject.   

17th October 2012

Large Chemistry Lecture Theatre
Cardiff University