English football would not have artificial pitches in 2015

A move to allow artificial pitches in the third and fourth tiers of English soccer next season, was turfed out on Thursday, after a vote split Football League clubs down the middle.

Representatives from the 72 clubs of the Championship (second-tier), League One and League Two, met to vote on, allowing the return of man-made pitches, with a majority vote needed to pass the rule change.

Votes were tied, however, with 34 clubs voting in favour and 34 against with four clubs abstaining.

"This vote is reflective of the fact that this issue divides opinion amongst clubs as much as it does across the football public," the Football League's chief executive, Shaun Harvey, said on www.football-league.co.uk.

In September, representatives from League One and Two clubs, voted in favour of the proposal, that would have seen artificial pitches allowed in matches in both divisions and the League Cup.

"While the outcome is different to previous indicative votes, it demonstrates that there is still a desire amongst clubs to find out more about artificial playing surfaces before taking such a significant step," Harvey added.

Queens Park Rangers broke with tradition in 1981, installing an artificial playing surface, with other clubs such as Luton Town and Oldham Athletic following suit.

However, such pitches were banned from the professional game in England, 19 years ago, due to issues over the bounce of the ball and injury fears.

The Football Association (FA) ruled in March that artificial pitches can be used in every round of the FA Cup, during the current season, as some minor leagues allow their use.