Premier League does the unthinkable and bans elaborate pitch designs

Today the Premier League announced that pitch designs will no longer be allowed in the 2017/18 season. The only markings to be allowed are the basic horizontal and white lines. The league’s decision was made to be in line with UEFA and their regulations for all UEFA competitions.

This begs the question, does the design of a pitch really have that much of an impact on the way the game is played? No, but it does provide a healthy distraction when your season is not quite going as you’d hoped.

Leicester City Football Club

Foxes fans will surely remember this one from the day they lifted their first ever Premier League trophy. To think, it was just the start for John Ledwidge and company! So while it may be an end to an awesome era, let’s take a trip down memory lane to some of Leicester’s best pitch designs!

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In Leicester’s first home game of the season as reigning champs, the grounds staff certainly did not disappoint. The match was played out with Arsenal to a nil-nil draw, which certainly counts as an advantage to pitch designs in my book.

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Leicester have always been on the forefront of introducing poppies to their Remembrance Day bouts, and if I’m not mistaken were one of the first clubs to add them to their shirts. Against West Bromwich Albion the ground staff once again outdid themselves with this fantastic display.

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I hope the Premier League changes their collective mind and allows this sort of creativity to thrive again. Besides, as our Jack Lee put it, “It’s basically the only thing we ever win at...and the Premier League that one time.”