The Football League is to hold a formal consultation regarding the use of artificial playing surfaces in first-team football.
The consultation will be open to governing bodies/leagues (The Football Association, the Premier League, Football Conference, Northern Premier League, Southern League and Isthmian League), all clubs in domestic professional football (The Football League and Premier League), non-league clubs with aspirations of playing in The Football League, and football stakeholder groups (the Professional Footballers' Association, League Managers' Association, PGMO/Referees' Association, the Football Supporters' Federation, Supporters Direct, refereeing and the Institute of Groundsmanship).
Other corporate bodies and individuals that wish to contribute are also invited to respond.
The Football League's Chief Operating Officer Andy Williamson said: "For the first time in 20 years there is a clear appetite amongst a number of Football League clubs to reconsider the use of artificial surfaces for first-team matches.
"It is fair to say that The Football League currently has an open mind on the issue, however it is a decision that will clearly have implications for all those with an interest in professional football. It is important therefore that everybody gets the opportunity to have their say."
The closing date for the consultation is April 30, in order to give clubs the opportunity to discuss the issue at their Summer Conference on May 31 to June 1, 2012.
During the 1980's, four Football League clubs (Queen's Park Rangers, Luton Town, Oldham Athletic and Preston North End) installed artificial surfaces at their grounds. However, in 1989 a Commission of Enquiry into Playing Surfaces prohibited their use in the top flight from 1990 onwards and by 1995 this ban had been extended to all four professional divisions.
Since 2004, FIFA and UEFA have sanctioned the use of artificial surfaces in their competitions following significant advances in pitch technology.
There are currently two artificial pitches in use in Italy's Serie A (Cesena and Novara), two in France's Ligue 1 (Lorient and Nancy) and two in the Dutch Eredivisie (Heracles Almelo & Excelsior Rotterdam), as well as others in use in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Switzerland, Belgium and a number of other European countries.
To read The Football League's Artificial Surfaces consultation document click here.
To take part in the consultation click here.
