Dunfermline Athletic conform to SPL order

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The Premier League club has reluctantly bowed to a Premier League (SPL) order to rip up their controversial artificial surface and replace it with grass. Club’s chairman John Yorkston told media: "They rejected our application because the pitch hasn't reached Fifa two-star status, but it has passed all the tests apart from

being subjected to 3,000 hours of sunlight and that will have happened by September. We offered to put down a surface that does have two-star status and they also rejected that because it would not be ready for the start of the season."

Despite the club having the support of half the member clubs, the club announced: "DAFC will now lay the highest-quality grass surface available within the UK at this time. The grass surface to be laid was destined for Wembley." Club’s chief executive David McPherson explained that, due to slight delays in the construction plan for England's national stadium, the club would receive the grass instead. The club had complained that replacing the artificial surface with grass would cost them £500,000 and would end their prospects of operating at break-even in the near future. But McPherson stressed that: "Additional funding has been secured to cover the cost of the surface." The club also feared it would be unable to lay grass for their opening two home league fixtures. However, it now seems their match against Motherwell on 6 August will be the only one requiring a switch.