SPL allows use of Fir Park this week but warns Motherwell's 'inadequate' pitch must improve

The SPL has accepted Motherwell's assurances that their Fir Park pitch will be fit to host Saturday's match against Kilmarnock but will continue its ongoing inquiry into the poor condition of the controversial surface.

Motherwell were handed a £20,000 suspended fine at the same stage of last season following regular problems with their pitch. Despite spending over £300,000 on improvements last summer, the club have seen the work undone by the severity of the recent winter months.

SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster yesterday condemned the Fir Park pitch as "inadequate" and warned that further action may be taken against Motherwell if the situation does not improve over the next few weeks.

"We have inspected the pitch twice over the last week since the Hibernian game there on Saturday," said Doncaster. "We have met with representatives from Motherwell, including their head groundsman and pitch experts that have been brought in by the club.

"Motherwell are undertaking an extensive and expensive series of remedial works this week. The club have given firm assurances that the remedial works will give the pitch far more stability and will be safe for play this weekend. On that basis, we have decided to allow the match against Kilmarnock to go ahead at Fir Park.

"However, we will be sending our pitch experts to review the state of the surface pre-match, during the game and post-match. If the remedial works prove insufficient to create a safe, stable, adequate surface, we will revisit the situation next week."

Doncaster, commenting in his blog on the SPL website (www.scotprem.com), accepts that Scotland's worst winter for over 30 years provides extenuating circumstances for club groundsmen but remains concerned with a current count of ten matches postponed and one abandoned so far this season.

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