Ok, five points are
1. Football on a artificial surface (however realistic these new 4G pitches are meant to be) is simply not the same.
2. These pitches are being ripped up in Holland due health concerns over the rubber crumb
3. Players are reluctant to join clubs that have a 4G pitch, as stated by Peter Band on the radio not so long ago. He said that he along with many others wouldn’t have chosen a club with an artificial surface due to the potential long term impact on joints.
4. Potential reduction in the fan base. I imagine that there are others like me that wouldn’t want to watch football every other week on an Astro turf, due to it changing the nature of the game.
5. Currently the football league doesn’t allow teams with plastic pitches to enter.
I think points 1 - 4 are most relevant, although it would be great if point no 5 became something for us too worry about. Of course the counter to the above negatives is the extra revenue the club could earn from such a pitch, but the business side of the club seems quite robust (thriving, I believe!)....its the football side where we have had the recent issues, although I concede extra revenue allows more investment in players, so its foolish to separate the 2 sides entirely.
I don't know how much a 4G pitch would cost, but its gonna be 6 figures for sure, so a hefty outlay. For that, wouldn't we be better investing in some better drainage and pitch covers? I am no expert, but I suspect its much cheaper, and addresses most of the concerns we have on the pitch without creating problems 1-5 outlined above.