A bit of history on 3G pitches… 3G Football Surfaces, or Third-Generation pitches as they are often referred to, are (as the name suggests) the next generation of football pitches, representing a new development in synthetic turf. The actual origins in artificial turf lie in the United States of America, but the first use of an artificial surface was in the United Kingdom was in Islington, London, in 1971. So what makes 3G pitches different from your average pitch? First of all came grass, then the second generation was Astroturf, and now it’s the 3G, these artificial surfaces just keep getting better. 3G pitches are the more realistic that Astroturf, yet safer than grass. 3G pitches generally have less bumps and holes so you’re less likely to trip and get injured. 3G looks like natural grass with similar playing characteristics (it’s all in the way the ball bounces), it’s non-abrasive and it can be used with moulded or studded boots. Simply put, the ground provides a firmer grip and allows for better ball control. Pushing off, running, stopping or tackling are all possible without additional risk of injury. It’s not grass, and it’s more sophisticated than Astroturf – it’s made from a mix of quartz sand and rubber granules, which are layered into the pitch, which in turn, provides effective protection and added shock absorption. Third generation synthetic turf is the latest development in sports surfaces. The first generation pitches are those filled with sand (particularly painful in the event of a fall or slide tackle). Second generation pitches are water based and are specifically designed, and predominantly used for Hockey. The third generation surface has a longer pile to the carpet (approximately 50mm) and is filled with granulated rubber, it is ideal for pitch based sports such as Rugby and Football, gives a more natural ball bounce than the previous surfaces and has playing characteristics much more like natural turf.  Our 3G is equivalent in size to a normal full size football pitch. It is fully floodlit and available for use by schools, community groups and sports clubs all year round. Three sizes of playing area will be available for hire providing the ideal size training area depending upon the size of the club: full pitch, half pitch or one-quarter pitch.