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Livingston striker Hardie defends artificial pitches

The 21-year-old has no problem with the surface at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

Livingston striker Ryan Hardie believes his body has grown used to training and playing on an artificial pitch.

Hardie and his Livingston team-mates were not asked for their opinion on the surfaces before PFA Scotland submitted a petition calling for them to be banned in the Ladbrokes Premieriship, which was signed by every player from the nine clubs with grass pitches.

The on-loan Rangers player can understand where his fellow professionals are coming from but has no concerns about the pitch at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

Hardie said: "I find it all right. I'm used to playing on it now. Before when I was on loan at Raith, they trained on it as well.

"I find it all right but I can see why people want it banned.

"It is a slightly harder surface and it's not the same as grass so your body can take a bit longer to recover. But once we train on it every day you get used to it.

"It's like anything, if you keep doing it, it will get used to it.

"I respect everybody's opinion, I don't have anything against any people saying anything about it."

Hardie missed the first few months of the season through injury but has not had any problems since.

"I got my injury on a grass pitch," said the 21-year-old ahead of Saturday's visit of Dundee. "I got it at Dundee United, so it could have happened on any pitch.

"But when I came back and trained on it, my ankle was absolutely fine, I never really felt a reaction to it."

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A general shot of a Premier League football ahead of the Premier League clash between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on October 30, 2016
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic110082275581
2RangersRangers110074245078
3Hearts101046341263
4Kilmarnock10104334952
5St Mirren10013945-643
6Dundee10014556-1141
Relegation Group
1Hibernian11004752-542
2Aberdeen11003649-1338
3Motherwell10014652-637
4St Johnstone10012549-2431
5Ross County10013258-2630
6Livingston11002459-3521
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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