ONE of the latest suggestions from FIFA and UEFA is that artificial surfaces will be allowed at the highest level, that is international matches and Champions League matches.

They have certainly come on a lot since the days of the Queens Park Rangers, Luton, Preston and Oldham pitches where it was basically just a mat put on a concrete flooring.

The bounce used to be ridiculous. On a windy day the ball was never on the floor and I can say from experience that the one at Loftus Road was a horrendous surface that gave the home side so much advantage.

But they are now terming them 'third generation' pitches which have been scientifically tested, indicating that there is not a lot of difference between this latest version of artificial turf and grass.

A test has been done in Scotland - at Dunfermline - and the manager, Jim Leishman, who was very sceptical about it at first, has been delighted and would have no problems in backing it for further use.

So will we ever see one at Edgar Street? Commercially it makes a lot of sense, at a rough guess I would estimate a cost of around £400,000 to lay one here, probably with a 10% return commercially.

There may come a time when it has to be seriously considered, especially if there are grants available, but from a personal point of view I've yet to be convinced that it's any substitute for a natural surface.

The other issue is that of the transfer window being expanded from the Premiership down into the Football League.

It looks likely that this will come into force from next season but for the life of me, I can't see one advantage of it.

It's a ridiculous state of affairs - a lot of clubs are in financial difficulties and playing staffs have been cut down considerably.

If you can't take players on loan or sign them due to injuries, loss of form or change of manager, then the sort of staff that clubs will have to carry will make it almost impossible to operate from a financial point of view.

Clubs now have 18-20 pros but they will have to look at a professional staff of 23-24 with a number of non-contract players signed as well as youth players.

I just wonder who decides on these rules and regulations. Do they have any concept of what it's like running smaller clubs in the lower leagues?