Extravagant pitch patterns will be banned from next season after the Premier League announced they "would no longer be permitted," according to Callum Davis of the London TELEGRAPH. The rule change will come as a "bitter blow" to Leicester City and its groundsmen, whose "imaginative pitch patterns have wowed fans" since the start of the '15-16 season. Leicester City Head Groundsman John Ledwidge hit the headlines in May '15 "after he cut a club crest into the centre of the King Power pitch." In praise of Ledwidge, one Leicester City fan wrote, "The patterns over the last few years have been superb. Time and time again they excel themselves and just produce stunning pieces of work." Clubs will now have to adhere to UEFA regulations which insist on "straight lines, across the width of the pitch, perpendicular to the touchline." In a statement, the EPL said, "Rules state that the playing surface must contain no markings other than the traditional horizontal and white lines. This amendment brings the Premier League Rules into line with UEFA's regulations for its competitions and follows consultation with the Premier League Club groundsmen" (TELEGRAPH, 8/3).
