MARK Farrell insists the grass will always be greener at Cappielow as the Morton groundsman says sticking with an authentic playing surface will help the team go from strength to strength.

With the likes of Livingston, Hamilton Accies and Kilmarnock ditching grass for synthetic pitches in recent seasons, Farrell believes keeping the hallowed turf is still the best option as it suits players to a tee.

The award-winning groundsman, who has been at the club since 2004, has been lauded for keeping the Cappielow playing surface in top conditions, with Champions League and European Championship youth matches staged on Sinclair Street in recent years.

Farrell says it's crucial to keep the pitch to the highest standard.

He told the Tele: "The players want to play on grass, that is their preferred choice.

"The more we get these pitches like Cappielow, then the better it is for the footballers. At the end of the day they are the ones that are playing on it, not me.

"I try to get it to the best that I can and they can enjoy playing on the park.

"Hopefully it helps the Morton team rather than the opposition, that is my goal.

"We all want to see better football and we have done that this year.

"It has been entertaining, and hopefully that is a benefit of playing on grass.

"That is what I would like to believe anyway, that is my view on it."

While Dougie Imrie demands the best performance from his team on matchdays, Farrell says the Morton boss also expects the pitch to be of the highest standard.

The groundsman said: "It was very similar to what Gus [MacPherson] wanted.

"He wants the pitch in the best condition possible on a matchday and he believes in himself, and that is a big difference.

"He is a manager that believes that he can get results, he wants the pitch in the best condition possible."

The Ton groundsman has revealed his plans for the upcoming campaign, with the community and academy players using the park for another three weeks before the pitch gets a break before pre-season commences.

Farrell added: "We wait until the fixtures come out.

"What I am doing now, once these games are over with the community and the academy, I bring the park back to the start of the season.

"When you look after a grass park like this, you have got to pot your way round. You are trying to think multiple games in advance of how you are going to manage the park.

"It is not like game by game like players do.

"I am always trying to think ahead, sometimes six weeks ahead of what I am going to do.

"Whenever there are any breaks, I am always looking to drain or do whatever I need to do to keep the park in good condition.

"It is never going to be the top parks of the Premiership or the SPFL, it is never going to be that, but what I am trying to achieve is to keep it a reasonable standard all year round."

Former manager David Hopkin trained the team on the pitch at Cappielow - as opposed to using Parklea under Imrie - and Farrell says it took its toll on the park.

He said: "No two years are alike.

"Not too long ago when we were training on it, it was a bit of a mess, but you have just got to take each season as it comes.

"That sounds a bit cliche but that is all it is. You have just got to work hard, understand how your pitch works and understand how much it can tolerate before it becomes a problem.

"The club have been very good in the last 12 months.

"They have been very supportive, everyone in the club - the management, players and even the fans - helps.

"If you have that behind you then you are halfway there - it’s a team effort."