I forgive you because, as you said…
Frankly I think I’m lucky I found it, and I only found it because I read other discussions on Reddit and elsewhere talking about it.
It’s so rare that it happens, I’m not surprised.
I forgive you because, as you said…
Frankly I think I’m lucky I found it, and I only found it because I read other discussions on Reddit and elsewhere talking about it.
It’s so rare that it happens, I’m not surprised.
Yeah, the LOTG change. Goal kicks used to have to clear the area before being played by ANY player. Coaches/managers could not be carded, but could be cautioned and sent off (although the wording was different, IIRC…I think it was “warning” and “dismissed”). Dropped balls were always contestable by either side. Stoppages for injuries were to be for “serious” injuries only. And I have no idea what the “wait and see” approach to calling offside is all about. And it’s been less than 10 years since I worked a match!
Was there an actual rule change or did professional players just start ceding the ball to the team that had possession when the whistle was blown (to avoid the shin-kicking free-for-all that was part of drop balls originally??)
There was.
Interesting. I wonder if the “gentlemanly” actions by players of leaving the drop ball kick to one team led to the rule change.
I doubt it. Laws don’t change to reflect good sporting behavior. They’re more commonly changed to ENFORCE sporting behavior.
Yet another change I’ve seen recently: In the olden days, the referee was “a playing condition” and thus considered to be part of the field, so if the ball struck the referee, just keep on playing. Now, the referee is supposed to stop play, then restart with a free kick (or drop?) to the team that had had possession. Also in the olden days, any referee who got hit with the ball owed his ARs a post-match beer, but strictly speaking, that is not in the LOTG.