Laws of the Game

What would be very interesting to add to this thread, is a copy of the oldest known rules of the game so we could compare them with today’s rules to see just how many have been added over the years and how they have been changed.

Certainly from my earliest memories of the game, there have been a number of changes and the offside rule must be one of them. There once was a term used for a player who almost stayed in the opposition box “GOAL HANGER” and I’m sure the off side rule was brought in to put an end to such antics.

But as we know the offside rule has been played around with so much, its now got to the point that so many don’t really understand it anymore and in my view its only added unnecessary confusion when it comes to making a decision.

I suppose the real question is why has there been a need or desire over the years to change the rules in the first place. I would imagine when any new game or sport was created, in the first year or so some rules might need amending, or a few others brought in, but would they need to be constantly changing? And if so why?

I don’t play chess myself, but I would guess that game is played today by the same rules it was when it was first invented, yes maybe a few moves and rules had to be tweaked in the first few years it was played to iron out any flaws in the games play.

I suppose football bring a spectator sport has played a big part in a number of rule changes, the back pass law being one of them. In the past a team sitting on a one goal lead with five minutes to go, could pass the ball back and forward between the defence and the goal keeper, with the keeper being able to just pick up the ball and roll it out again. Such tactics’ being used only to prevent the opposition getting the ball to ensure they are not going to go and get an equaliser.

Look how many times the rules for keepers have changed, once he could only hold onto the ball for so many seconds, then he could only bounce the ball a number of times before he had to kick it out and then there was a time he could only take so many steps before he had to kick the ball.

He had to take a goal kick from the side of the goal the ball went out and yes as stated he could pick up the ball when it came into his box no matter how it got there. The main reason for such changes one would think was to speed up the game, to try and prevent periods where there was no action and to reduce all opportunities of time wasting.

I don’t think most fans have any problems with rule changes that are made to try and improve the game and make it more action packed, but If I’m honest I’m not a lover of the offside rule and only because it does reduce the amount of goals scored in games. It does allow teams just to sit very deep with two banks of four to prevent the other team from scoring, while showing no desire to try and score themselves.

The rules on tackling sure have changed over the years and these days challenges that were within the rules once are now outlawed. I’m sure most would agree that some challenges have needed to be outlawed as the last thing any football fan wants to see is players suffering career threatening injuries due to a very dangerous challenge.

But on the other hand some football fans do feel too much of the physical side of the game has been lost due to rule changes and in the end that is something that could make the game of football into some sort of non contact sport that would just be boring to watch.

Some rule changes are just plain daft and you have to ask whey they were changed in the first place. Take a player getting fouled and injured as a result, he receives treatment and then has to leave the field of play leaving his side one man short. It’s as if his team is being punished for him getting injured and it can be costly if the injured player was say a defender and his team needed to defend a corner or free kick.

So what rules do you think have been changed when they should have been left alone? Are there any new rules you would like to see brought in? What is the daftest rule in your opinion?

1. 'Shielding' the ball out for a throw in or goal kick. Anywhere else on the pitch it would be obstruction.

2. Making a player who has received treatment leave the pitch giving the advantage to the cad and his team who committed the ghastly foul.

3. Letting the officials take to the pitch without having an on-the-pitch eye inspection. Perhaps a 15 minute 'Do you know the rules ref and if so are you able to evenly interpret them' quiz could be incorporated before the match.

4. Not really a rule but can we stop the flag waving before and during the game.

5. Why can't the match start at the correct time of 1500, this means that we kick off at this time not saunter out of the tunnel at 1458.

Back in the mid 19th century there were various set of rules drawn up by different public schools and universities. Of these the Cambridge revision of 1863 – fourteen rules in total – has a particular historical relevance because these proved the catalyst for the set adopted at the formation of the Football Association in the same year. A little facsimile book was published a few years ago setting out the FA’s 1863 laws of the game (of which there were thirteen) together with other material:



The thirteen Football Association Laws of 1863 were:

1. The maximum length of the ground shall be 200 yards, the maximum breadth shall be 100 yards, the length and breadth shall be marked off with flags; and the goal shall be defined by two upright posts, eight yards apart, without any tape or bar across them.

2. A toss for goals shall take place, and the game shall be commenced by a place kick from the centre of the ground by the side losing the toss for goals; the other side shall not approach within 10 yards of the ball until it is kicked off.

3. After a goal is won, the losing side shall be entitled to kick off, and the two sides shall change goals after each goal is won.

4. A goal shall be won when the ball passes between the goal-posts or over the space between the goal-posts (at whatever height), not being thrown, knocked on, or carried.

5. When the ball is in touch, the first player who touches it shall throw it from the point on the boundary line where it left the ground in a direction at right angles with the boundary line, and the ball shall not be in play until it has touched the ground.

6. When a player has kicked the ball, any one of the same side who is nearer to the opponent's goal line is out of play, and may not touch the ball himself, nor in any way whatever prevent any other player from doing so, until he is in play; but no player is out of play when the ball is kicked off from behind the goal line.

7. In case the ball goes behind the goal line, if a player on the side to whom the goal belongs first touches the ball, one of his side shall he entitled to a free kick from the goal line at the point opposite the place where the ball shall be touched. If a player of the opposite side first touches the ball, one of his side shall be entitled to a free kick at the goal only from a point 15 yards outside the goal line, opposite the place where the ball is touched, the opposing side standing within their goal line until he has had his kick.

8. If a player makes a fair catch, he shall be entitled to a free kick, providing he claims it by making a mark with his heel at once; and in order to take such kick he may go back as far as he pleases, and no player on the opposite side shall advance beyond his mark until he has kicked.

9. No player shall run with the ball.

10. Neither tripping nor hacking shall be allowed, and no player shall use his hands to hold or push his adversary.

11. A player shall not be allowed to throw the ball or pass it to another with his hands.

12. No player shall be allowed to take the ball from the ground with his hands under any pretence whatever while it is in play.

13. No player shall be allowed to wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta-percha on the soles or heels of his boots.

Now then, put that gutta-percha away!

The above is fascinating but I’m not sure of any direct historical relevance to how we’ve seen the Laws of the Game change in our respective lifetimes. Clearly the game took a while after 1863 to mutate into the game we know today: corners and penalties before the end of the century; goalkeepers allowed to handle outside the box until 1912; a significant change to the offside law in the mid 1920s. Maybe, then, it’s the Stanley Rous 1938 revision to the Laws of the Game which would most interest children of the 1950s and 1960s. These would have been the laws that those of a certain age would have learned as kids.

Firstly in response to Barton Downs I am still around and keep an eye on the forum when time permits.
Secondly yesterdays ref Mr Scott most certainly lost control of the game. I think most of the comments here state he had a decent first half which I would agree with but he lost his way in the second half. There was one incident during the second half where he was over near the Pop side. Someone near to me (an ex- referee no less) shouted at him to be consistent whereupon he turned and glared at my friend. He then gave TUFC a free kick for what most of us felt was a fair challenge by Bayo which Bayo took offence to and then had a long 'discussion' with Mr Scott. As to the drop ball I feel he really goofed and knew it!! Sadly its all history now and we move on to face Crawley. Cant wait to hear the Pop side taunt Mr Evans!!