Keen eyed Reading supporters may have noticed in recent games, that referees have been pointing out to players where throw-ins should take place.
For some time, players have happily taken them anywhere up to 10 or even 20 yards from where the ball has crossed the touchline to go out of play, which is where Law 15 says they should be returned into play.
This is a key hate of supporters, making their feelings known when it is done by the opposition.
Of course, it is not just at Reading where this change is taking place. If you watch the games on television you will see that it is happening throughout the Football League. It would therefore seem an edict has been issued.
Years ago, there was no penalty for throwing the ball in at the wrong place, except that the throw-in had to be taken again.
In fact, in general, it was taken roughly where it went out (no one worried about a yard or two).
However, if a team was winning by one goal and time was running out, they used this part of the Law as a little time waster.
They would throw the ball in at a great distance forward from the correct position, knowing that the referee would just make them throw it again at the correct place, to which they would walk slowly This would knock a few more seconds off the clock.
The law makers at the IFAB spotted this scam and in1987 made stealing ground to be treated the same as any other foul throws, which is that the throw reverts to the opposing team.
This stopped that particular practice. In recent years however, players have taken to throwing the ball in where they wanted, which has been ignored by referees, at least in the senior leagues.
No doubt in the demand of speeding up the game, or being told it’s not what the game expects.
There are I feel, two aspects to be looked at. Firstly, can taking throw-ins from the wrong area (usually too far forward) be stopped?
The answer is certainly yes. We have the tools. We just award the throw-in to the opposing team when the Law is breached. I have done this many times, admittedly after a first warning as local footballers tend to copy what they see happening on television.
The other point is, is it worth it. It’s such a minor part of the game, does it matter if players get the game under way with a throw-in from the wrong place, even if it is further up field. My argument is why do we have Laws of the Game, if we are just going to ignore them.
By Dick Sawdon Smith
