Imagine this: It’s ten past nine on a cold, wintry night in December and you’re frozen to the bone watching Rochdale and Accrington Stanley battle to a goalless draw at Spotland in an English fourth division match.
There are two minutes to go and you and your mates cannot wait for the match to end because a draw is a fair result and the pub is beckoning.
There are no goals but it’s been a good game and all you want to do is go for a swift drink, before your ice-bitten fingers fall off, and get home on the bus.
Finally the match ends 0-0, but you are not going anywhere.
Under the new rules of the competition, the Football League, who have already renamed the fourth division League Two to pretend it’s actually the second division and not the fourth, now require a penalty shoot-out to decide the winners on the night.
Almost 120 years of fine sporting tradition ended when the wise men of the League voted to bring in this idea in the summer of 2007.
They did this, they explained, to “refresh their product” in the words of the League chairman Brian Mawhinney.
So you and your mate decide to stay and watch the penalties.
Suddenly, everyone who couldn’t score starts to find the net. Every penalty goes in: 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 3-2, 3-3… 16-15, 16-16, 17-16, 17-17, 18-17, 18-18… 39-38, 39-39,
40-39, 40-40… you look at your watch: it’s going to be midnight at this rate before they settle this.
The pub will be shut, the last bus long gone, leaving you with a four-mile walk home in the dark, cold Lancashire night.
But still no-one misses. Its now 118-118 and it’s 3 o’clock in the morning.
Finally, finally, someone misses… the ball goes wide. Accrington have beaten Rochdale 161-160 on penalties. It’s six o’clock in the morning and you’re about to die of hypothermia.
But you simply couldn’t walk away could you? You had to stay to the finish because you are a real fan.
The Football League is only considering the idea at this stage. Perhaps it should make a final decision standing on the terraces at Rochdale one night next December.
Mike Collett is Reuters Soccer Editor
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6 comments so far
Maybe you will have to develop some kind of ability to wait and wait. Bring some tea with you and drink, for your cold fingers
- Posted by ticledWell I think its a smashing idea and would like to suggest some more changes.
No points to either side for a nil-nil draw.
A singing competition at half time involving the substitutes - extra points for fancy dress.
Points for the best after match buffet.
Kick ins instead of throw ins - ahh hold on I think we may have had that one already.
A pre season tournament featuring the two top scoring teams from each division - ah now hold on again I think we’ve had that one too - oh sod it ……………bring back the Watney Cup
- Posted by JimMike, I agree with you: I don’t want my husband to be out so late.
- Posted by ElenaSpeaking of the Watney Cup……..
The first ever penalty shootout in England took place in 1970 between Hull City and Manchester United during the Watney Cup, and was won by Manchester United.
The first footballer to take a kick was George Best, and the first to miss was Denis Law.
(Ain’t wikipedia a fantastic thing)
- Posted by Jimthey should try some of the improvements suggested here…
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Soccer_20 Improvements
- Posted by KevIts a mighty long way from Claremont Road to Athens, old son.
- Posted by Stephen SchwabLove your body of work.
Give this man a raise.