And all these years I’ve studied and tried to apply the offside law! It used to be a bit easier some years back than it is now.What with being in an offside position but not being offside, and being active and not being active, it’s all very confusing at times.
Then a player might look onside but the ball rebounds and he’s offside now because he was in an offside position earlier!
He used to be offside if he was level, but not now. He could at one time be played onside if the ball touched an opponent as it was passed towards him.
A mate of mine says it’s easier to understand a solicitor’s letter than the offside law!
And suddenly we hear that it’s not complicated at all. I’m not sure who said so, but some bright spark has decided that the offside law can be explained on the back of a fifty pence coin. No wonder the economy is in a mess! Good job it’s not on a one-euro coin, isn’t it?
When these magic coins are issued I suggest you use one for the toss-up before the game. Then if anybody argues later on you can take the coin out, wave it in front of his face and say, “It’s all on there!”
And what’s betting he answers back with, “Aye ref, and that’s about all you’re worth!”
Source: Ted Ring – BENCHMARK Newsletter (February 2012).
A joint publication between Sheffield & Hallamshire County Football Association and the County Referees’ Association.
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