ummmm......ref (schoolteacher I think, not a 'proper' ref) blew his whistle, signaled offside (I was inside my own half by a yard and two defenders on the half way line).
Gobby little midfielder we had, had a go "Ref! He was in his own half! He can't be" - to be fair, he had been mouthing at the ref for most of the game, ref just looked at him and said 'It's a penalty!' and awarded it to his school. No amount of 'persuasion' from our teacher, or anyone got him to change his mind and, as we all know, the Ref is the one in control......... (Our keeper saved it BTW)
Probably the strangest incident I have ever seen or been involved with in the game.
I have seen offsides given from throw-ins and against players in their own halves on a number of occasions though through the years.
As a coach of 10 year olds a year or so ago, my kids got a throw - I had been coaching them to take throws quickly in the attacking 3rd which they did - winger quick throw to the striker, ref blows "Offside! Oh no! Sorry no offside from a throw is there? Play on!" All defenders stop on the whistle, my attacker looks up, takes it in the box, and buries it in the corner. Ref gives the goal!
As they were lining up for kick off I call him over "Ref, look, we all make mistakes, but I think you should take it back to the throw-in, all the defenders stopped playing when you blew."
"Thanks" He says, "But I got it wrong and you scored a perfectly legal goal, it stands"
I think it took us from 5 to 6-nil up and was largely academic for the result although I got some stick off the scorer's father for trying to chalk off his son's goal, and a couple of other parents 'mentioned' that it was a good goal, and ref was right to allow it.
Suffice to say, I did not take up the offer of coaching that team again (after the complaints I got after finishing 3rd in the nationals)
