Use of towels to dry the ball

[Yorkshirelad]

I thought there was a rule now that clubs could not place towels with ball boys for long throw in’s.

Or as this rule been removed.

Yesterday at Stoke in the second half the guy taking the long throw certainly got one from a ball boy.

Although it didn’t change anything.

I was thinking about the likes of Sheffield United who also used to do this

[hoosier-daddy]

Is there a reason why this rule was in place? Are they worried a player will slap a fan with it.

[taio]

I thought it had been banned too.

[redwasp]

I noticed that the linesman had a word with the guy in the second half.

[taio]

Is there a reason why this rule was in place? Are they worried a player will slap a fan with it.

I presume because it slows play down and is an unnatural intervention

[Quickenthetempo]

Is there a reason why this rule was in place? Are they worried a player will slap a fan with it.

Home advantage.

But they just get a new ball from the cone, which should be dry.

[Stonehouse]

I presume because it slows play down and is an unnatural intervention

I’m sure Phil Bird said that towels could be used as long as they were available to both sides.

[hoosier-daddy]

Home advantage.

But they just get a new ball from the cone, which should be dry.

I get it's because people with a long throw can gain an advantage, but they can grab a towel from a squad player in an away game. Just seems a bit silly to ban it.

[taio]

I’m sure Phil Bird said that towels could be used as long as they were available to both sides.

Not sure but this is from EFL:

MULTIBALL / TOWELS

'The EFL will introduce a multiball system in all its competitions for the 2023/24 season. Match balls will be placed on cones in designated areas at pitch side to help increase the time of the ball being in play. Meanwhile, Clubs will no longer be permitted to use towels or other articles, including items obtained from spectators to dry footballs during matches.'

[taio]

I get it's because people with a long throw can gain an advantage, but they can grab a towel from a squad player in an away game. Just seems a bit silly to ban it.

If they have banned it makes sense to me - again, because it slows play down and is unnatural

[ClaretTony]

I remember when we played Stoke in the PL in 2010, we stuck advertising boards down the sides to try and stop Delap getting a run up. I think he just moved them away.

[ecc]

I thought it was good of Stoke to embrace the environmental challenge and reuse Rory's towels.

[Silkyskills1]

Incredible amount of time wasted during the game waiting for the throw to be taken. If that happened later in a game players would be booked. Their thrower didn't ever get one warning.

[Goliath]

I remember when we played Stoke in the PL in 2010, we stuck advertising boards down the sides to try and stop Delap getting a run up. I think he just moved them away.

I think he just ran around the side of them because we didn't have enough boards to fill the length of the pitch. We just tactically placed a few. It all looked a bit desperate

[dougcollins]

Incredible amount of time wasted during the game waiting for the throw to be taken. If that happened later in a game players would be booked. Their thrower didn't ever get one warning.

I said exactly that, every throw took around a minute.

[Rowls]

I always carry a tin of grease into grounds just in case they're drying the balls with a towel.

If they are, I hope the balls comes into the crowd and I catch it. Then I quickly grease the ball up and throw it back.

It's not a perfect plan by any means but I hope to mitigate the problem.

[Swizzlestick]

Game against Blades in the previous promotion season was ridiculous for this. Robinson (I think?) took an age to get the towel and dry the ball down before throwing. Glad it’s been (or at least should have been) banned.

[wadeswondergoal]

The multiball rule is ******** too. Millwall stopped it as soon as they went 1-0 up.

[Dazzler]

I remember when we played Stoke in the PL in 2010, we stuck advertising boards down the sides to try and stop Delap getting a run up. I think he just moved them away.

I seem to recall he started his run-up further down the line from where the ball went out, twisting his body slightly to direct his throw towards the box.
His throws could still reach the 6-yard area from the halfway line.

[ClaretTony]

I seem to recall he started his run-up further down the line from where the ball went out, twisting his body slightly to direct his throw towards the box.
His throws could still reach the 6-yard area from the halfway line.

Hell of a throw on him. We had a lad Jordan Cropper in the u21s, now at Barnet, who could throw it a long way. He was double jointed.

[Dazzler]

Hell of a throw on him. We had a lad Jordan Cropper in the u21s, now at Barnet, who could throw it a long way. He was double jointed.

Didn't Stoke still score from a long Delap throw in that aforementioned game?

Then when the Stoke fans were just starting their Delilah, we banged in the equaliser straight from the restart?

[ClaretTony]

Didn't Stoke still score from a long Delap throw in that aforementioned game?

Then when the Stoke fans were just starting their Delilah, we banged in the equaliser straight from the restart?

To be honest I can’t remember how they scored but it wouldn’t surprise me if it came from a throw.

[colne-claret]

Didn't Stoke still score from a long Delap throw in that aforementioned game?

Then when the Stoke fans were just starting their Delilah, we banged in the equaliser straight from the restart?

Yeah they did score from one. Pretty sure it was Tuncay.