[Football] What are the best law changes in the game’s history?

Guinness Boy · Apr 22, 2024

Made this point on the FA Cup thread but to me it warrants its own discussion.

In my lifetime three law changes have made the game better to watch by a huge degree. They are the back pass law change, three points for a win and changing offside so you are on if you’re level.

VAR is regressing the third change to the detriment of the game. Coventry’s is one example but there are others where the players are level to the naked eye but fractionally different with a computerised protractor (and lines drawn at an arbitrary time and sometimes on the wrong player).

What are the best law changes you remember? Are any being negated by technology or cheating? What can be done about VAR “offsides” like yesterday, so that level once again becomes onside?

Green Cross Code Man · Apr 22, 2024

Scrap VAR. It was meant to stop controversy but instead controversy has increased. It steals joy from the beautiful game.

Yes Chef · Apr 22, 2024

The goal kick change circa 2019, which would have sparked the de Zerbi synapses into creating the beautiful, panoramic football that Albion play*

* last season anyway

timbha · Apr 22, 2024

Allowing a substitute for an injured player, and later as a tactical move.

Blues Guitarist · Apr 22, 2024

Stopping a keeper pick a back pass.

Van Cleef · Apr 22, 2024

The addition of goal nets (quick check - 1891).

Farehamseagull · Apr 22, 2024

The pass back rule is obviously the best ever.

After that, the red card for dangerous challenges from behind. Gave a chance to the supremely skillful players who were in danger of being kicked out of the game.

studio150 · Apr 22, 2024

Removing the 4 step rule

Rdodge30 · Apr 22, 2024

I wonder if it’s just my memory but when did obstruction become ok… I always thought if you obstructed someone from getting the ball with no intention of playing it yourself it was obstruction (now simply shepherding the ball out for a throw in /goal kick)

The best rule would be carding everyone arguing with the ref if only they would enforce it..so only allowing captains to approach the ref would get my vote for best rule change

Simster · Apr 22, 2024

Rdodge30 said:
I wonder if it’s just my memory but when did obstruction become ok… I always thought if you obstructed someone from getting the ball with no intention of playing it yourself it was obstruction (now simply shepherding the ball out for a throw in /goal kick)

The best rule would be carding everyone arguing with the ref if only they would enforce it..so only allowing captains to approach the ref would get my vote for best rule change

I agree this would be very welcome, but the back pass rule will never be beaten IMO.

By the way, I think there is an argument for saying 3 points for a win has run it's course in the same way as the away goals rule has. Both were to discourage negativity from the away side, but the back pass rule kind of removed by far the biggest cause of time-wasting.

At pro level, the play-offs were a positive development albeit not a rule change. There are no longer many teams in a league that have nothing to play for after January. My only criticism would be that they could make them a bit fairer by giving teams higher up the league some sort of play off advantage.

Commander · Apr 22, 2024

Rdodge30 said:
I wonder if it’s just my memory but when did obstruction become ok… I always thought if you obstructed someone from getting the ball with no intention of playing it yourself it was obstruction (now simply shepherding the ball out for a throw in /goal kick)

The best rule would be carding everyone arguing with the ref if only they would enforce it..so only allowing captains to approach the ref would get my vote for best rule change

I wish they would bring it back. The sheperding it out thing is crap, it would be much better if you weren't allowed to do that.

Simster said:
I agree this would be very welcome, but the back pass rule will never be beaten IMO.

By the way, I think there is an argument for saying 3 points for a win has run it's course in the same way as the away goals rule has. Both were to discourage negativity from the away side, but the back pass rule kind of removed by far the biggest cause of time-wasting.

At pro level, the play-offs were a positive development albeit not a rule change. There are no longer many teams in a league that have nothing to play for after January. My only criticism would be that they could make them a bit fairer by giving teams higher up the league some sort of play off advantage.

I'm in two minds about the play-off rule. In the National League you get a much bigger advantage from finishing 2nd than 5th. But it's also great seeing teams finishing 6th on a good run going up, and then (sometimes) holding their own in the division above. I think it's one of those where if you're on the wrong end of it it's unfair, but the right end feels great.

Harry Wilson's tackle · Apr 22, 2024

Guinness Boy said:
Made this point on the FA Cup thread but to me it warrants its own discussion.

In my lifetime three law changes have made the game better to watch by a huge degree. They are the back pass law change, three points for a win and changing offside so you are on if you’re level.

VAR is regressing the third change to the detriment of the game. Coventry’s is one example but there are others where the players are level to the naked eye but fractionally different with a computerised protractor (and lines drawn at an arbitrary time and sometimes on the wrong player).

What are the best law changes you remember? Are any being negated by technology or cheating? What can be done about VAR “offsides” like yesterday, so that level once again becomes onside?

That is an anti VAR thread, isn't it? Lest we forget? :wink:

OK, to your original question

1. Tightening the laws on fouls, especially going through the man from behind or scything him down in the style of Chopper Harris or Norman Hunter

2. Backpass law (as you mentioned); meaning keepers can't pick up a backpass.

3. Substitutions permitted for tactical reasons (not simply because a player had broken their leg).

Harry Wilson's tackle · Apr 22, 2024

Rdodge30 said:
I wonder if it’s just my memory but when did obstruction become ok… I always thought if you obstructed someone from getting the ball with no intention of playing it yourself it was obstruction (now simply shepherding the ball out for a throw in /goal kick)

The best rule would be carding everyone arguing with the ref if only they would enforce it..so only allowing captains to approach the ref would get my vote for best rule change

Agree.

Seeing players routinely saying 'f*** off' to the ref on camera is unacceptable, and would a serious matter be in any other walk of life.

I would add (for new rules) enforcing the 10 yards for a free kick and booking anyone who stands still or walks towards the ball. I would make the rule 'when a free kick is given, opposition players must move10 yards away from the ball in 5 seconds after the whistle for the kick is blown or a yellow card will be shoved up their jacksy'. And once the whistle is blown the ref will automatically blow a second whistle after 5 seconds so the kick can be taken. A frantic 5 seconds after fouling, then.

Bry Nylon · Apr 22, 2024

Agree with a lot of these, albeit '3 points for a win' and 'goal nets' stand out as two that we haven't had occasion to make much use of over the past few weeks.

Eeyore · Apr 22, 2024

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
That is an anti VAR thread, isn't it? Lest we forget?

OK, to your original question

1. Tightening the laws on fouls, especially going through the man from behind or scything him down in the style of Chopper Harris or Norman Hunter

2. Backpass law (as you mentioned); meaning keepers can't pick up a backpass.

3. Substitutions permitted for tactical reasons (not simply because a player had broken their leg).

There are still those who think that those days were better, which I can fathom not. They weren't footballers they were thugs. The matches are just unwatchable.

I think three subs was a brilliant idea. It is a team game. Basically everything you have listed.

On the pitch football has changed so much since I started watching in the 70s and I think it is so much better.

One off pitch rule change I like was the one giving automatic promotion to non-league teams. That needs updating. It should be three, not two.

Bodian · Apr 22, 2024

timbha said:
Allowing a substitute for an injured player, and later as a tactical move.

Eeyore said:
I think three subs was a brilliant idea. It is a team game. Basically everything you have listed.

Backpass the number one change in my supporting lifetime.

I think the subs thing has gone too far now though. Five is too many. I would like to see it back down to three, or even two for tactics and an additional one for injury if necessary. I think having so many subs does away with the yellow-card jeopardy (ie: you can just take someone off before he gets sent off, rather then them having to moderate their style), but also means that you can 'hide' a players' off day by taking his off - whereas before, it could be exploited.

banjo · Apr 22, 2024

Using AI to ref games. (Maybe)

Guinness Boy · Apr 22, 2024

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
That is an anti VAR thread, isn't it? Lest we forget?

OK, to your original question

1. Tightening the laws on fouls, especially going through the man from behind or scything him down in the style of Chopper Harris or Norman Hunter

2. Backpass law (as you mentioned); meaning keepers can't pick up a backpass.

3. Substitutions permitted for tactical reasons (not simply because a player had broken their leg).

THIS is an anti VAR thread in many ways. I'm not hiding it. VAR should get in the sea, as the vast majority of football fans now agree, having seen it in action. Who'd have thunk it?

Commander · Apr 22, 2024

On the arguing / surrounding the ref point- I would say any time the ref is surrounded and harassed then the position of the free-kick may be changed to anywhere the attacking team wants, outside of the penalty box. It would stop the surrounding the ref problem, and if it didn't, we'd see lots more free kicks scored. Both would be great.

Sid and the Sharknados · Apr 22, 2024

Simster said:
By the way, I think there is an argument for saying 3 points for a win has run it's course in the same way as the away goals rule has. Both were to discourage negativity from the away side, but the back pass rule kind of removed by far the biggest cause of time-wasting.

I think we should go back to 2 points for a win.
I'd also prefer to use goal average rather than goal difference as the tie breaker.

Neither of these would make football better, indeed they'd almost certainly make it worse by most normal measures. But I'd be happier, and I'm the only person I have to share my own head with so sod it.

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[Football] What are the best law changes in the game’s history?

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