What innovation would improve the league in the future?

[TBM]

I am not going to dispute that they are Welsh teams, my question is really just whether the football league has ever officially been the english football league. Can't be arsed to look up the history but I thought English and Welsh clubs were pretty much in it from the start together.

Its still the English league, but with Welsh teams being invited in...

When the Welsh league was set up, those in the English league declined to move across.

[Winston Smith]

I am not going to dispute that they are Welsh teams, my question is really just whether the football league has ever officially been the english football league. Can't be arsed to look up the history but I thought English and Welsh clubs were pretty much in it from the start together.

Its still the English league, but with Welsh teams being invited in....

is that fact or just your thoughts on it? I just did a very quick search on it and couldn't find anything to suggest that.

[stealthpapes]

I thought they were invited to play in the English system by The FA but still fall under the jurisdiction of the FAW - meaning they are Welsha teams in an English league.

There used to be issues in that their suspensions were dealt with by the FAW. That may have changed - don't remember it being an issue recently.

There's also four or five english teams who play in the welsh leagues. TNS is the most famous.

[TBM]

I am not going to dispute that they are Welsh teams, my question is really just whether the football league has ever officially been the english football league. Can't be arsed to look up the history but I thought English and Welsh clubs were pretty much in it from the start together.

Its still the English league, but with Welsh teams being invited in....

is that fact or just your thoughts on it? I just did a very quick search on it and couldn't find anything to suggest that.

Considering there is now a Welsh league, i really don't see how there can also be an English and Welsh league combined...

Its the English FA, so its the English league.......

[Za Vas]

Previously mentioned but the best for me would be to allow physios on whilst the ball is in play, should stop all the embarrassing rolling around feigning injury.

If a stretcher is needed and the player in an awkward spot like the penalty area the ref can blow the whistle to pause the game. Injured player gets stretchered off but must stay off for 5 minutes/be subbed – this is somewhat of a punishment on an injured player but if they needed to be carried off in the first place they could probably do with the breather.

Drop ball if the ball makes contact with the physio.

[Winston Smith]

Its the English FA, so its the English league.......

That would make sense if they were the only one involved in the football league.

There are 2 Football Associations that oversee teams in the football league. The English FA & the FA of Wales.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

I reckon female refs are the way forward. Especially mic'd up

It wouldn't take many examples of overpaid privileged footballers screaming vitriol in a woman's face for there to be a very rapid seachange in society's opinion of acceptable behaviour on the football pitch.

[tmesis]

Considering there is now a Welsh league, i really don't see how there can also be an English and Welsh league combined...

Its the English FA, so its the English league.......

according to this very old link...
http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum ... t_id=3506;

...it wasn't called the English League when it started because it was hoped that Scottish teams could be invited to join.

It seems that people did sometimes call it the English League though, as there also a reference to clubs being instructed in 1922 to not call it the English League as it contained six Welsh clubs.

There's no doubt that now it is the league for England (with a few Welsh clubs allowed), but it's always been called The Football League.

I'm sure there'll be people out there claiming such a name's arrogant, or some such nonsense, but how many of the bigger leagues have their country in their name?

[tmesis]

Previously mentioned but the best for me would be to allow physios on whilst the ball is in play, should stop all the embarrassing rolling around feigning injury.

If a stretcher is needed and the player in an awkward spot like the penalty area the ref can blow the whistle to pause the game. Injured player gets stretchered off but must stay off for 5 minutes/be subbed – this is somewhat of a punishment on an injured player but if they needed to be carried off in the first place they could probably do with the breather.

Drop ball if the ball makes contact with the physio.

I can't agree with that. A genuinely injured player shouldn't be punished for it.

If they allowed subs to be made and players to be waved back on at any time by the 4th official (and allowed injured players to be treated while the game is going on) then there'd be no point in pretending to be injured. It wouldn't waste time or disrupt the game, but would put the player's team down to 10 men.


I'd like to see the red for violent conduct only be awarded for conduct that is violent. Pushing somebody in the chest should not be a red card.

If someone goes down clutching their face after such a push, they should always get a yellow card too. Simulation should not be excused on the grounds of some contact.

[TBM]

Its the English FA, so its the English league.......

That would make sense if they were the only one involved in the football league.

There are 2 Football Associations that oversee teams in the football league. The English FA & the FA of Wales.

Nope not any more

"Welsh teams participating below level 4 of the English football league system are governed by the FAW for disciplinary and administrative matters whereas Welsh teams at level 4 and above of the English football league system are administered by the English FA for the 2011–12 season onwards."

[stealthpapes]

I reckon female refs are the way forward. Especially mic'd up

It wouldn't take many examples of overpaid privileged footballers screaming vitriol in a woman's face for there to be a very rapid seachange in society's opinion of acceptable behaviour on the football pitch.

I think mic'd up and even camera'd up refs would make a big difference.

And just book people for that behaviour. And stick to your guns. There will be a few weeks with some controversy and then then they'll learn.

[6ft Kerplunk]

I think mic'd up and even camera'd up refs would make a big difference.

And just book people for that behaviour. And stick to your guns. There will be a few weeks with some controversy and then then they'll learn.

+1 a few weeks of the nation seeing just how much of a petulant twat you are would stop a lot of the nonsense. Its the booking people and sticking to it that needs to be done for all of the petty stuff like the pushing and shoving at corners.

[Hoop Blah]

I think mic'd up and even camera'd up refs would make a big difference.

And just book people for that behaviour. And stick to your guns. There will be a few weeks with some controversy and then then they'll learn.

+1 a few weeks of the nation seeing just how much of a petulant twat you are would stop a lot of the nonsense. Its the booking people and sticking to it that needs to be done for all of the petty stuff like the pushing and shoving at corners.

I do agree but the difficulty is that it's still a physical game and a contact sport. The jostling for position at corners is difficult to draw a line on, it would cause a fair amount of controversy and inconsistency.

Mic'ing up the refs would be very interesting though. The amount of abuse they take is just not on and escalates things further down the pyramid into park and youth football to the extent that the refs in the Reading League went on strike recently.

[Brosef Stalin]

you could stop that petulant shite overnight. Just warn them you're gonna book/send off the first twat
that opens his mouth and then do it.

Who the fcuk would want to ref 22 thick chav builders on a Sunday?

[No Fixed Abode]

Getting rid of Howard Webb as technical director of the Professional Game Match Officials Board would be a good start.

[Hoop Blah]

you could stop that petulant shite overnight. Just warn them you're gonna book/send off the first twat
that opens his mouth and then do it.

Who the fcuk would want to ref 22 thick chav builders on a Sunday?

Some really passionate football people as it happens, and some right power crazy failures who just want to justify their existence and self importance by ordering people about for 90 minutes.

[stealthpapes]

If you dealt with it effectively at the top, then it would filter down.

A version of the "captains only" rule as well, would have a bit effect.

[Hoop Blah]

If you dealt with it effectively at the top, then it would filter down.

A version of the "captains only" rule as well, would have a bit effect.

Totally agree, it has to be a top down change.

The FA's Respect campaign was trying to address it from grass roots level first and it's impossible to achieve anything when kids and park players see that crap that the pro's get away with.

[6ft Kerplunk]

I do agree but the difficulty is that it's still a physical game and a contact sport. The jostling for position at corners is difficult to draw a line on, it would cause a fair amount of controversy and inconsistency.

I don't disagree that it ill be difficult to get right every time* but its not a physical game and a contact sport when the ball isn't in play and that's when all the nonsense is taking place. First set piece, book 8 players for being dicks and it'll soon stop.

* Hi Kes.

[Brosef Stalin]

you could stop that petulant shite overnight. Just warn them you're gonna book/send off the first twat
that opens his mouth and then do it.

Who the fcuk would want to ref 22 thick chav builders on a Sunday?

Some really passionate football people as it happens, and some right power crazy failures who just want to justify their existence and self importance by ordering people about for 90 minutes.

not having a go at the refs...but fcuk putting up with the abuse