I've won a prize

[Lord Bracknell]

... in a competition run by The Observer.

The new 'You Are The Ref' feature - starting next Sunday. Ask an awkward question about the rules of soccerball. Keith Hackett gives his opinion. Best Questions (no more than 70 words) get published and win a book.

My question (which I first posed on NSC a couple of years back and got a mix of answers, none of them really convincing) was:-

An attacker has the ball at his feet, inside the penalty area, close to the back line. He nutmegs a defender and then attempts to run past him, to catch up with the ball. But, in doing so, he leaves the field of play. The defender trips the attacker up, but the trip takes place off the playing area.

Has the defender committed a foul? Should a penalty be awarded?

And the prize?

The Bumper Book of Football by Hunter Davies.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

What's the answer? I'd say no foul, no penalty, but book the defender for unsporting conduct.

 

[Gwylan]

... in a competition run by The Observer.

The new 'You Are The Ref' feature - starting next Sunday. Ask an awkward question about the rules of soccerball. Keith Hackett gives his opinion. Best Questions (no more than 70 words) get published and win a book.

My question (which I first posed on NSC a couple of years back and got a mix of answers, none of them really convincing) was:-

An attacker has the ball at his feet, inside the penalty area, close to the back line. He nutmegs a defender and then attempts to run past him, to catch up with the ball. But, in doing so, he leaves the field of play. The defender trips the attacker up, but the trip takes place off the playing area.

Has the defender committed a foul? Should a penalty be awarded?

And the prize?

The Bumper Book of Football by Hunter Davies.

Well done Ed. And now, what's the answer?

 

[Beach Hut]

I won a prize this week as well, lottery bingo at work - £102

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Law 43 (or whatever it is in football...) i.e. commonsense... definite penalty

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The answer?

I'll have to buy the paper. I think Natural Justice says it should be a penalty. As a referee, Keith Hackett may have a problem with the concept of natural justice. I await his opinion with bated breath.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

It's in today's paper. The answer:

Award an indirect free-kick. The defender can be shown a card depending on the seriousness of the foul, but as the offence did not take place inside the area, you cannot award a penalty. The free kick should be taken from the point where the ball was when you stopped play -- or if the ball was inside the six yard box, from the point nearest to where the ball was, parallel with the goal line

It then rather alarmingly says

Thanks to Tom Ayres of Holmfirth for the question

 

[Fixtures]

It then rather alarmingly says "Thanks to Tom Ayres of Holmfirth for the question "

That's Nora Batty's pen-name I believe.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I have no idea who Tom Ayres of Holmfirth is. But who cares? The Bumper Book of Football is a jolly good read. And I've got it.

The interesting thing about Keith Hackett's answer (an indirect free kick) is that NO-ONE suggested this when NSC debated the question a couple of years back.

http://northstandchat.biz/showthread.php?t=48108&highlight=nutmegs