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[Football] Goal nets and stanchions









Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
14,250
Cumbria
I've literally spent days trying to answer that question, reading FIFA, UEFA and IFAB documents from 1987 onwards, EU and national safety regulation documents, all the goal manufacturers websites and dozens and dozens of forums...

What I do know:
* Aluminium/steel goals were first tried in 1922 but became the dominating kind in the late 70s/early 80s

* In 1987, FIFA banned the square goalposts pretty much only Hampden Park and some other Scottish stadiums were using at that point (read about the 1976 Europa Cup final for more about that). Some sources also say that goals made out of wood were banned at that point, but I've not found any evidence for it.

* I've heard that some Scottish second division teams used wooden goals (perhaps even with outlawed square posts) in the early 90s but its frustratingly difficult to confirm.

* Some kind of "British Goalpost Standard" document from 2005 says "goals made out of wood are not safe and does not meet European standards". Some kind of EU document from 1998 or 99 (cant remember) confirms this but no mention of when that was decided.

Personally I believe you could find wooden goals in Europe as late as the mid 90s and in poor countries perhaps even early 00s, but this is mostly speculation from my part. At some point I will find the truth and definite answer.

Thanks Swanny. I shouldn't have been surprised!
 


Barham's tash

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2013
3,728
Rayners Lane
I have a wierd goal net thing too. Always used to think what a waste it was that so many of Le Tissier’s stunners were scored in these shit nets at The Dell:
View attachment 134649

****ing hate those goals. Same at Underhill, [Barnet] back in the day and Cambridge United where if a shot was right it could go in, rebound off the advertising hoardings and pop out as if it hadn’t happened. Utter bobbins.

Personal favourites are box style that we have now but with hexagonal net patterns - used to have them at Ewood Park - something really classy about them.
 


Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
9,095
Brighton
But what does the ball hit. Tony Livesey had a conversation recently regarding where is the 'back' of the net. If you stand on the penalty spot surely the back is the side facing the stands and the front is inside of the goal. Therefor, scoring a goal you hit the front of the net.
 




zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,786
Sussex, by the sea
These are a good goal

you could pin them down, revolutionaised the game back in 1981.

WC goals.jpg
 


Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
These are a good goal

you could pin them down, revolutionaised the game back in 1981.

View attachment 134682

Seems blue coloured nets (and to some extent also red ones) were really common in the early 90s.

Coventry

coventry1992.jpg

City

maineroad.jpg

Ipswich

ipswich1992.jpg

Maybe something for Brighton?

I mean, the goals are there, even if you're not going to use them at least they could look pretty..
 










Kuipers Supporters Club

Well-known member
Feb 10, 2009
5,770
GOSBTS
I love this sort of thing. My favorite nets are the Italia 90 ones.
View attachment 134668

Firstly, I liked the hexagons in the net pattern. Secondly, it was a box net that wasn’t too springy. In my humble, but very strong, opinion when a ball smashes into the back of the net it should stay there. All the better if a keeper has to then spend a short while digging it out of a lump of netting.

I spent half my childhood watching my All the goals of Italia 90 video, and I can remember plenty of belters that just kept going when they went in.

If those posts had been circular, we would have played in our second World Cup Final.
 






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