Since I first started going to Kenilworth Road, football, as a game, has changed immensely.
It seems to me that the authorities are quite happy to make the odd rule change, or two, every summer.
Soe make perfect sense, some, as in the case of the adjustments to the offside and handball laws this season, have been a bit baffling.
But, with progress being the name of the game I would like to see one new rule brought in.
Nothing infuriates more than when, after seeing the board raised to indicate 5 or 6 minutes of stoppage time, managers wind down the clock by bringing on substitutes.
Now I am led to believe that if that is the case then an extra 30 seconds of stoppage time should be played but I very much doubt whether that happens.
Therefore, I would like to see a change to the rules made whereby substitutes are not allowed to be made in stoppage time unless a player suffers an injury deemed to be too serious to continue.
To me it is only a small change, but it would help the flow of the game enormously.
Is it a change you would like to see or is there a more pressing rule change you would like to see introduced?
Please feel free to have your say in the comment facility beneath this article.
COYH’s
The First Stand I Used Was?
The Oak Road End
The Bobbers Stand
The Kenilworth Road End
The Maple Road Stand
Previous article by Mad Hatter
Hi MH I agree with you entirely, it is extremely infuriating & blatant gamesmanship. I think too as you say only allow substitutes if players are genuinely injured & need to be replaced although could players start to feign injury if there team are winning 1-0 in a winner takes all promotion or relegation season ending decider? Of course if Luton were in that situation again come the end of this campaign then it would be oh so tempting to employ that very tactic if it meant us maintaining our championship status again but of course I realise this would be a very hypocritical & unsporting thing to say if indeed this rule was already in force but let’s hope that situation doesn’t manifest although I am slightly concerned with how recent results have unfolded. We are a lot nearer the bottom than the top now points wise than we were a few games ago & I am concerned that NJ keeps faith with players like Cornick who may have pace but not much end product in my view. Also Collins isn’t scoring, but hopefully with these new additions things will start to look up again from now on in. COYH
Not so much a rule change, but actually enforcing where throw ins and free kicks are taking from. Small margins make a huge difference, a throw in 5 yards further forward than where it went out is the difference between a ball reaching the box and not and completely changes a teams approach. It’s the same across all throws and free kicks, we see it every week stealing yards and it has been the difference on the odd occasion to a team scoring. It wouldn’t be difficult for linesman to mark with the spray foam like a ref as to where the throw is from. If it’s taken quickly it tends to be where the ball has gone out so isn’t as much of an issue. Thoughts?
I couldn’t agree more, some teams pinch fifteen yards and the officials do nothing!
It’s as simple as the spray, it can cost teams massively and it isn’t hard to manage. As for time wasting in the corner, that’s fine because it’s a live in game moment. Set plays and throws are something that can be managed by the officials. Its also the same for wasting time taking a throw that should be stopped. I just don’t understand how officials especially at the lower level with no VAR to worry about can’t manage those situations better
Taking the ball into the corner when there’s only a few minutes left. Infuriating.
Now that is something that needs sorting out, some teams do it as early as the 85th minute