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[cheshire cat]

Last Saturday Harrogate were awarded a free kick in our half as a result of one our players being offside (can't remember who it was). Lots of abuse being hurled at the ref  as a result but in fact the ref called it correctly. In effect if you strayed offside you are still offside until there is at least one player between you and the goalie even if you come back into your own half.

From the FIFA laws

11.5 Position of free kick

Last year's text. In the event of an offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred;.

Current text. If an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick where the offence occurred, including if it is in the player’s own half of the field of play.

Laws of the Game 2016/17 | Law changes 2016 / 17 140 p. 111 When an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick to be taken from the position of the offending player when the ball was last played to him by one of his team-mates

Explanation The Law and the interpretation were contradictory. Throughout the Laws, the general principle is that a FK is awarded where an offence occurs so this now applies to offside. A FK can be awarded in a player’s own half if the player moves from an offside position in the opponents’ half to commit an offside offence in the player’s own half.

[Mick]

Gibberish

Just make it simple like it used to be...............we will soon have laws that professional players do not understand and crowds that have no idea why play has stopped - just like rugby union where games are won and lost by full time highly paid players regularly committing 'free-kick' offences outside their own posts