What innovation would improve the league in the future?

[Snowball]

When the time hooter goes, the game continues until the ball goes out of play. Make for exciting finishes when a team is losing by one goal and in possession

Surely that would just lead to any game in that scenario ending in a foul by the defending team.

I kind of like the idea though, it always seems slightly daft to stop a passage of play because of the ref deems that exact second to be the last of his time added on.

I don't think so, hoop. The law would be written in a way to stop that.

So for example, RFC are in possession, opposition fouls. RFC get a free kick and retain possession.

It works well enough in rugby

[Nameless]

When the time hooter goes, the game continues until the ball goes out of play. Make for exciting finishes when a team is losing by one goal and in possession

Surely that would just lead to any game in that scenario ending in a foul by the defending team.

I kind of like the idea though, it always seems slightly daft to stop a passage of play because of the ref deems that exact second to be the last of his time added on.

Easy to make the definition of 'out of play' that the ball is off the pitch, same as in rugby.

Although refs don't blow at the moment the big hand hits the 12, they allow the passage of play to complete.

I'd change offside to make the attacker onside if any part of his body is level with the last defender.

I'd change throw ins to be roll ins, ball to be rolled under arm along the ground. Would pretty much stop foul throws and get rid of the long throw. Player to be stood still when taking the roll in

Like the sin bin, any form of dissent to be 10 mins in the bin.

No to any use of video. Would simply create more confusion and argument. Football refereeing is about opinion, not fact, in most cases and we should allow officials to make honest decisions as they see them. They get a very high % correct

In cup games between teams from different divisions the draw belongs to the lower ranked side - if a Prem team can't beat a Championship side they deserve to go out

At corners all defenders to be inside the 6 yard area until the ball is played or in the other half. All attackers to be outside the penalty area. Removes all pushing / shoving/ holding / keeper obstructing

Transfer window to close on the first day of the season

Clubs hitting a certain number of yellow / red cards to be deducted points

Neil Warnock to be locked in a box and dropped I the North Sea. Likewise Robbie Savage, and John Hartson, and steve Claridge

[jjd82]

The last one of those is the most reasonable. FTRIO

[gazzer, loyal royal]

any booking for dissent, diving etc is to be a one week fine and this is put into grass roots football.

[Hoop Blah]

When the time hooter goes, the game continues until the ball goes out of play. Make for exciting finishes when a team is losing by one goal and in possession

Surely that would just lead to any game in that scenario ending in a foul by the defending team.

I kind of like the idea though, it always seems slightly daft to stop a passage of play because of the ref deems that exact second to be the last of his time added on.

Easy to make the definition of 'out of play' that the ball is off the pitch, same as in rugby.

Although refs don't blow at the moment the big hand hits 12, they allow the passage of play to complete

You might end up with lots of fouls on the touch line with players go all out to launch ball and opposition out of play though! I'm sure the law could be worded in a way to make it less dangerous yes, but it does seem a bit of an over complication in some ways.

As for play completing, well they don't do they. I've seen games ended when the balls be played in for a corner or as teams are on the attack. Yeah quite often a ref will wait for a goal kick to be taken or something innocuous like that but just as often it will be during a period of play, otherwise the suggestion would be pointless wouldn't it?

[urz13]

Enforce the 6s rule for goalkeepers. Far too many holding onto it for 15s nowadays

[Winchester Royal]

One additional point for teams scoring 4 goals or more in a game.

I like Nameless' idea with the cup, regarding the lower division team owning the draw - however I would suggest that that should only apply after 120 minutes to stop the lower league side playing for the draw.

Any thoughts on the playoffs including relegation candidates from the higher division? It could work with 3rd and 4th bottom of the Premier League playing the winners of the 2-legged ties, so instead of a Derby v QPR final, you could have a Derby v Norwich game at Wembley, along with West Brom v QPR.

Also, the 4th champions league spot should go to the FA cup winners, with it reserved for 4th place if the cup winners have already qualified.

[chilipepper91]

Mandatory pitch invasions at the conclusion of every match

Win lose or draw

[Winchester Royal]

Mandatory pitch invasions at the conclusion of every match

Win lose or draw

As demonstrated at our game against Burnley.

[SPARTA]

Minimum 2 youth academy players 16-22 in any starting 11. Something like that to get the kids involved as early as possible.

[Nameless]

Minimum 2 youth academy players 16-22 in any starting 11. Something like that to get the kids involved as early as possible.

Must hold UK passports to prevent Chelsea style buying in of kids.

[Snowball]

I think a Premiership 1 & 2 with the money split 2/3 1/3 to give sides a better chance of staying up.

[harry]

One additional point for teams scoring 4 goals or more in a game.

Rugby union has something similar to that based on a certain number of tries. I assume this is to promote attacking. Taking it a step further one really wild idea would be to do away with points completely and make everything about goals scored. Suddenly teams have every reason to attack. Their main reason for defending is to get the ball back to attack again and also to stop the opposition getting too many points.


This would be the final Championship table from the season just gone if it was decided on goals scored, then goal difference:
Pld Gls GD
Derby 46 84 32
Leicester 46 83 40
Watford 46 74 10
Burnley 46 72 35
Blackburn 46 70 8
Reading 46 69 14
Nottm F 46 67 3
Bournmth 46 67 1
Sheff W 46 63 -2
Middlsbro 46 62 12
Wigan 46 61 13
QPR 46 60 16
Ipswich 46 60 6
Bolton 46 59 -1
Leeds 46 59 -8
Huddrsfld 46 58 -7
Brum 46 57 -16
Brighton 46 55 15
Millwall 46 46 -28
Yeovil 46 44 -31
Barnsley 46 44 -33
Charlton 46 41 -20
Doncaster 46 39 -31
Blackpool 46 38 -28

And here's the Prem
P GD Gls
1 Man City 38 65 102
2 Liverpool 38 51 101
3 Chelsea 38 44 71
4 Arsenal 38 27 68
5 Man Utd 38 21 64
6 Everton 38 22 61
7 Spurs 38 4 55
8 Saints 38 8 54
9 Swansea 38 0 54
10 Stoke 38 -7 45
11 Newcastle 38 -16 43
12 West Brom 38 -16 43
13 Sunderlnd 38 -19 41
14 West Ham 38 -11 40
15 Fulham 38 -45 40
16 Aston Villa 38 -22 39
17 Hull 38 -15 38
18 C Palace 38 -15 33
19 Cardiff 38 -42 32
20 Norwich 38 -34 28

[Nameless]

You only have to look at basketball to see how utterly tedious a sport can be when it is easy to score.

I don't think fans want endless high scoring games, it would totally kill the game. Every so often it is fun to see a hatful of goals but there is more to the game than just goals.

[tmesis]

You only have to look at basketball to see how utterly tedious a sport can be when it is easy to score.

I don't think fans want endless high scoring games, it would totally kill the game. Every so often it is fun to see a hatful of goals but there is more to the game than just goals.

I don't think anyone's suggesting games should be averaging seven or eight goals, but I don't think people looking back at the 50s, when it was more like 3.5 a game, would think it worse than now.

And I struggle to recall anyone wishing that there were fewer goals scored than now.

[Terminal Boardom]

Make the games 30 minutes each half but the clock only runs when the ball is in play.

[paultheroyal]

One additional point for teams scoring 4 goals or more in a game.

That one would lead to corruption

[Whatevs]

could just leave it as it is....

...just sayin' likesy

[Winchester Royal]

One additional point for teams scoring 4 goals or more in a game.

That one would lead to corruption

Only applies to the first team per game that reach 4 goals.

[BraisingsteakRoyal]

You only have to look at basketball to see how utterly tedious a sport can be when it is easy to score.

I don't think fans want endless high scoring games, it would totally kill the game. Every so often it is fun to see a hatful of goals but there is more to the game than just goals.

'Greed. We're not children. There are other ways to play and other enjoyable aspects to football than how many goals are scored.

For example, in the 'goals scored' league table above - Crystal Palace get relegated, which on the basis of how they managed to turn their season around and became difficult to beat meant (imho) that they ultimately deserved to stay up.

It also means that in 11-12, we certainly wouldn't have been champions - we'd have finished 3rd on GD or 5th on goals scored (and ultimately been beaten in the playoffs obvs.)