Multiball

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Surely the game has to be stopped if anyone other that the players and the ref are on the pitch. If a ballboy/girl (person, i must remain PC!) they could inadvertantly intefere with play.

Works for other sports.

Aussie rules not only has people running on the pitch to give messages to players who are currently not near the play, but also has people running around giving drinks to players not up with play. No interference there.

Very rarely does a ball thrown back from the crowd bounce into the same area as the play currently is, so a ball boy running a couple of yards onto the pitch to grab it and run back off again (~5secs on pitch max?) is never going to be a problem. Fair enough if the ball bounces over near play, then the ref should stop the game for a moment.

But what is the issue with collecting up the multiballs after one or two mistakes??
There seems to be an assumption that the crown will throw the ball onto the pitch to intentionally halt play....well in that case unless it actually interefes with play, let play carry on

Having just the one ball is just a bad (well much worse imo) as the crowd, ball boys etc can hold onto it (plus players time wasting by very slowing going to get a ball)

Most times the extra ball has appeared at the Madejski, it has been as someone has thrown it at the ballboy and it has bounced just short, then gone over their head, and hence not gone very far onto the pitch

[JC]

Surely the game has to be stopped if anyone other that the players and the ref are on the pitch. If a ballboy/girl (person, i must remain PC!) they could inadvertantly intefere with play.

Works for other sports.

Aussie rules not only has people running on the pitch to give messages to players who are currently not near the play, but also has people running around giving drinks to players not up with play. No interference there.

Very rarely does a ball thrown back from the crowd bounce into the same area as the play currently is, so a ball boy running a couple of yards onto the pitch to grab it and run back off again (~5secs on pitch max?) is never going to be a problem. Fair enough if the ball bounces over near play, then the ref should stop the game for a moment.

But what is the issue with collecting up the multiballs after one or two mistakes??
There seems to be an assumption that the crown will throw the ball onto the pitch to intentionally halt play....well in that case unless it actually interefes with play, let play carry on

Having just the one ball is just a bad (well much worse imo) as the crowd, ball boys etc can hold onto it (plus players time wasting by very slowing going to get a ball)

Most times the extra ball has appeared at the Madejski, it has been as someone has thrown it at the ballboy and it has bounced just short, then gone over their head, and hence not gone very far onto the pitch

Totally agree. The amount of time saved by multiball significantly outweighs that lost on the odd occaision when there are 2 balls on the pitch. On Saturday the whole tempo seemed slower when the extra balls had been removed.

[Royal Lady]

I seem to remember a big factor in some of better games in the Championship winning season was down to the multiball system. The ballpeople had it spot on each time and would be very quick in getting a ball to one of our players for a throw-in etc. Didn't one or two clubs complain about us using it that season too?

[Baines]

I seem to remember a big factor in some of better games in the Championship winning season was down to the multiball system. The ballpeople had it spot on each time and would be very quick in getting a ball to one of our players for a throw-in etc. Didn't one or two clubs complain about us using it that season too?

Warnock complained (surprise) that the ball was put on the spot for Reading corners, but rolled towards the corner taker for Sheff U corners.

But, back in the real world, we were just much quicker and better organised than any other team employing multiball.

[chandog]

I seem to remember a big factor in some of better games in the Championship winning season was down to the multiball system. The ballpeople had it spot on each time and would be very quick in getting a ball to one of our players for a throw-in etc. Didn't one or two clubs complain about us using it that season too?

Warnock complained (surprise) that the ball was put on the spot for Reading corners, but rolled towards the corner taker for Sheff U corners.

But, back in the real world, we were just much quicker and better organised than any other team employing multiball.

agreed
also warnock has forgotten that he is such a prick no one would be willing to help his team out by putting the ball on the spot for them

[Forbury Lion]

I remember thinking during the first half how insanely fast the balls were being thrown to players when it went out of play...

Then the second half we the opposite...

The ball boys/girls were probably tired having worked the first half... well that's the argument I would use.

[SCIAG]

I seem to remember a big factor in some of better games in the Championship winning season was down to the multiball system. The ballpeople had it spot on each time and would be very quick in getting a ball to one of our players for a throw-in etc. Didn't one or two clubs complain about us using it that season too?

Southampton complained that the ballpeople threw it quickly to our players, but slowly when the Saints players strolled over.

[soggy biscuit]

ALOL @ Readings shambolic attempts to use the Multiball system again today.

I can see another complaint being made to the FA........

[LWJ]

Ball came onto pitch today and the ref gave a ballgirl the nod too fetch it..

[From Despair To Where?]

I seem to remember Steve Bruce blaming the multiball system for Wigan's defeat at the Mad Stad in the playoffs, conveniently forgetting Andy Liddell's inability over 2 legs to hit the proverbial cow's arse with the proverbial banjo. You can't blame your full back for being skinned by Forster, you can blame your striker for being a donkey, but no, you blame your defeat on a 12 year old wearing a bib.

For the record, I oxf*rd hate multiball. It completely negates the tactical genius of the aimless hoof into Row Z, without which, Martin Hicks would not be a cult hero.

[Dirk Gently]

Ball came onto pitch today and the ref gave a ballgirl the nod too fetch it..

Yep - good, common-sense refereeing for once.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Ball came onto pitch today and the ref gave a ballgirl the nod too fetch it..

Yep - good, common-sense refereeing for once.

'greed. Was very impressed by that today

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Preston are complaining to the FA about Watford's use of the Multiball system. Its good in my opinion, as it vindicates what we said a couple of weeks back.

[JC]

I thought the use of the multiball on Saturday was back to its best. Reminded me of 05/06 when the ball came back quickly and we used it to our advantage. To be fair, however, the ball boys/girls gave it back to Burnley just as quickly.

[John 3:16]

We didn't abuse it though.

Correct, we didn't abuse it. We misused it and as such have been reported to the FA.

Could you explain to us how we misused it? I admit we started off poor using the system (compared to the last time we used it in 05/06) but I put that down to the inexperience of the ball people having not used it before (I'd be surprised if there were many if any of the 05/06 squad still there), and as such affected both teams. Since then we have become a far better outfit using that system and we have been just as quick with the away teams as with the home.

I know you're just a bloke on the internet, but if you have the insider dealings of why we were reported could you let us all know about them please?

[soggy biscuit]

We didn't abuse it though.

Correct, we didn't abuse it. We misused it and as such have been reported to the FA.

Could you explain to us how we misused it? I admit we started off poor using the system (compared to the last time we used it in 05/06) but I put that down to the inexperience of the ball people having not used it before (I'd be surprised if there were many if any of the 05/06 squad still there), and as such affected both teams. Since then we have become a far better outfit using that system and we have been just as quick with the away teams as with the home.

I know you're just a bloke on the internet, but if you have the insider dealings of why we were reported could you let us all know about them please?

Allowing the fans to throw a ball back onto the pitch when another has already been put back into play is classed as missusing it. You can see the list of clubs further up on this thread that are allowed to use Multiball and it doesn't take too many complaints before you lose it.

[John 3:16]

Correct, we didn't abuse it. We misused it and as such have been reported to the FA.

Could you explain to us how we misused it? I admit we started off poor using the system (compared to the last time we used it in 05/06) but I put that down to the inexperience of the ball people having not used it before (I'd be surprised if there were many if any of the 05/06 squad still there), and as such affected both teams. Since then we have become a far better outfit using that system and we have been just as quick with the away teams as with the home.

I know you're just a bloke on the internet, but if you have the insider dealings of why we were reported could you let us all know about them please?

Allowing the fans to throw a ball back onto the pitch when another has already been put back into play is classed as missusing it. You can see the list of clubs further up on this thread that are allowed to use Multiball and it doesn't take too many complaints before you lose it.

At the Wolves game the tannoy announcer gave a message before the game kicked off for the fans to make sure they gave the ball back to the ball boys only and not to throw them on the pitch. We could at least give that message, and hope that the fans aren't stupid. How many warnings are given before it's taken away? And I wonder if they look at the incident in detail (if it's covered on camera) to see if it was a genuine error or a deliberate bit of idiocy by a fan.

[soggy biscuit]

At the Wolves game the tannoy announcer gave a message before the game kicked off for the fans to make sure they gave the ball back to the ball boys only and not to throw them on the pitch. We could at least give that message, and hope that the fans aren't stupid. How many warnings are given before it's taken away? And I wonder if they look at the incident in detail (if it's covered on camera) to see if it was a genuine error or a deliberate bit of idiocy by a fan.

There is no specific amount of warnings given before Multiball is taken away, 'continued missuse' is all they class it as. A Multiball incident that results in the stopping of play goes in the referee's report and is then logged against the club.

Good thinking by Wolves. If Multiball is considered an advantage by the club and they are in danger of losing it I would think only a couple of messages to the fans a season would pretty much sort that out.

The assessors watch the whole game back on video once in real time and then are allowed to see 1 slow motion replay for each incident in the refs report. They have to do this to give the officials their points scoring for each match.

[readingbedding]

Needs to be a quick, sharp throw to the players hands, not a limp, flop of a throw that bounces twice before reaching the players' feet.

I must admit this is directed at the Ballgirls because the Ballboys are ok.

[John 3:16]

Needs to be a quick, sharp throw to the players hands, not a limp, flop of a throw that bounces twice before reaching the players' feet.

I must admit this is directed at the Ballgirls because the Ballboys are ok.

Sexist/gayer. (delete as appropriate)