EARLY ERROR

From the middle

Shin guards and other equipment

LIKE all the Laws of the Game, Law four – players equipment, has changed and expanded over the years.

Law four applies to all equipment including clothing worn by players, substitutes, substituted players and even refers to their underwear.

Five things are listed as compulsory. First a shirt with sleeves. But any undervest sleeves must be the same colour as the shirt sleeves if longer than the shirt sleeves. Goalkeepers can wear track suits, but all other players must wear shorts.

This I feel may be changed, I have mentioned before when I allowed some Muslim girls, who, mindful of their religion, turned up to play in a ESFA cup tie wearing long trousers the same colour as their teammates.

I also referred recently to the fact that more Muslim nations are allowing women to play football so this rule may become an issue.

Any under-shorts/tights must be the same colour of the shorts. This was introduced when there was a fashion for knee-length ‘Bicycle’ lycra shorts, but these are seldom seen today and yet fourth officials still ask substitutes to lift their shorts to check the colour of their pants.

an infuriating half for the Royals with multiple stoppages throughout the opening 45 minutes which suited the away team.

Carroll tried to impose himself, but found himself on the deck on a few occasions for some robust aerial challenges from Cooper and Murray Wallace.

Reading ended the half without posing a clear threat and went into the break having had zero shots on target.

Clearly unsatisfied with his team’s work, Ince made a double change at the break as Liam Moore and Amadou Mbengue replaced Scott Dann and Yiadom.

Preview

After a lacklustre opening to the second-half, Ince made another double switch with half an hour left to play to try and ignite a fightback as Cesare Casadei and Lucas Joao took the place of Shane Long and Guinness-Walker.

Ince and Casadei tried to spark Reading into life on the front foot before Joao’s cross was dealt with by the resolute Millwall back line who looked determined to preserve their clean sheet. The final Reading change of the day with little over 10 minutes remaining saw Femi Azeez replace McIntyre as the hosts looked to rescue a result.

Paul Ince’s frustrations got the better of him and he was shown a yellow card on the touchline by the referee. Reading were unable to force any considerable pressure on Millwall and were left with their second home defeat on the bounce.

Tigers Test Awaits Against Former Royal

READING FC are hoping to get their home form back on track when they host Hull City on Saturday at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The Royals had boasted a formidable home record in stark contrast to their dismal away form which had prevented them from getting dragged into a relegation scrap.

However, two home defeats in the matter of a few days, against Sheffield United and Millwall, and with a six-point deduction looming looks likely to pull Paul Ince’s men into a battle for survival.

Before Reading’s Wednesday night trip to Blackburn (match report online at rdg.today), the team are in 16th position on 44 points from 36 games.

A six point deduction would see them slide down the standings for the remaining chapter of the campaign.

Saturday’s opponents are one place and two points above Reading prior to their Wednesday night match at home to table toppers Burnley.

Former Reading player Liam Rosenior is in charge of the Tigers having been appointed in

November to take over from Shota Arveladze who was sacked with the team in 21st position.

Rosenior has managed to transform Hull’s hopes and has pulled them away from the drop zone with improved form over the last few months.

Rosenior, who played 69 times for the Royals between 2007-2010, took charge of his first game as Hull boss up against his former team.

It was Ince’s side who came out on top that day in the final match before the World Cup break.

With the game headed for a 1-1 draw after Yakou Meite had levelled to cancel out Jacob Greaves’ early goal, Reading snatched all three points in stoppage time when Andy Carroll’s influence led to Ryan Longman scoring a 94th minute own goal.

The Tigers ensured they moved further away from the drop zone in their last two matches.

They picked up three points at home to in-form West Brom with a goal from Benjamin Tetteh and a Dara O’Shea own goal before an away draw with Coventry City.

Hull’s last two visits to Berkshire have ended in 1-1 draws.

Socks are also compulsory with the stipulation that tape or any material applied or worn over the socks must be the colour as that part of the sock it covers.

The idea is that when two opposing players are in close contention the referee is able to tell which leg is which, but you will see Premier League players defy this ruling by wearing ankle socks of a different colour over their main socks without any comment.

Another compulsory item is footwear.

No type mentioned but players must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous.

At the moment, the biggest bone of contention for referees is the shin bone. The remaining compulsory piece of equipment is shinguards, which the law says must be made of a suitable material to provide reasonable protection and covered by the socks.

However, some Premier League players have taken to wearing socks that cover only their ankles. One local referee challenged a player with socks around his ankles who produced a slim piece of material from his sock. But is this a shin guard, and how can a referee now judge what is ‘reasonable protection’? Clarification needed I feel.