Children Banned From Heading

[taxman 12]

People like Geoff Astle may have suffered after years of heading a sodden leather ball with stitching but surely these rules aren't needed for the modern lightweight balls. I'm all for protecting children but as a child I always preferred leading with my head. Will we never see another Alan Shearer? 

[pattricia 574]

11 hours ago, taxman said:

People like Geoff Astle may have suffered after years of heading a sodden leather ball with stitching but surely these rules aren't needed for the modern lightweight balls. I'm all for protecting children but as a child I always preferred leading with my head. Will we never see another Alan Shearer? 

There is a difference of course between heading a leather ball to the lightweight balls used now, but both are bad. I do think this new ruling is a good thing.

[Squimage 0]

There does seem to be historical links to brain damage caused through sport so preventing them at junior level is a swift move, well done those football associations.

Edited February 25, 2020 by Squimage

[Baron99 772]

19 hours ago, taxman said:

People like Geoff Astle may have suffered after years of heading a sodden leather ball with stitching but surely these rules aren't needed for the modern lightweight balls. I'm all for protecting children but as a child I always preferred leading with my head. Will we never see another Alan Shearer? 

It's only going to be banned in training sessions as far as I've heard.  Actual matches will be unaffected.

 

If they want to practice the technique of heading then surely they can use a foam ball. 

[tinfoilhat 11]

7 hours ago, Baron99 said:

It's only going to be banned in training sessions as far as I've heard.  Actual matches will be unaffected.

 

If they want to practice the technique of heading then surely they can use a foam ball. 

Matches are unaffected. Kick abouts down the park are fine as well presumably. Is that still a thing? Young boys in the park? Jumpers for goalposts? Marvellous.

[Baron99 772]

6 hours ago, tinfoilhat said:

Matches are unaffected. Kick abouts down the park are fine as well presumably. Is that still a thing? Young boys in the park? Jumpers for goalposts? Marvellous.

😁 👍 

[lazarus 68]

On 24/02/2020 at 20:23, taxman said:

People like Geoff Astle may have suffered after years of heading a sodden leather ball with stitching but surely these rules aren't needed for the modern lightweight balls. I'm all for protecting children but as a child I always preferred leading with my head. Will we never see another Alan Shearer? 

My thoughts exactly, these modern lightweight balls can be blown about by the slightest breeze, the old ball needed a gale to move them. It’s sad that the footballers that have suffered like Geoff Astle but putting into a proper perspective, the few who have suffered doesn’t warrant stopping children from heading the ball, just how many have had brain damage out of the thousands that have played over the years, more than twenty? less than twenty?

[Longcol 592]

On 24/02/2020 at 21:23, taxman said:

People like Geoff Astle may have suffered after years of heading a sodden leather ball with stitching but surely these rules aren't needed for the modern lightweight balls. I'm all for protecting children but as a child I always preferred leading with my head. Will we never see another Alan Shearer? 

Certainly caused him brain damage - all those crosses laid on a plate for him and yet he never once ran to thank his team mate - in fact he ran the other way.

 

And as for his comments on MOTD...................................................brain dead.

[Jim Hardie 517]

24 minutes ago, Longcol said:

Certainly caused him brain damage - all those crosses laid on a plate for him and yet he never once ran to thank his team mate - in fact he ran the other way.

 

And as for his comments on MOTD...................................................brain dead.

Reminds me of this tall tale.

Stan Matthews, Tommy Lawton and Tom Finney are up front for England. Finney is having to play on the left wing. Stan puts over his perfect centre and Tommy heads it in easily. On the trot back to half way line, Tommy Lawton raises his hands and gives gentle applause to Stan. A little while later Tom Finney puts over a centre and Tommy Lawton obliges again. As the players head off at half-time, Tom Finney runs up to Lawton and says, "How come, Tommy, when Stan put that centre over and you scored you clapped him, but when I did the same - nothing!"

"Ah well!" explained Lawton. "You see when Stan puts those centres over, he always does it with the laces away from my forehead."

 

 

 

 

[Padders 2,833]

8 hours ago, Jim Hardie said:

Reminds me of this tall tale.

Stan Matthews, Tommy Lawton and Tom Finney are up front for England. Finney is having to play on the left wing. Stan puts over his perfect centre and Tommy heads it in easily. On the trot back to half way line, Tommy Lawton raises his hands and gives gentle applause to Stan. A little while later Tom Finney puts over a centre and Tommy Lawton obliges again. As the players head off at half-time, Tom Finney runs up to Lawton and says, "How come, Tommy, when Stan put that centre over and you scored you clapped him, but when I did the same - nothing!"

"Ah well!" explained Lawton. "You see when Stan puts those centres over, he always does it with the laces away from my forehead."

 

 

 

 

Nice one Jim .

[St Petre 85]

19 hours ago, Jim Hardie said:

Reminds me of this tall tale.

Stan Matthews, Tommy Lawton and Tom Finney are up front for England. Finney is having to play on the left wing. Stan puts over his perfect centre and Tommy heads it in easily. On the trot back to half way line, Tommy Lawton raises his hands and gives gentle applause to Stan. A little while later Tom Finney puts over a centre and Tommy Lawton obliges again. As the players head off at half-time, Tom Finney runs up to Lawton and says, "How come, Tommy, when Stan put that centre over and you scored you clapped him, but when I did the same - nothing!"

"Ah well!" explained Lawton. "You see when Stan puts those centres over, he always does it with the laces away from my forehead."

 

 

 

 

Didn't Tony Hateley suffer the same affliction as Jeff Astle ? Both players starting their careers with Notts County, if that's owt to do with the equipment at Meadow Lane.

[Lex Luthor 10]

As a parent who was hit recently by a ball at a junior game, it bloomin' hurt, and I don't want my kids heading balls like that!

 

I believe the new rules are because children are particularly at risk from causing damage to their brains when heading the ball.  

 

I am very relieved that the FA have finally issued definitive, sensible guidance for junior clubs.