Time to enforce the rules

The petty cheating carried out by footballers is becoming increasingly irritating.

It's the gaining of yards at free-kicks, throw-ins, corner-kicks.

The continuing practice of corner takers to place the ball beyond the quadrant by the corner flag led to the rule-makers caving in and now the ball only has to "overhang" the quadrant. So now, not content with overhanging, many corner takers place the ball six inches beyond the quadrant. Always pushing beyond the rules.

Most free-kicks, but esepcially those taken deep in their own half by goalkeepers, are regularly taken 10-15 yards ahead of where the offence took place.

In yesterday's Birmingham v Manchester City game on TV, the home team's Liam Ridgewell took throw-ins down the left-hand side. On each occasion he ignored the ball that had gone out, took a ball from a ball-boy ten yards further up the pitch, ignored the position where the ball went out and then gained a further five yards in the walk to actually throwing the ball. On only one occasion did referee Mike Dean send him back (about half-way).

There will be those that argue, "Does it matter? It's only a few yards" for all these complaints. I would counter: "If a few yards don't matter, then take it from the right place!"

How long before it's introduced into the rules that free-kicks and throw-ins only need to be "within 20 yards" of the stoppage in play? Why stop there?

Already penalty takers like to place the ball in front of the spot so the ball's only "overhanging the spot". Hell!Why not give them a yard, "what does it matter?" With keepers leaving their line invariably, soon the taker will meet the keeper on the six-yard line!

Rule-makers and rule enforcers (referees) need to get a grip of this now.

It's time to stop the cheating.