[In-goal] Common myth or truth ? Cant be offisde in-goal

[Ian_Cook]

Was there ever a time when forward was not 'towards the Dead Ball Line'.

Probably not since the time that there wasn't a dead ball line... around 1862!!

AA AA. Lines of Goal.
PP. PP. Goal Posts.
TT. TT. Lines of Touch.
M. Imaginary place where mark is made after a touch down in goal.
O. Imaginary place whence kicked.
Q,Q,Q,Q, Touch in Goal

INTRODUCTION
Football is played on a large level field or piece of ground,near either end of which is erected a goal, composed of two upright posts eighteen feet high, with a crossbar placed ten feet from the ground.

From each goal a line is cut, called the line of goal, to the edge of the field; all the part behind this line is in goal, the part between the goals being the field of action.

The sides are marked off by lines similar to the lines of goal, and all the edge of the field outside them is said to be in touch.

The part behind the goal line and also behind the touch line is called Touch-in-goal (see Plan).

If the field in which the football is played is larger than the part on which the game is played, the touch lines and goal lines are considered as indefinitely produced

 

[OB..]

Was there ever a time when forward was not 'towards the Dead Ball Line'.

1871[LAWS]27. Knocking on i e deliberately hitting the ball with the hand and Throwing Forward ie throwing the ball in the direction of the opponents' goal line are not lawful[/LAWS]
1908[LAWS]Knocking-On and Throwing-Forward, are propelling the ball by the hand or arm in the direction of. the opponents' in-goal[/LAWS]
1949[LAWS]A knock-on occurs when the ball, after striking the hand or arm of a player, travels in the direction of his opponents' dead ball line.[/LAWS]
I don't have exact dates for the changes.

 

[OB..]

I had a coach yelling at me once that the referee cannot change his decision.

1999[LAWS]During a match, the referee is the sole judge of fact and of law. All his decisions are binding on the players. He cannot alter a decision unless he observes that a touch judge's flag is raised or before he has received a report from either or both of his touch judges relating to Section 4 (a).[/LAWS]
2000[LAWS]The referee may alter a decision when a touch judge has raised his flag to signal touch or an act of foul play.[/LAWS]In conjunction with the continuing assertion that the referee is "the sole judge of fact and law", this change in wording was taken to cover the sensible view that a referee could change his decision if he realised he had got it wrong.

I once heard a referee announce "Knock-on, scrum Green". This puzzled the players since neither side was wearing green. Tricky to enforce that one.

I have also heard "High tackle, penalty Blue" with his arm pointing to Red.