Why Offside?

But why was it common practice to prevent a player from hanging out near his opponents goal, waiting for a long pass from his teammates and why was there no punishment for an infringement of this law? This was a team sport. The team worked to move the ball through the opposing team and into the goal. Letting one player "sneak" (see sidebar) ahead was ungentlemanly and not in keeping with the objectives of this particular game.

However, the sudden ebb and flow of play could easily strand a player "behind" so that he was "virtually out of the game" or off his side, as teams were called in those times and places. (Hence, the correct term is "offside," not "offsides.")

Since there were few stoppages in those days, this sudden effect of a change in play was not worth stopping the match. It was much simpler for a gentleman to simply stay out of the way and out of the play until the ever changing play or his own movement put him back on his side. Then he could resume playing.

Several times in the years since the writing of the LOTG by the newly formed Football Association (FA) in December, 1863, the FA has reminded both referees and players that the important behavior in an offside situation is that a player "not in any way whatever interfere with any other player." In 1924, the International Board (IB) formalized these reminders in a decision "It is not a breach of the Law for a player to be in an off-side position, but only when in that position, he interferes with an opponent, or with the play."

You have probably heard some people argue that a player's mere presence in an offside position distracts and therefore interferes with the goalkeeper or another defender. You must remember that the original Laws were written by and for young men who already knew how to play the game. And without a referee in the game, there was no one to make hair splitting judgments of that type. The players knew that an opponent in an offside position would not play the ball if he received it and the defenders did not need to be concerned with him. Therefore, mere presence in an offside position has never been construed as interference by the serious, knowledgeable player. However, presence in an offside position that obstructs the defender's movement or view of the approaching ball does usually interfere.

In 1995 the wording of the Law was revised, not to change the meaning but to clarify the meaning for those many referees who had not understood the game and had placed too much emphasis on the position of the player without fully evaluating his participation in the play.

Early Offside Laws

9. A player is "out of play" immediately he is in front of the ball and must return behind the ball as soon as possible. ... The Simplest Game, Rev. J.C. Thring, Master at Uppingham School, 1860. p. 16.

4. When the ball is kicked, anyone of the same side, but nearer the opposing goal... provided that at least one of the opposite side is between him and the party who kicked the ball ... is considered as being virtually out of the game, and must wait till the ball has been touched by one of the opposite side, nor must he interfere with any one of the opposite side or in any way prevent or obstruct an opponent from playing the ball. Harrow School, 1860-63. p. 16.

19. A player is considered to be "sneaking" when only three or less than three, of the opposite side, are before him, and the ball behind him, and in such case he may not kick the ball. Eton College, 1862. p. 18.

6. When a player has kicked the ball, any one of the same side who is nearer to the opponents' goal line is out of play and may not touch the ball himself nor in any way whatever prevent any other player from doing so until the ball has been played, but no player is out of play when the ball is kicked from behind the goal line. FA, Dec, 1863. p. 22.