Forward (association football)

“ It is hardly possible to get a blending of both, but it can be done, and if a team are fortunate enough to do so they would certainly come out on top at the end of the season. It is a recognised fact that the forward play of to-day is rather too mechanical, and we miss the individual efforts that we used to appreciate so very much in the days gone by. Naturally, the centre forward is the connecting link of the rank. He should be tall, a fine dribbler, and more often an individualist than any of his comrades. ”

“ To kick off when the ball has been sent behind the goal-line by one of his opponents.
Another great point where the goalkeeper must use special discretion is whether to run out to meet the forward or to "stay at home," as it is called in the football world. Undoubtedly if the forward is clear of the other players he should leave his post and endeavour to meet the forward. Every yard he goes out means that he leaves less space to be guarded. ”

“ Something has been written of late about a goal-keeper letting his side down in a final tie, but I cannot believe that any player, whether goalkeeper or forward, could or would let his side down.
I do not care to enter into the year when my old club, Tottenham Hotspur, won the Cup, but one of the biggest officials in the Football Association came along to compliment me, and said that my side gave the best display of football since Aston Villa won the Cup—indeed, he implied that it was even better than that given by the Villa, which compliment I naturally appreciated. ”

“ If the half-back goes at the opposite forward, and compels him to transfer the ball, the back will necessarily run in so as to get it before any other of the enemy's forwards can obtain the ball after such pass. Similar considerations will naturally influence the two backs, so that there may be the same mutual support by which in the event of the first going forward, the second may fall back to get the ball, if the other is, in football parlance, "going for the man." ”

“ The time for middling comes, as a rule, some time before the goal-line is reached, for a forward should rarely, if ever, try to get round the last back, but middle just before he comes to him. How often is a really good run down the wing spoilt by a middle coming too late, when the backs have returned to defend the goal, or by a high centre, which an opposing back has no difficulty in heading away! Each forward must be always ready to receive the ball; and particularly let the centre place himself ”

“ They are snap-backs only or forwards only, the former being by all odds the more common. A good critical coach of experience will see nine out of every ten men whom he may watch in this position playing through day after day with no more idea of doing any forward work than if they were referees. Putting the ball in play at the right time, and properly, is a great achievement, but it does not free the centre-rush from all other obligations. ”

“ A few such plays should of course be included in the team’s attack, but they are the exception and when successful are so because of that fact. They the more strongly emphasize the fact that as a general principle a regular forward pass play should aim to get as many eligible men as possible open to receive the pass. These men should be so spread that they cannot all be covered by the defense. The passer then selects an open man or the best open man to whom to pass. ”

“ When Dan entered the trophy room in the gymnasium at a few minutes before seven he found the room already well filled. At least half a dozen fellows nodded to him, Alf Loring amongst the number, and Dan was secretly much elated. There followed a short talk by Payson on the new rules and then the “quiz” began. Some of the questions were not easy to answer:
What happens when a legal forward pass crosses the goal line on the fly without being touched by a player? When the same ball has been legally touched by a player?
When is a player of the side which has kicked the ball put on-side? ”

“ Assuming that a team had the lead in the game, if on the third down that team was forced to kick from behind its own goal line, should the punter receive a poor snap from his center and be unable to kick, he should pick up the football and either run with it or throw an incomplete forward pass. ”

“ It has taken away from them the advantage of numbers, weight and power, made the game one of brains, speed and strategy—even if you please like baseball, luck,—rendered the outcome of their practice games with smaller colleges uncertain. Why should they have hastened its development? Rather it has been the smaller colleges that have found in the forward pass their opportunity, which have developed its possibilities until now the larger ones as well are turning to it as the final means of winning their big game. ”

“ The forward pass has now been a part of offensive football for fifteen years. In spite of that fact few teams have developed anything like a consistently successful ground gaining forward pass attack. Apparently many regard the forward pass simply as a valuable threat, something for occasional use, something to take a chance with, something the possibility of which makes the real game still workable. ”

“ Supposing you face it again; imagine that it’s up to you to find a way of pulling off forward passes that will beat [131] anything Broadwood can show; make believe, if you like, that you’re captain and coach all rolled into one and that everything depends on you. I’m not talking to every fellow this way, for some of them can’t use their brains. But I’ve spoken to Colton and Loring and Hill and Capes and one or two others and they’ve agreed to tackle the problem. ”

“ If in addition to this a kick is occasionally worked on something besides the fourth down, the game becomes a real test of wits.
Naturally not every forward pass will be “pulled” from an ideal formation. Many splendid forward pass plays can be built up from ordinary close running, bucking formations.
All Eligible Men Open—“Choice” vs. “Mechanical” Method.
An occasional forward pass play is developed where only a single eligible man is open to receive the pass. ”

“ Have it clearly worked out on every pass play where each eligible man is to go. This is equally true in fact for every man on the team, for every man on the team has something to do on a forward pass. It is just as important on a forward pass play that each eligible man know where, when and how he is to go as it is on running plays for the interference to know whom they are to take. ”

“ His responsibility is the deep middle one-third, and if the ball is thrown in his area, he must play the ball and not the receiver. We instruct the safety man to be deep enough so that he must come forward to play the football in the air instead of running backward to play it. If the ball is thrown in one of the deep one-third areas to his right or left, he does not sprint for the ball. Instead he sprints for a spot between the place where the ball will come down and the opposition’s goal line. In case the opponent catches the ball, he will be in a position to tackle the receiver. ”

“ If from any cause during the progress of the game the bar is displaced, the Referee shall have power to award a goal if in his opinion the ball would have passed under the bar if it had not been displaced. The ball is in play if it rebounds from a goal-post, cross-bar, or a corner flag-staff, into the field of play. The ball is in play if it touches the Referee or a Linesman when in the field of play. The ball is out of play when it has crossed the goal-line or touch-line, either on the ground or in the air. ”

“ The goal-keeper may, within his own half of the field of play, use his hands, but shall not carry the ball. The goal-keeper shall not be charged except when he is holding the ball, or obstructing an opponent, or when he has passed outside the goal area. ”

“ To Coach J. H. McCurdy of the Springfield team goes the honor, in the writer’s judgment, of the early recognition and development of the strategy of the forward pass, for in this respect at least, Springfield excelled even the wonderful Indian teams produced by Glen Warner. No one team can longer claim a leadership in this or any other department of the game, [Pg 12] but it is fair to say that the Springfield team has continuously demonstrated an unusual aptitude for the forward pass and a high degree of leadership at least among the Eastern teams. ”

“ The ideal forward pass formation is one from which a kick, pass or run is possible. As the play starts it should be difficult to diagnose whether a run or pass is intended. In fact, as a team becomes finished in its performance it may often switch in its intention, running out a play on the call of the passer that was intended for a pass, because the defense laid back and waited; and conversely, though not so often, a pass may be made to an open man on the call of the passer, though the signal called for a run. ”

“ And then they wonder that the forward pass doesn’t succeed and stigmatize it as a dangerous, treacherous and unsuccessful play! Rather a team must have the confidence to use it often on first and second downs, and even on special, occasions on a fourth down. Not only that, but it must be used frequently, persistently and continuously. Nothing more disturbs the morale of defense than a series of forward passes, some of which succeed even though a considerable proportion of them are incompleted. There is always the danger that one may succeed and get away! ”

“ The First was learning to hold its own, but now and then the forward pass was pulled off successfully. In the second half of the twenty minute scrimmage which followed practice Dan got by Dickenson twice and in each case captured the ball on a forward pass for a good gain, the second time getting away from the First Team players and landing the pigskin on the twelve yards before being downed by Capes. It was a run of forty yards and it brought the handful of watchers in the grandstand to their feet. King, the Second Team [184] quarter, hugged him ecstatically. ”

“ There is no defense for the forward pass. In reality the pass cannot be prevented, particularly in the center of the field. Yet from the unwillingness of some of the great football leaders to adopt this style of game one would infer that it is a worthless game, difficult to succeed with and easy of defense. ”

“ Be loyal to your club and clubmates, and do not forget that enthusiasm is the great thing that will carry you to the front in football as well as in other spheres in life. Unselfishness is also another great point. Should your captain or committee choose another man as your superior, do not grumble, but turn out for the second eleven, and play with all your heart and soul, and if you have the merit you will soon regain your old position in the first team. Above all, play the game fairly and squarely, and you will succeed either as a professional, senior, junior, or amateur. ”

“ The backs ought, indeed, to a great extent to act in harmony with the halves; and, as a matter of fact, the generally accepted theory is that the five players next in front of the goal-keeper should work in connection, or at least on a definite system of co-operation. The tactics of the back under any circumstances must be in the main dependent on those of the halves, and his policy will be guided generally by the movements of the halves, particularly of him directly in front. In the ordinary course he must watch his own half, i.e. ”

“ What did they care about the ball being fifty yards off? Not a straw, so long as they tackled and kept each other away from it. "That's not football," says one, "it is horse play." "Never mind about football in a Cup Tie," says another, "let the heaviest team win; go into the fellow." "Oh! gentlemen, gentlemen, fie, fie, Association Football is an amateur game, and as long as I play it," said the captain, "there shall be no cruelty done on either side."
Little did the spectators know the real cause of the inordinate tackling done by Bob and Charlie, but the secret soon came out. ”

“ It was a hard struggle to keep up football in those days, and as there were no club funds all the items of expenditure had to be brought forth from the capacious pockets of the members. They loved the game, however, those primitive players, and engaged in it for its own sake, without ever thinking of reward. In the words of a great poetess, "We shall sing their praise ere long;" and while it may be thousands of dribblers of the present never heard their names, it is but right that the young ones should not forget what they owe to the Association football pioneers. ”

“ No doubt the organisation of school games has had a great deal to do with turning the attention of promising lads at school to football as a career. It is true that one out of a thousand schoolboy players may get signed on, but I hardly know of half a dozen. Hundreds of young men apply to clubs for a trial, and are soon convinced that they have not skill enough, but those few who are lucky should weigh the matter seriously. I know there are many who may argue that they can, after their playing days are over, get a position as trainer or manager to some club. ”

“ Thus far most teams have trusted to luck against the forward passing game. The inefficiency and mechanical errors of its offense, aided by the restrictive legal measures adopted, have conspired to make this possible. Signs are not lacking, however, to indicate a greatly increased use of the passing game, an improved understanding and appreciation of its fundamental principles and a much greater degree of success for it. The defense for the forward pass will need to be studied with great care in the immediate future. ”