Quote Originally Posted by 51Magpie View Post
I'm slightly O/T here but I honestly don't know the answer. I'm sure that there was a time when the award of a penalty was the only thing that would put off the final whistle when time was up. Nowadays, if a corner (or a free-kick in a promising position) is awarded, the attacking team seem always to be allowed to take all the time in the world with their prep, and after the kick is eventually taken, the ref still won't blow until either a goal is scored or the ensuing pinball session has finished. Have the laws/rules changed?
My memory might be at fault here but not so long ago wasn't a law introduced where an opposing player must immediately retreat ten(?) yards from where a free-kick is being taken? If I am right can anybody tell me the last time they saw this rule enforced? Referees seem to be either unaware of it or ignore it so what would happen if the player taking the kick quickly booted it into an enemy player who hadn't retreated? My bet is that in a lower league game the ignorant lower league ref would say the kicker should have politely waited.