Billy’s Talking Balls

Tempers flared during the weekend game at the Madejski Stadium, between Reading and Forest, over the apparent discrepencies in the multi ball system.

According to the rules, a new ball can be immediately used to replace one that has gone out of play for a throw in/corner etc. But Billy Davies thinks that too many clubs’ use it to their own advantage.

On Saturday, Davies had to be restrained by the referee, for questioning the fairness in the way Steve Coppells’ team were using the system. According to Davies, Reading are one of the better teams at deploying it to their own ends.

Davies told the Daily Telegraph. ‘I am going to be another manager asking loudly for that shambles of a multi-ball to be scrapped. When they (Reading)need to give it to the opposition quickly they do it, when they need to give it to the opposition slowly they do it. It is so unfair.’

Forest have fallen victim to these tactics already this season, namely against Crystal Palace at home. Neil Warnocks’ teams are past masters at abusing the system. Maybe scrapping it isn’t such a bad idea. It at least makes it a level playing field for all then.