Multiball system

While some commentators and managers support the system for maintaining the speed and flow of the game, others suggest that the way the system is implemented favours the home team.^[2][5][6] In 2005 Gary Megson, then manager of Nottingham Forest F.C., was cited in a referee's match report after his team scored, prompting "the supply of balls around the pitch to dry up".^[7] Ian Holloway claims that, when playing at other stadia, ball boys often delay providing balls to his players, but that "when it is the other way around the ball boys cannot get the ball to their own players fast enough".^[4][8]

Due to the fast paced nature of modern football, when a multiball system is in place it can be frustrating for players when the ballboys do not quickly respond as required to the need for a ball, which can occur with the ballboy is affiliated with home side while the result is going their way. In 2013 Eden Hazard was sent off against Swansea after an altercation with 17 year old ball boy Charlie Morgan, who was the son of one of the Directors of Swansea. After the ball rolled away for a goal kick, Morgan grabbed the ball away from Hazard who wished to return it to the Swansea goalkeeper, then fell on it, trapping it underneath him and delaying the restart. In frustration Hazard kicked the ball out from under Morgan and received a red card shortly after while Morgan walked off holding his midriff in apparent injury. Hazard received a 3 game ban, Swansea held on to their result to qualify for the final and win it 5-0 against Bradford City, their first and only major trophy within the English football system.^[9]

The Australian 2017 FFA Cup final was held at the home ground of Sydney FC but under the organisation of the neutral Football Federation Australia, with ball boys were wearing neutral FFA jackets. Despite this supposed neutrality, late in extra time with Adelaide United down by a goal a ball boy on the halfway line refused to hand a ball to Adelaide player Michael Marrone. When Marrone grabbed for the ball the ballboy turned away and dramatically fell to the ground feigning an injury. This lead Sydney FC's Matt Simon to charge at Marrone and sparked a wild sideline confrontation between the players, coaching staff and unused substitutes. Marrone was red carded and subsequently given a four game ban, Matt Simon was not yellow carded despite his obvious breach of the rules and was ineligible for any further punishment. After Sydney FC won the game, the ball boy was gifted Michael Zullo's winners medal by the player, and allowed to celebrate with the players as they lifted the trophy.^[10]

On 26 December 2023, while playing away at Bournemouth, the Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno pushed a Bournemouth ballboy in frustration while taking the football from him after it went out of play. The referee, Tim Robinson, asked for the Bournemouth stadium ballboys to retire from their duties, resulting in the cancellation of the multiball system for the rest of the match. Leno apologised to the boy during a later break in play.^[11]

Footnotes

Citations