Inverness – birthplace of the penalty kick shootout

ID: PC_INVFOOT_STORY_PENALTIES DESCRIPTION: Some fascinating information came to the attention of the Inverness Football Memories Project in late 2022. It concerns an event that took place more than 50 years ago on our doorstep which was to have repercussions that have been felt around the football world ever since. On 27th June 1970, IFAB (the International Football Association Board), the authority which agrees rules governing the game such as VAR, handball and offside, met at the Caledonian Hotel, Inverness, and took the historic decision to introduce penalty kicks as a way of deciding knock-out competitions instead of the drawing of lots or the tossing of a coin. The proposal was presented by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), whose President Sir Stanley Rous was present to advocate the change to reflect the “trends in modern football”. Sir Stanley was a former top referee and boss of UEFA before taking up his FIFA position. The minute of the meeting states: “The Board accepted a proposal by FIFA that the practice of drawing lots to determine which of the two teams in a drawn match in a knock-out competition should be declared the winner, be discontinued, and be replaced by the taking of penalty kicks.” The rules set out pretty much mirror the current penalty shootout format that we see in domestic and international knock-out events. Given the recent introduction of VAR, it is interesting to note that the IFAB “deprecated the emphasis placed in television recordings and television comment which challenged the authority of the referee. It was agreed to request the television authorities to refrain from any slow motion play-back which reflected, or might reflect, adversely, on any decision of the referee”. The Board also discussed changes to the obstruction law and the use of substitute goalkeepers and the possibility of adopting a new type of ball “of laminated material composed of rubber and synthetic and impregnated fabrics”. Members went on to express their concern “regarding the situation in relation to the type of stud currently in use”. Concerns were received about the dangerous consequences resulting from the use of worn studs, particularly plastic studs and of worn plastic soles. It was agreed also, that FIFA should issue a circular letter on the subject, drawing particular attention to the fact that filing of studs is forbidden. So why was the meeting of an international rule-making football authority held in Inverness at a time when Inverness had no teams playing in the Scottish League? It was the turn of the Scottish Football Association to host the annual IFAB meeting, which had been held in St Helier, Jersey, the previous year. We can only assume that the SFA thought that the Highland capital and the neighbouring Loch Ness would be an impressive venue for the far flung delegates to visit. Scotland’s previous IFAB AGMs had been hosted at Pitlochry, Oban, North Berwick and Turnberry. Other meeting locations included Zermatt (a ski resort in the Alps) and the Isle of Capri, Southern Italy. Also in attendance at the meeting were representatives of the English FA, the FA of Wales, and the Irish FA. The meeting was chaired by SFA President Hugh Nelson of Arbroath FC and Mr Willie Allan, SFA Secretary, acted as the Secretary. Other Scottish representatives included George Fox of Dundee United and Ernie Walker, Assistant Secretary of the SFA. So there you have it. The decision to introduce the penalty shoot out to decide knock-out competitions was taken in Inverness! We are indebted to Garve Scott-Lodge's excellent "Sorry Excuse for a Blog" for alerting us to this information PLACENAME: Inverness OLD COUNTY/PARISH: INVERNESS: Inverness and Bona DATE OF IMAGE: 27 June 1970 PERIOD: 1970s SOURCE: Scottish Football Association Asset ID: 49807 KEYWORDS: