ontinuing our look at the changes to the Laws of the Game in the last 100 years, viewed against Stanley Lover’s SEE (Safety, Equality, Enjoyment) criteria for every law, we pick up in the year 1967. Since adding jersey numbers to the Laws of the Game, 34 years elapsed before another change was legislated that would have an impact on the way the game was played.

1967 – Goalkeepers are restricted to four steps while holding the ball.

Safety: Returning the ball to play sooner keeps the players focused on the game instead of giving them time to build frustrations over the course of the match, frustrations that could boil over into foul, reckless, or dangerous play.

Equality: Putting a leash on the goalkeeper reduced the potential for his deliberately slowing the game; it forced the goalkeeper to return the ball to active play in areas closer to the goal.

Enjoyment: By limiting the goalkeeper’s wandering and bringing the ball back into active play sooner, both the players and the fans can enjoy the playing skills of the field players and not the handiwork of the keeper.

Continued...