Viral Compilation Proves Drop-Balls Were One Of The Greatest Things In Football

A compilation has been created of footballers contesting drop-balls, reminding us just how brilliantly chaotic it was.

These days, as per a rule change in 2019, a pause in play now leads to the ball being dropped to a player who touched the ball last and the game resumes from exactly where it was.

It makes it much fairer, particularly if the ball has hit the referee while a team were on the attack.

But we can't help but miss the classic drop-ball routine and the madness that it brought to the table back in the day.

And this video, shared by retro football fan account @bryansgunn, has got us all feeling very nostalgic indeed.

Previously, the referee would drop the ball at the exact point where play was halted and a player from each side would go at it.

As a series of clips show, it would always get very tasty. There was something about the ball being dropped by the referee and the players being on their marks that got their blood boiling.

The video has garnered over 60,000 views on Twitter, with a lot of people sharing love for what was one of football's most enjoyable sights: two players booting one another in desperation.

Generals like Vinnie Jones, Scott Brown and Roy Keane were tailor-made for drop-ball situations but it's clear that Wayne Rooney was the king.

Manchester United and England's record goalscorer did not hesitate to get stuck right in from a drop-ball.

Playing in a 4-3 win over Hull City on November 1 2008, Rooney, sporting a skinhead, chose violence and put in two wild tackles on George Boateng and Andy Dawson.

"Is that from the Hull game?" Rooney told SPORTbible.

"I just think I was at a point where I was thinking, my hair was going and I just shaved it off. It was doing my head in. And that coincides with the tackle.

"It pops up quite a bit. My eight-year-old son said the other day that he loves skinhead Rooney... I think it was more bald Rooney than skinhead Rooney to be honest!"

Rooney ended up getting a yellow card for his second meaty challenge and was fortunate that he stayed on the pitch in all truth.

Nowadays drop balls are uncontested and normally goes without incident sadly.

Featured Image Credit: Image: Twitter

Topics: Premier League, Football

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

@joshlawless_