Ex-FIFA referee clarifies law after Sheffield United fan frustration v Swansea

Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett has clarified the rule over drop-balls after Sheffield United fans, players and staff alike were left frustrated by referee Matt Donohue’s application of it during yesterday’s 3-0 victory over Swansea.

Three times Donohue stopped play with a Swansea player injured and United in possession, with the game restarting each time with the visitors given possession back when the game restarted.

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United’s players and staff were visibly frustrated by the decisions, especially when United had the ball on each occasion, and many were left wondering how the rule could be left open to abuse - when under pressure, go down with a head injury and after a bit of treatment, get possession back after stopping a potentially-promising attack.

FIFA referee Keith Hackett, who counts matches in the European Championship, the Olympics and an FA Cup final on his CV, moved to clarify the rule after the game after being invited by The Star.

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“The ball is dropped for the defending team goalkeeper in their penalty area,” Hackett reiterated, “if, when play was stopped: the ball was in the penalty area or the last touch of the ball was in the penalty area.

“In all other cases, the referee drops the ball for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the position where it last touched a player, an outside agent or, as outlined in Law 9.1, a match official.”

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On each occasion the game was stopped, the ball was outside the penalty area and had been touched by a United player, with Ollie Norwood twice having it at his feet when the whistle went - enraging the home supporters.

“I don’t come here and moan about the refs and I’m not going to,” Heckingbottom said after the game. “We chat about things, I feel we’re rewaeding people for going down rather than staying up.

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“We have to be careful. If that’s what we want, we’ll start doing it. At the minute we’re the ones who are suffering every game because we try and stay on our feet.”