PL rule change to prevent ball boys & girls handing match ball back to players

Premier League ball boys and girls will no longer be able to hand the match ball directly back to players following a change to the multi-ball protocol guidelines.

From this weekend's matches, members of the ball crews will be under instruction to place match balls on cones surrounding the pitch instead of handing them to players, who will then have to retrieve the ball for themselves.

The move has been made to remove the potential for home teams gaining any competitive advantage with their instructions to the ball boys and girls, as well as any possibility of flashpoints connected to the returning of the ball.

League officials insist the recent clash between Coventry manager Mark Robins and a Wolves ball boy in their FA Cup quarter-final was not a trigger for the change.

Instead, it is understood general feedback from clubs - as well as the Premier League officials who oversee the competition rules - has led to the update, which is in keeping with the desire for the ball to be in play for longer during matches.

It follows a Premier League clampdown on time-wasting at the start of the season which has led to significantly increased injury time.

Premier League captains, managers and officials were informed of the coming changes this week and they were officially confirmed on Thursday with the amended guidance.

There will now be five ball stations on each side of the pitch and two at each end plus the match ball in circulation on a given match day, up from the previous total of 10.

Rule L.35 now states: "When the match ball goes out of play and is not quickly retrievable, players must go to the nearest cone to collect a replacement ball themselves to restart play.

"Ball assistants are not permitted to return a ball to a player.