An interesting video from Pat Nevin about why he thinks corners aren't much good any longer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29634200

It's the modern pitches to blame, apparently.

Doesn't quite explain why the opposition generally manage to put decent balls in when GTFC can't beat the man at the front post!  ;)

Though our corners are generally rubbish, I'm of the view that fewer goals seem to be scored from corners these days probably because the players are getting taller and taller. Back in the day, you'd have just a few six-footers in the box but now most teams seem to have several players well over six feet tall and, with all the grappling that the officials allow, you just don't get the same opportunities that you once did.

Heck, even when we had Stick Jones and Young Futch playing alongside each other, we didn't score all that many headed goals.

It is also all the shirt pulling and holding,

Modern players think it's all part of the game,

It didn't happen in my day.

Pete is spot on. The holding and fouling results in very few opportunities

I'd be interested to see how many goals Chelsea score from corners this year. Good delivery (Fabregas) plus some fantastic attackers of the ball (Terry, Ivanovic, Diego Costa, Cahill).

Some of Pat Nevins comments dont apply anyway at this level, the astro strip along the touchline isnt that common down here but our "little islands" at each corner at BP have struck me as being a hindrance, chuck in the 5"or 6" step down to the cinder track that the players also negotiate...plus Brown probably has the littlest legs in our team so the fact he virtually has to do a hurdle in his run cant help i suppose.
Maybe Hurst should introduce short corner variations.

Quoted from moosey_club

Some of Pat Nevins comments dont apply anyway at this level, the astro strip along the touchline isnt that common down here but our "little islands" at each corner at BP have struck me as being a hindrance, chuck in the 5"or 6" step down to the cinder track that the players also negotiate...plus Brown probably has the littlest legs in our team so the fact he virtually has to do a hurdle in his run cant help i suppose.
Maybe Hurst should introduce short corner variations.

How did Diddy Gilbert manage?

Quoted from Abdul19

I'd be interested to see how many goals Chelsea score from corners this year. Good delivery (Fabregas) plus some fantastic attackers of the ball (Terry, Ivanovic, Diego Costa, Cahill).

I can't think of anything I'd be less interested in.

I think the 'step' at BP certainly makes it difficult to get a run-up for a corner. However, most of our opponents seems to manage quite well!

Personally, I reckon Thomas would be decent at corners as he seems to be able to hit his crosses in pretty firmly with little backlift. Doubt he'll get the chance, however, as his pace means he's also suited to being the last man at the back.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

How did Diddy Gilbert manage?

Different balls nowadays, different grass, different boot compounds,  players shorts back then were like hot pants allowing more unrestricted leg movement.... ;)

Liverpool notched loads of goals from corners last season and were not a particularly tall team which is why they conceded a lot to.

Ive heard that corners are difficult to take at BP due to the huge hill in the 6 yeard box!! There must be nearly a 2ft difference in height from the corner post to the middle of the 6 yard box? Thats gotta make it hard if you practice your corners on the flat Cheapside pitch??

Quoted from fleabag1970

Ive heard that corners are difficult to take at BP due to the huge hill in the 6 yeard box!! There must be nearly a 2ft difference in height from the corner post to the middle of the 6 yard box? Thats gotta make it hard if you practice your corners on the flat Cheapside pitch??

i tell you what...we are close to cracking this mystery....different grass, islands at corners, big step up to cinder track, changes in ground level.....all that remains is to unmask the groundsman and find that he really is Old Man Bill Carr....looking to bankrupt the club and buy the ground cheap to build houses on......he would have got away with it too if it wasnt for those meddling Fishyites..

Quoted from fleabag1970

Ive heard that corners are difficult to take at BP due to the huge hill in the 6 yeard box!! There must be nearly a 2ft difference in height from the corner post to the middle of the 6 yard box? Thats gotta make it hard if you practice your corners on the flat Cheapside pitch??

I have heard it said (in hushed whispers in the No.2 at Cleethorpes station) that in the Autumn of '63, the CIA marksmen used the goal mouth for practice as topographically it was the perfect stand-in a certain grassy knoll in Dallas. This explains the mysterious holes in the back of the Osmond.

I hope we continue to work on corner routines.
Game or 2 ago we had a couple where the ball was played to a guy standing in the D.
Often a position left vacant from corners...
We could always do with a player lurking there to pick up clearances.  :)

Vice versa we need to be mindful of opposition corners.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

I have heard it said (in hushed whispers in the No.2 at Cleethorpes station) that in the Autumn of '63, the CIA marksmen used the goal mouth for practice as topographically it was the perfect stand-in a certain grassy knoll in Dallas. This explains the mysterious holes in the back of the Osmond.

LOL.
After JFK departed, JF came in years later...

You may laugh but i know im right !!  Also did you know that Blundell Park is built on an ancient burial ground ............................................... :P

Wasn't laughing at you fleabag, who knows perhaps yours is a reasonable point. (+1).
Just there aint no excuses, practice at BP if necessary...

Quoted from 120797

Just there aint no excuses, practice at BP if necessary...

Agreed 80s. Pearson scored a decent amount for Boston (I assume they were from set pieces as opposed to 30 yarders) but it must get annoying going forward for corners that don't go over a foot high.

A decent ball in (which shouldn't be too difficult should it?!) plus players who can attack it should result in a good ratio of chances created from them (although to be fair I've no idea what a good ratio is!)

Dave Boylen was the best corner  taker I have ever seen at town all ways changing the hight,length never the same mind he play with one of the greatest header of a ball I have ever seen playing for Grimsby Matt Tees and the worst Joe Coulbeck any pro  football player that can't take a free kick ,corner or penalty  in the right way I belive should have his wages docked

Quoted from 43[b

]I think the 'step' at BP certainly makes it difficult to get a run-up for a corner[/b]. However, most of our opponents seems to manage quite well!

Personally, I reckon Thomas would be decent at corners as he seems to be able to hit his crosses in pretty firmly with little backlift. Doubt he'll get the chance, however, as his pace means he's also suited to being the last man at the back.

If it can`t be delivered long whats wrong with playing it short to another team mate and leaving it to him to either cross the ball or return it from the flat so to speak

If we start trying the quick short corner route, I anticipate we will end up being flagged offside much more often!  ;)

Quoted from the driver

Dave Boylen was the best corner  taker I have ever seen at town all ways changing the hight,length never the same mind he play with one of the greatest header of a ball I have ever seen playing for Grimsby Matt Tees and the worst Joe Coulbeck any pro  football player that can't take a free kick ,corner or penalty  in the right way I belive should have his wages docked

Thinking about it, if Dave Boylen was hoisted up into the air by one of our big center backs to head the ball in way above the others as in a line out throw in in Rugby would that be considered as an infringement?

Probably classed as "Unsporting conduct".

Quoted from KingstonMariner

I have heard it said (in hushed whispers in the No.2 at Cleethorpes station) that in the Autumn of '63, the CIA marksmen used the goal mouth for practice as topographically it was the perfect stand-in a certain grassy knoll in Dallas. This explains the mysterious holes in the back of the Osmond.

Where they there BEFORE we signed LJL ?  ;)

In years past, taking corners was the responsibility of the winger and every team had two of them. So they were almost always out-swingers. If you couldn't take a corner you were not thought to be  much cop as a winger. The best I remember were Jimmy Fell and Johnny Scott. Scott used to occasionally do an in-swinger with the outside of his right foot that would bend back in to the far post. The best forward I saw for heading corners was Tommy Briggs and also Ralph Hunt who seemed to be able to make his runs with uncanny timing. Ron Raff, Rod Green and Matt Tees were good at that as well of course but relied more on their ability to out jump defenders.

The main reason Boylen and Gilbert took corners wasn't because they were better at them, though both were good, it was that they were no use in the box without a stepladder.

Perhaps we just need to rethink the corner routines. lets have Pearson or Toto running into the area at the last moment instead of joining the scrum while waiting for corners where they can be held or blocked when the ball finally comes in. Loads get well over hit, why not leave someone right at the back of the opposite side of the area to head them back in the mix instead of just 3 people surrounding the keeper and the others all running in the scrum from the edge of the area to the 6 yard box.

Quoted from 120797

Wasn't laughing at you fleabag, who knows perhaps yours is a reasonable point. (+1).
Just there aint no excuses, practice at BP if necessary...

Absolutely.

I think that these days, players seem to take the whole wrestling/obstructing thing as given and know that they can get away with blatant obstruction and fouling, so they end up just trying to pack the six yard box and hope for a bit of luck instead of anything more creative. I'd like to see one or two the big defenders starting their runs at the edge of the box (or even from a few yards further out) to hopefully make the situation in the box a bit more chaotic!

You're quite right about the number of corners which are either overhit or just take a small touch moving the ball across to the other wing. I don't know why we never seem to position a player nearer that side to have a chance to pick up this sort of thing.

That said, I'm still baffled as to why we never have a player standing at the edge of the box when defending corners as it seems the ball falls to this area as often as not!