Was just reading the Mansfield Independent forum. I never went last week, but everyone I spoke to who did thought they fell over at every opportunity. So this snippet from their threads spoke volumes of their attitude to the game.


One tactic that we should train for is an attacking player entering the penalty area and looking for a foul. Not simulating one, but if there's no obvious way through or useful pass then I'd encourage players to plough on towards goal. Ours seem to give up, or hit a weak shot straight at a defender, or try a pass and give the ball away. As a defender you don't mind that, but would be fearful of the attacker continuing straight at you and forcing you to try and time a hurried tackle perfectly in a confined space - a difficult skill, with a fair chance of a penalty resulting. If the tackle isn't perfect, then the attacker should take the opportunity to allow contact and hit the ground.


Sad state of affairs, but can think of one or two teams that do do this.

More teams try it then don’t, in fact most teams are trained to fall over anywhere on the pitch. Cannot understand how so called premier/ international refs are fooled so easily.

Been the mentality on the continent for years...is there anything wrong with it? Huge debate but can see why teams do it.

Its unsportsmanlike conduct and ruins the game.

I particularly remember gateshead being awful at this one year in the conference

It's bad enough when pundits encourage or excuse it but when fans are talking about it, oh dear. shame on them.

I hope Mansfield get relegated.

Ollie has been quoted in the Telegraph that he has promised that none of his Grimsby Town players will be caught diving – and has urged other managers to take responsibility for their teams.

Could just be kidology though !!!

Quoted from NorthseaMariner

Was just reading the Mansfield Independent forum. I never went last week, but everyone I spoke to who did thought they fell over at every opportunity. So this snippet from their threads spoke volumes of their attitude to the game.


One tactic that we should train for is an attacking player entering the penalty area and looking for a foul. Not simulating one, but if there's no obvious way through or useful pass then I'd encourage players to plough on towards goal. Ours seem to give up, or hit a weak shot straight at a defender, or try a pass and give the ball away. As a defender you don't mind that, but would be fearful of the attacker continuing straight at you and forcing you to try and time a hurried tackle perfectly in a confined space - a difficult skill, with a fair chance of a penalty resulting. If the tackle isn't perfect, then the attacker should take the opportunity to allow contact and hit the ground.


Sad state of affairs, but can think of one or two teams that do do this.

I bet none of you were complaining when Jack Lester did this for us.

I don't like the bit about the attacker 'allowing' contact, but if trying to avoid the contact is going to result in losing the ball/opportunity, as we often see, then I don't think they should be trying to get out of the way of a bad tackle.

My late father (a Hull fan) always said, Kev Kilmore falls over that much he should have studs on his shorts   :)

I think it’s inbred into professional footballers, remember an FA Cup game between Chelsea and Brentford, I think Chelsea were winning about 4-0 but they were still falling over, to players it’s just the norm and their tiny brains cannot think about playing fair.

Ladies and Gentlemen I give you Jack Rubber Legs Lester

Quoted from pen penfras

I bet none of you were complaining when Jack Lester did this for us.

No but it's different if foreigns from the Premier do it!

From what I’ve seen of Rose he’s already trying to work on this “skill”.

Well if hes working on it I hope he becomes an expert. :P

I hate it.  I don't want to win by cheating. I follow Ho Chi Minh City also and when we are winning they go down with cramp.  When, they are losing, however, nobody gets cramp.  We swear at the players and comment online at them for doing it.  They don't change though because most fans don't even realise what they're doing.  I usually get in free so I can't complain.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Ollie has been quoted in the Telegraph that he has promised that none of his Grimsby Town players will be caught diving – and has urged other managers to take responsibility for their teams.

Could just be kidology though !!!

After hearing Ollie have a go at the Chelsea playing that made a meal of Sons sending off a few weeks ago on Talksport Radio then I don’t think it’s kidology. On the phone in, Ollie also said he gave a player of his a “severe telling off” for diving. He seems proper old school.

My attitude is if everyone is going to try to win by cheating, what's the flipping point of playing football with rules? Why not just go out to kill each other? There's no difference morally in football between someone taking a dive and someone punching someone else.

Mansfield are dirty cheating b**tards, always have been.

Quoted from Gaffer58

I think it’s inbred into professional footballers, remember an FA Cup game between Chelsea and Brentford, I think Chelsea were winning about 4-0 but they were still falling over, to players it’s just the norm and their tiny brains cannot think about playing fair.

They don't give out points for fair play and taking part, this isn't school sports day, it's a professional game with large amounts of money on the line. Winners are the only ones who gain so everyone is always looking for something to give them a slight advantage or edge and gamesmanship is one of them.