PENALTIES

It took a while for the penalty to be introduced into English football. The penalty kick was first introduced by the Irish FA in the 1890/91 season with the Scottish FA following in January 1891. The FA introduced it into the English game at the start of the 1891/92 season.

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Many in the English game had rejected the idea of penalties as it implied that some players were ungentlemanly. However, an incident at the Notts County v Stoke FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday 14th February 1891 led to a change of opinion and the introduction of the penalty kick. With just seconds of the game remaining and with County 1-0 up their full-back Hendry denied Stoke an equaliser by handling on the line. The resulting free-kick was on the goal-line but the County 'keeper Toone easily smoothered it. Notts County went on to reach the final.

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The first successful penalty in the Football League was converted by John Heath of Wolves against Accrington at Molineux on Monday 14th September 1891.

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The following season Stoke were once again the victims in a match that saw another step forward in the penalty law. On Saturday November 21st 1891 Stoke were losing 2-1 to Aston Villa when they were awarded a penalty with seconds of the match remaining. However a Villa player kicked the ball out of the ground and by the time it had been returned the referee had blown for full-time. Later in that season the law was changed to allow time to be added to allow penalty kicks to be taken.

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It was not until the 1901/02 season that the 18-yard penalty box was introduced into the English game. Previously the penalty area ran across the entire width of the pitch. In the 1937/38 season the 'D' on the edge of the penalty area was introduced to ensure that all players are 10 yards from the penalty spot when the kick is taken.

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Matches between Crystal Palace and Brighton are always passionate affairs and perhaps none more so that when they played each other at Selhurst Park on Easter Monday (March 27th) in 1989. At the time Palace were fighting for promotion from the old Division 2 while Brighton were battling to remain in the division but it was referee Kelvin Morton whose performance was best remembered by send off one player, booking five more and awarding a record five penalties in just 27 minutes of play.

Mark Bright scored the first to give Palace a 2-0 lead against 10-man Brighton, but missed the second when Brighton 'keeper John Keeley saved. Just five minutes after being awarded their first penalty they are awarded their third, this time Ian Wright hit the post with his effort.

Shortly after the second half kicked off Brighton were awarded a penalty - Alan Curbishley scored - followed shortly after by another one for Palace - John Pemberton sending his effort into row Z.

Palace eventually won 2-1 - and were promoted to the top flight via the play-offs - and Brighton were to keep their place in Division 2.

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The record for penalties scored by a player in a season is held by Francis Lee who scored 13 League goals for Manchester City in the 1971/72 season (plus one in the FA Cup and one more in the League Cup). It earned him the nickname of Lee One Pen but as many penalties were awarded for fouls on Lee the not so favourable nickname of Lee Won Pen was also used as he had a reputation for diving. Ref Keith Hackett described him as a player who 'had a reputation of falling down easily'.

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As far as facing penalties go Ipswich goalkeeper Paul Cooper has the best record for saving them in a League season. In the 1979/80 season he saved 8 out of the 10 penalties he faced in Division 1 matches.

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At the halfway stage of the 1973/74 League season (21 matches) goalkeeper Alex Stepney was equal top of Manchester United's goalscorers with 2 goals - both from the penalty spot.

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In a Division 2 encounter at Fratton Park on Saturday September 22nd 1973 three different Notts County players - Kevin Randall, Don Masson and Brian Stubbs - all missed with the same penalty. The first miss was retaken because the goalkeeper moved, the second because the ref hadn't given the signal to take it and the third was a straightforward miss!

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On Boxing Day 1924 Nottingham Forest were losing 0-1 at home to Bolton Wanderers in a First Division fixture when they were awarded a penalty. Forest's regular penalty-taker Harry Martin had been carried off injured and no other player would take the kick. Forest captain Bob Wallace went to the dressing room and insisted that the injured player return to the pitch and take the penalty. Harry Martin was carried back to the pitch, took the penalty from a standing position, scored, collapsed and was carried off again.

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The most expensive penalty miss? There are many candidates. One miss was by me in a cup final at school and another was on Saturday May 3rd 1924, the last day of the season, when Cardiff City needed a win to become Football League champions. At 0-0 against Birmingham, Cardiff were awarded a penalty but Len Davies missed it. As a result Huddersfield Town pipped them for the title on goal average.