AIDY LOOKS INTO MULTIBALL ISSUES
AIDY Boothroyd assured his Preston North End counterparts that he would look into the use of the multi-ball system at Vicarage Road, following the Lancashire side's apparent upset at its use yesterday (Saturday).
The referee, Kevin Wright, suspended the system late in the game when a second ball found its way onto the pitch, leaving Boothroyd to state that he would soon get to the bottom of the issue.
Speaking of the situation, Boothroyd said: "Alan [Irvine] won't have said anything because he's a terrific professional and a great guy but there's an issue on multi-ball.
"I'm going to look into that because there is a right way to win, and if anything untoward has occurred then I'll sort it out."
A discussion between the Preston bench and the fourth official late in the game was seemingly centred around the alleged failure of Watford's ball-boys to throw the ball back quickly to the North End players.
Continuing, Boothroyd added: "There's a sporting way to behave and if anything has happened I will look at it very seriously.
"I heard a lot of commotion going on and I need to get to the bottom of it. I'll be very disappointed if that's the case because yes, it is about winning, but there's a standard that has to be upheld.
"Sometimes there can be situations when you go away from home and you know that the ball isn't going to come back as quick as what it should, and the multi-ball can be abused.
"If that's happened here then that'll be dealt with and cancelled."
The multi-ball system is when ball boys around the ground are allowed a ball each, which is able to be used to restart the game quickly, instead of relying on just one match ball for the entirety of the game.
Clubs must notify The Football League before the season as to whether they will employ multi-ball or not at their home games. Once they have decided this they are unable to change their minds mid-season.
GET THE LATEST NEWS ON YOUR MOBILE!
