Penalty Scenario Question

"As long as the ball is still in play I'd say it's a penalty; there's no rule against the player using that space there to get by a man"

This ^^

although technically speaking, the player running off the pitch is breaking the rules of the game by leaving the area of play without permission from the ref

technically its a drop ball, but i think common sense would prevail and a penalty would be given

Not if Celtic were tha attacking side and Willie Collum was the ref

aye coz celtic never get pens

I had this happen to me in a game , was a typical rainy day and me and the defender both slid off the park . I got up quicker than him and he grabbed my shirt and pulled me back down- whislt we were off the pitch .

the ref didnt have a clue what to do so stopped play , booked the defender and gave a bounce ball in the box

Would love to know what he should have done

"Was there not an incident like that at the motherwell game through the week?"

Exac tly, that's what made me wonder. Seems to me if you're off the pitch you can't get a penalty for it, just like if you're on the pitch but outside the box.

it's an odd one.

No penalty - the first breach of rules over rules all others - i.e. the player was off the pitch.

Just as if you are off the pitch you cannot be offside (and you cannot be playing anyone else onside), you are not active whilst off the pitch.

You often see players staying over the goal line to allow an attack they have been involved with to go on (and thus not be offside).

If the challenge was severe enough, you may find no penalty given and a booking to the defender (as of course you can be cautioned for anything within the stadium).

But Cooper, surely you can nip over the touchline to avoid a challenge without breaching the rules? I can think of Andy McLaren doing it several times for Utd - Knocking it inside the defender and going outside him. Never penalised for it.

AH, but as it actually gives you a disadvantage, i.e going the long way around, I reckon you get away with it.

But the offside / onside examples are also true.

Worst the ref would give may be an indirect free kick.