Ball boys will want a victory

7:52am Friday 25th January 2013 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

BLACKBURN Rovers’ head of the academy Phil Cannon admits it is “human nature” for ball boys to want their team to win – but insists all at Ewood Park are reminded of their responsibilities.

Rovers’ ball boys are taken from their academy ranks, aged between 16-18, and in the wake of Wednesday night’s Capital One Cup controversy are likely to be more in the spotlight over the next few weeks.

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard was sent off for kicking out at a Swansea ball boy who was smothering the ball towards the end of the semi final defeat.

Cannon said: “We use our scholars as ball boys, so they are between 16 and 18. Their job is to throw the ball back and nothing more really.

“We had an incident last season a little bit similar from one of our lads who was a Blackburn Rovers fan. He wanted Rovers to win and human nature kicked in.

“We reprimanded him after the game because it nearly caused a riot. But it is human nature. We just tell the lads to be sensible and to get the ball back, don’t mess about.”

Comments(7)

greenscreener says...
8:06am Fri 25 Jan 13

Time-wasting is something that always winds everyone up. Whatever happened to the multi-ball system ?

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Lord S says...
10:14am Fri 25 Jan 13

If Football clubs are going to allow Ballboys to dictate how long a ball is in play, then we have a very serious issue, his own Twitter account states he was there to timewaste. This "boy" was 17 years old.............12 months on and he will be entitled to vote !!!!! frightening aint it.
Sack the Ballboy and punish Hazard in accordance with the Football league rules, and lets get on with the football.

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Stone Island: says...
10:37am Fri 25 Jan 13

I think the ball boys need to take a Hazard perception test.

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ChrisDeBerg says...
10:42am Fri 25 Jan 13

Stone Island: wrote:
I think the ball boys need to take a Hazard perception test.
Have you been hit by a Hazard at work?

You may be entitled to compensation!

RTID

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malkey18 says...
4:30pm Fri 25 Jan 13

The ball boy should have had a good kick up the arse the cheat!

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johnny rover says...
7:06pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Swansea should be fined for the ballboy's action. My lad is with Man City academy (we live in Manchester) and he frequently ball boys at the Etihad (when Rovers aren't at home - hi is of course a Rovers season ticket holder). They are all told to give the ball back imediately - any hint of timewasting and they will never ball boy again. This is impressed upon them before every game.

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noddy57 says...
8:11pm Sun 27 Jan 13

greenscreener wrote:
Time-wasting is something that always winds everyone up. Whatever happened to the multi-ball system ?
The ball boys used to be respected but like the players of today they too are beginning to get spoiled and pampered, no time for cheats ,As Jimmy greaves said recently, when he played football the vast majority of them played hard but fair and it was a shame the way the game has gone,

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