Calls are being made for the Premier League to BAN mini shin pads, with Jack Grealish among those set to be affected if a ban comes in.
Could The Premier League Soon Ban Mini Shin Pads?
Fans are calling on the Premier League to BAN mini shin pads.
There are several top-flight stars that wear smaller-sized shin pads, with Everton winger Jack Grealish, on loan from Manchester City, the most notable of the bunch.
Grealish, who is favoured in the England World Cup squad odds market, is considered a trendsetter by many, having sported small pads along with his low socks for several years.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is another Premier League player who has long worn smaller pads.
Youngsters Reggie Walsh and Harry Howell both got attention on social media earlier in the campaign for their miniscule pads, with the trend especially growing among academy players.
Elsewhere, Conor Gallagher, Memphis Depay, Angel Gomes, Pedri, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Paulo Dybala are listed among the most well-known examples of players to wear small pads.
Should a ban come in, these players, along with the thousands of others across all levels of football, will likely have to revert to the less stylish full-sized shin pad.
Small shin pads have become more prevalent across all levels of the game in recent years, from the Premier League all the way down to the lower levels of non-league and junior football.
The trend has seen players swap the conventional shin pad – which extends from the top of the shin, just below the knee, down to the bottom of the shin, just above the ankle – for a miniscule shin pad – which covers only a small section of the shin.
Many have branded the use of micro shin pads as dangerous, with fans calling for a ban at all levels of the game – including in the English top flight and the English Football League.
Ilfracombe Town ‘Ban’ Mini Shin Pads
Several non-league clubs in England have already banned the use of mini shin pads.
Non-league side Ilfracombe Town are the latest to ban the use of miniature pads.
It comes off the back of their forward Riley Malin suffering a horrible double-leg break in their South West Peninsula League clash against Bridport on Saturday afternoon.
The fixture was abandoned after the forward broke his fibula and tibia after a 50-50 challenge.
Bridport also followed suit after the incident, confirming that ‘effective immediately’ the club is implementing a strict policy regarding the use of shin guards for all of its adult teams.
Fellow Devonshire sides Beaminster and Lyme Regis have banned the use of mini pads, too.
Could a Premier League player be the next to pick up a serious injury due to smaller shin pads?
FA Say Mini Shin Pads ‘Increase Risk of Injury’
Reports suggest that there are currently no plans for mini shin pads to be banned despite the Football Association confirming that they have the potential to “increase the risk of injury”.
There is already an alarming issue with an increase in injuries in the sport, with several players returning from international duty with injuries this week, so for players to be even less protected on the field is undoubtedly a cause for concern.
The FA’s guidance on the matter states: “The amount of shin physically covered is an important consideration, as any part of the shin that is not covered is not as well protected.
“Micro’ or ‘mini’ shin pads may therefore increase the risk of injury due to the smaller amount of shin covered compared to larger sized shin pads.
“We advise that when considering the protection offered by shin pads, safety is prioritised by ensuring a good proportion of the shin area is covered and therefore protected.”
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), who are responsible for the laws of the game, have also previously said that there are no plans to ban the use of mini pads.
They believe that players, or the parents and guardians of youth players, are responsible for their own safety while on the pitch.
IFAB law 4.2 states that shin pads are mandatory and must:
- Be made of a suitable material
- Be of an appropriate size to provide reasonable protection and be covered by the socks
- And players are responsible for the size and suitability of their shin pads
Given that the law doesn’t define what constitutes an ‘appropriate’ shin pad size, it leaves it open to interpretation and allows each individual player to make their own decision over the size.
