“Beckham steps up, he hits it - it’s in! David Beckham has rescued a point for England, and has sent them to the World Cup finals.” That magical moment will live in the minds of England fans for the rest of their lives. However, it could all be so different if a new Football League proposal is adopted for international competitions.

The League’s 72 chairmen recently set up a working party in an attempt to make the game more attractive. The main initiative they have come up with is to scrap draws, and find a result via penalties. Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney believes the idea will bring more excitement into the game. “It’s important to look from time to time at what we are offering, and whether it’s as good as it can be,'' he said. ''Managers may hate shoot-outs but fans love them. We need to keep games exciting and competitive to keep fans coming back, and hopefully more will come.”

The idea, which was originally suggested through a fans' survey, would mean teams still keeping a point for a draw, but the team which wins the shoot-out would earn a bonus point. The idea, however, has been ridiculed by league chairmen and managers.

“It’s a nonsense idea,” said Peter Ridsdale, chairman of Cardiff City. “The game will be anything but exciting. Teams will come to places like Cardiff, stick 11 men behind the ball, and hope for a draw so they can win on penalties.”

Former Stoke City manager Lou Macari is used to these types of ideas. “When I first heard it I thought someone was trying to scare me, but these crazy things happen,'' he said. ''I remember when the likes of Manchester United were given a bye in the third round of the League Cup, and everyone thought that was crazy, but we’ve come to accept that. This idea is just ludicrous, though.”

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock believes the game can develop better without the use of penalties. “The game needs to get rid of diving, and players going down too easy rather than concerning itself with finding a winning team,'' he commented. ''We don’t want to end up like the USA; we don’t need to involve penalties.”