When the spit hits the fan

I simply do not think it is true that players in the 1960's didn't spit. Media coverage was such that it wasn't highlighted like it is today.

I will be frank, what's the big deal? So petty. As long as its not in a disrespectful way ie. spitting at another person, then I don't really care. Who takes notice of players spitting! Sad! And saying they didn't spit in the 60s and they do now is ridiculous. Have you been analysing it or something!

I cannot recall spitting in the 40s to 60s either, but that is not to say it was not happening. When I go to matches now, I do not notice that many players actually spitting, but when I watch it on television spitting seems to be highlighted all the time. I suppose that if television was around then we would have seen it happening in the old days. It is not a very pleasant sight seeing people spit and IF it could be avoided all the better.

Spitting may sometimes be needed for some but i think it is overused and isnt a great image. Of course spitting at someone be it a fan/player/ref whatever is totally unacceptable and should be highly punished

Thisarticle was written by someone who has never played the game. I used to find that during a game your mouth would gather saliva and it needed to be cleared.Choice swallow or spit. No contest I'm afraid. I don't condoning spitting for the sake of it but there are occasions when it is necessary.

Spitting is sometimes needed. When you exert yourself, the saliva produced can be quite a bit thicker than normal saliva, and swallowing it isn't a particularly nice experience. People who go on about spitting generally aren't the most active people, and so have never been in the position where they'd feel the need to spit.

Very true, plus there is no comparison with rugby. Football is a very phyiscally exhausting sport with the average premiership midefielder running thoughly 8 miles a game. Rugby is very stop/start with only something like 15% of the game requiring the most physically strenuous activity. It's all line outs, penalties, rucks, mauls, stoppages etc.

I've got no problem about players spitting as long as the spit is directed at the pitch and not at fans or players!

I played football for years, ran miles and never felt the need to spit. Football players do it as a habit, they even do it when they're running on the pitch! You can even see subs doing it when they're waiting to come on! Here's a thought though, with 22 players gobbing everywhere on the pitch over 90 minutes there's a few pools of phlegm just waiting for someone to dive into!! Brings a lump to your throat!!

If it's down to the amount of energy footballers expel, how come long-distance track athletes don't spit all the time while they are running? And certainly not women runners. Can you imagine Paula Ratcliffe spitting her way around a marathon course? Come to think of it, do women footballers spit?

Long distance runners aren't giving it 100% all race. I'd also argue that womens football is a lot slower than mens, so they may not need to spit due to not exerting themsleves as much.

I'm no super athlete but when I play football for 90 minutes I am generally dehydrated so there is generally a lack of saliva. I don't recall seeing long distance runners spitting. I imagine that it's the rough background of most professional players. I don't recall Bobby Charlton or George Best spitting.

the fact that dansak didn't need to spit doesn't mean that others are the same. Fortunately we are all different!

Reminds me of the punk era when bands used to be covered in spittle from adoring fans... Disgusting habit.

I played football for bloody years and yes I definitely used to spit. I also ran a marathon, and during that I spat a lot more. It's a result of physical exertion. Everybody does it. It's almost as natural as sweating. And yes it happened in the 60's as much as it happens now.

I think I'll just settle for watching women's sports because they generally have cleaner habits. When it comes to football, ou might say the difference between the two sexes is spit or bust.

I can't believe that someone who has apparently been watching footbal for so many years has missed this! Certainly players spat in the 60s, the 50s and earlier. Two of Manchester's most famous 'sons' were noted for it, Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles were both spitters. It's a side effect of the exercise itself and is, I'm informed, caused by dehydration. The mouth 'furs' and spitting helps clear it while stimulating the production of saliva. ...and yes, rugby players and other athletes do spit. I can only assume that you have had very little real contact with sport in general to be so badly informed. Perhaps one of you male friends could have done some research for you? Whilst I agree that kids do copy their heroes and heroines (see how I avoided the corny pun?), your equating spitting with smoking as a sign of maturity is quite frankly laughable.

Why were most of the comments on this article posted around the same time? Is it just someone with many personalities?! Or an attempt to make the article look popular? Does the author win a prize?

Thanks, Peter Squires, for proving that male chauvinism is still alive and spitting. And smoking, too. I have an answer to every one of your put-downs, and had you shown me a little more respect, I would have answered them. Anon, I can assure you that every comment on this article is genuine. Apart from those under my own name, they certainly didn't come from me! For technical reasons, quite a few appeared on site at roughly the same time - though I understand they were actually registered over a period of several hours.

It has been brought to my attention that the author in question has been asking for opinions on 'forums' to which they then copy and paste the comment on here and therefore all comments appear at the same time as highlighted by Anon. For the author to deny involvement is incorrect. Obviously comments on the article make the author look popular, perhaps more hits/comments equate to more profit, they are Staff afterall? Also, where does Mr Squires' post suggest male chauvinism? He is merely stating a very valid argument for the reasons behind spitting. I do tend to agree with him, will I be labelled the same as Mr Squires?

I am the CEO of Sportingo and wanted to make clear the point about the comments. There is no financial gain or other gain for Donna or any other staff member which is based on the number of comments. You correctly point out that some of the comments to the article originated from another forum that the author was part of. We thought that it made sense for our readers to view all the comments about the article in one location and after making the people that posted aware of the fact added relevant comments on the page. I hope that it makes reading the article more valuable for you as a reader.

How do my comments imply male chauvinism? It was you that made a point of referencing your 'male friends', I merely responded. However, your comments in 'I'll stick to the women' viz. 'I think I'll just settle for watching women's sports because they generally have cleaner habits. When it comes to football, ou might say the difference between the two sexes is spit or bust' is not only a gross generalisation but is also plainly sexist. Oh, and for the record, I don't smoke!

Thank you for that explanation, all that concerns me is the author's dishonesty in relation to where the comments originated and who posted them. The author could have explained that point in the same way you have as opposed to denying all knowledge.