Goal-line technology has been voted the best football innovation of the last 30 years in a new survey of British football fans.
A poll of 2,000 supporters voted the instant replay as the second-best innovation.
Technology that allows referees and their assistants to stay in contact with each other through microphones came third, followed by undersoil heating.
VAR, free-kick vanishing spray and the modern football boot are also among the innovations which the survey’s respondents said have improved the game.
However, 47 per cent believe the traditional match-day setup could be updated and modernised further.
The research was commissioned to mark the launch of the latest series of The EE Wembley Cup, where four teams made up from YouTube’s most famous football bloggers and ex-international players will compete for a trophy.
World Cup winners Robert Pirès and David Trezeguet, Brazilian defender Cafu are among those taking part, along with ex-Chelsea footballer Michael Essien.
Your First Football Shirt: a collection of famous football memories
1/31 Your First Football Shirt
2/31 Andrei Kanchelskis winning the 1990 European Under 21 Championship for the Soviet Union
3/31 Dwight Yorke on winning the treble for Manchester United in 1999
4/31 Graeme Le Saux on scoring for England v Brazil
5/31 Alan Shearer on breaking Newcastle United’s goal scoring record
6/31 Bob Wilson on when Arsenal won the league at White Hart Lane in 1971
7/31 Lucy Bronze on scoring the winner for England v Norway at the 2015 World Cup
8/31 Gazza receiving a booking during England v Germany at Italia 90
9/31 Manchester United v Inter Milan in the Champions League
10/31 Alan Shearer scoring for England v Germany in the semi-final of Euro 96
11/31 When Pele dummied the goalie at the 1970 World Cup … and missed
12/31 Nathaniel Chalobah’s debut for Chelsea
13/31 Philippe Albert scoring for Newcastle United v Manchester United
14/31 George Weah going “coast to coast” for AC Milan v Verona
15/31 Ray Parlour scoring a screaming for Arsenal v Valencia in the Champions League
16/31 Paolo Di Canio scoring a screamer for West Ham United v Chelsea
17/31 Darko Pancev scoring for Red Star Belgrade v Bayern Munich
18/31 Zinedine Zidane scoring in the Champions League final in 2002
19/31 Lee Philpott scoring for Cambridge United
20/31 Eric Cantona scoring that chip for Manchester United v Sunderland
21/31 Del Piero scoring for Italy v Germany in the 2006 World Cup
22/31 Manchester United winning the Champions League in 1999
23/31 Mark Hughes scoring a scissor kick for Wales
24/31 Michael Essien scoring for Chelsea v Arsenal
25/31 Steph Houghton on being named England captain
26/31 Jason McAteer scoring for Ireland v Netherlands
27/31 Roberto Carlos scoring the ‘Impossible goal’
28/31 David Platt scoring for England v Belgium at Italia 90 World Cup
29/31 Nottingham Forest fans saluting Stuart Pearce
30/31 Ronaldo scoring for Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup final
31/31 Roberto Carlos scoring that amazing free kick at Le Tournoi
1/31 Your First Football Shirt
2/31 Andrei Kanchelskis winning the 1990 European Under 21 Championship for the Soviet Union
3/31 Dwight Yorke on winning the treble for Manchester United in 1999
4/31 Graeme Le Saux on scoring for England v Brazil
5/31 Alan Shearer on breaking Newcastle United’s goal scoring record
6/31 Bob Wilson on when Arsenal won the league at White Hart Lane in 1971
7/31 Lucy Bronze on scoring the winner for England v Norway at the 2015 World Cup
8/31 Gazza receiving a booking during England v Germany at Italia 90
9/31 Manchester United v Inter Milan in the Champions League
10/31 Alan Shearer scoring for England v Germany in the semi-final of Euro 96
11/31 When Pele dummied the goalie at the 1970 World Cup … and missed
12/31 Nathaniel Chalobah’s debut for Chelsea
13/31 Philippe Albert scoring for Newcastle United v Manchester United
14/31 George Weah going “coast to coast” for AC Milan v Verona
15/31 Ray Parlour scoring a screaming for Arsenal v Valencia in the Champions League
16/31 Paolo Di Canio scoring a screamer for West Ham United v Chelsea
17/31 Darko Pancev scoring for Red Star Belgrade v Bayern Munich
18/31 Zinedine Zidane scoring in the Champions League final in 2002
19/31 Lee Philpott scoring for Cambridge United
20/31 Eric Cantona scoring that chip for Manchester United v Sunderland
21/31 Del Piero scoring for Italy v Germany in the 2006 World Cup
22/31 Manchester United winning the Champions League in 1999
23/31 Mark Hughes scoring a scissor kick for Wales
24/31 Michael Essien scoring for Chelsea v Arsenal
25/31 Steph Houghton on being named England captain
26/31 Jason McAteer scoring for Ireland v Netherlands
27/31 Roberto Carlos scoring the ‘Impossible goal’
28/31 David Platt scoring for England v Belgium at Italia 90 World Cup
29/31 Nottingham Forest fans saluting Stuart Pearce
30/31 Ronaldo scoring for Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup final
31/31 Roberto Carlos scoring that amazing free kick at Le Tournoi
Ex-Arsenal footballer Pirès said: “Recent innovations in football have revolutionised the way we talk about and watch matches.
“I feel like matches have become more exciting and are packed with more action and drama as a result.”
The study also found three-quarters of football fans think technological advances have improved the game overall.
More than half said improved technology has given them more confidence in a “fair result” at the end of a match and aided referees’ decision-making during games.
A third of those surveyed said they prefer watching the game live, although nearly all respondents said they turn to technology for instant replays, match analysis or to watch a goal for a second time.
But almost a third said they would like to see the transfer window removed, so teams could buy and sell players at any point throughout the season.
And a quarter said the current transfer window should also apply to managers, so they could only be replaced at certain points in the season.
SWNS
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