My friend James Curley, a psychology professor who specialises in social behaviour, maintains what may be the world’s most complete database of football results. The “England” portion alone contains more than 200,000 games, dating back to Derby County’s 6-3 away win over Bolton Wanderers on September 8 1888.
When presented with a load of football data, one does the same thing as when watching a single football match: look for the goals. Within these spreadsheets there are millions of them. And while summary statistics don’t tell especially colourful stories, they do suggest their outline. A simple average of goals casts a narrative shadow more than a century long — arcs in the story of football and its structure and the world in which it exists.
There was a dramatic goal spike in England in the 1920s, for example, that followed a loosening of the offside rule. In the 1950s, certain substitutions were allowed. The 1980s saw an increase in points awarded for a win. Offside was tweaked again in 1990. From 1992, goalkeepers couldn’t handle back-passes. Referees now spray foam for free kicks and watch video monitors, and there are more substitutions. All along, tactical and technical innovations have come and some have gone, and money has been injected. To varying degrees, all of these stories are reflected in this heartbeat of goals.