Controversial EFL decision impacts West Brom, Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall and Sunderland

Long throwers in the Sky Bet Championship will be hindered from the start of the 2023/24 campaign as the EFL has introduced a new ‘no towel’ rule in their latest regulation changes.

It’s been decided the second, third and fourth tiers of English football, as well as the Carabao Cup, will see a shift in the way possession is regained after the ball has gone off the field.

Part of the call has been to ban the use of towels or similar items to dry a match ball before it’s thrown, making bad reading for some of the Championship’s best long throwers.

An EFL statement reads: “The EFL will introduce a multiball system. Match balls will be placed on cones in designated areas at pitch side to help increase the time the ball is in play.

“Meanwhile, Clubs will no longer be permitted to use towels or other articles, including items obtained from spectators to dry footballs during matches.”

A tactic so often used by teams with height in the penalty area, long throwing is an art that goes back generations – and it’s well known that drying the ball makes it go further.

Darnell Furlong at West Bromwich Albion, Will Faulks at Sheffield Wednesday, Zian Flemming at Millwall and Aji Alese at Sunderland are all renowned for their long-throwing ability.

These players will still be able to take advantage of their looping deliveries next campaign but it will be more difficult to grip onto the ball and it won’t travel as far.