The game starts with one team being delirious and the other depressed. Likewise each set of fans. The ball is in the net of the depressed team.

The idea is to score a 'kick-off'. To do this, the happy team has to get the ball out of the net and onto the centre spot - and here's the hard bit - with all the players assuming their starting positions. During play, and shortly after the ball is removed from the net, each team's attitude changes to one of determination/aggression/banality/idiocy depending on normal team/individual behaviour.

After a kick-off has been scored the teams decide by lot which one now assumes the happy/sad role, the ball is placed in the net of the sad team and the game continues.

Teams may start with a minimum of 7 players and introduce a new one each time the referee produces a red card, apparently at random, up to a maximum of 11 players. The new player's first action must be to abuse the referee or to kick or punch an opposing player.

Fans buy programmes, souvenirs etc. after the match has finished then go home to watch Football Focus followed by shopping with the wife or some light DIY.
-- Scotty, Mar 01 2001

Yep an intriguing variation but surely nothing can surpass the drama and excitement of the original. But if we do go for reverse-football, do the Americans give a special name, like reverse-soccer? Revoccer, ug!
-- stickyman, Mar 01 2001


well this is a very far fetched idea maybe you could have a governing body that tests players for anti depressants and caffiene as well
-- dan23, Feb 25 2004


We Americans would call it Extreme Soccer. Or Ultimate Soccer. Or Extreme Ultimate Soccer...
-- dbsousa, Feb 25 2004


OR JUST AMERICAN SOCCER
-- dan23, Feb 26 2004


WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING?
-- k_sra, Feb 26 2004


This sounded lame, up until //The new player's first action must be to abuse the referee or to kick or punch an opposing player.// Extra violence = better sport. bun, which becomes a bone in the spirit of your opposite sport.
-- sninctown, May 23 2006


How about trying to help society, rather than encourage people to destroy it? After all, it's not like you need to 'reverse' football to encourage violence and thuggery. Have a bone.
-- kuupuuluu, May 23 2006


//The game starts with one team being delirious and the other depressed//
sp: Over the Moon.
sp: Sick as a Parrot.
-- gnomethang, May 23 2006


//The new player's first action must be to abuse the referee or to kick or punch an opposing player// gets my bun.
-- DesertFox, May 23 2006



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