Good question which I couldn't give a definitive answer to. I suspect he will still be playing them onside as he's still involved in play. If not its a loophole I'm sure would have been exploited a long time since.
it's still onside yes this happened a few years ago, a player was 'injured' off the pitch behind the goal and he was deemed to be keeping them onside but as mr hat said it would be a ridiculous exploit if they weren't deemed as active and thus keeping the opposotion onside
I've googled and googled and can't find an answer, though technically behind the line he's off the pitch, isn't he?
My understanding was that a player couldn't actually "leave" the pitch without the ref's permission - purposely stepping off the pitch to play an opponent offside probably wouldn't work in this context.
Just found this - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4201064.stm Purposely leaving the pitch without the referee's permission is a yellow card offence.
I saw someone recently given offside when he was off the pitch on MOTD. They didn't mention it because it was immediately after a penalty shout but a free kick was definitely given for offside for someone who was well off the pitch. People do it at corners all the time.
Just trying to establish if a player guarding the post for a direct free kick, if he is standing in the goal but behind the goal line, is he in play? Would the opposition then be able to swarm players all around the keeper? I haven't found a definitive answer yet.
McGregor cocked it, poor keeping. Brady gets benefit of doubt for me, but might be a tad windy. Many keepers see someone on their line as the last resort, it wasn't needed, McGregor cocked it is all. StevieG made the most of it, excellent free-kick. Could easily have been 4-0.
They're classed as being stood on the goal line, otherwise it'd be a red card when they came back on the pitch (leaving the field of play without the referee's permission = 1 yellow, coming back on the field without the referee's permission = another yellow). If a player is injured and limps off the pitch they'll usually be let off for not waiting for permission, but they should be classed as being on the pitch until the next time the ball is out of play.
