Male fans caught offside

Arsenal's offside trap is the stuff of legend

Women football fans know more about the offside rule than men, according to research set to shock the bars and terraces of the nation.

Of the thousands of supporters surveyed, more than half (53%) of male fans could explain the law correctly, but more than two-thirds of women (68%) got the answers right.

Women take the trouble to swot up on the rules - whereas men just accept what's been passed down to them from their dads

Guinness spokesperson Lindsey Sexton

The survey, commissioned by Guinness, also found that the most knowledgable fans were those at Tottenham, followed by Newcastle and Liverpool.

Those with the worst understanding of the rules of the game were at Leeds, Southampton and Derby in bottom place.

Female fans swot up more than males

Lindsey Sexton, spokesperson for Guinness, said: "The results amazed us.

"It soon became clear that women who are real fans take the trouble to swot up on the rules whereas men seem to just accept what's been passed down to them from their dads - lots of which is hopelessly out of date."

But Dr Rogan Taylor, Head of Liverpool University's Football Research Unit, said: "Perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised at female superiority in this department.

"Understanding the offside law is all about understanding relationships in time."

Some 200 referees surveyed admitted to feeling intimidated by fans, citing Manchester United fans as the worst, followed by West Ham and Sunderland.

The Full Monty brought the offside trap to a new audience

But they were still opposed to the introduction of electronic eye technology, with 82% saying they were against it.

Philip Don, referees officer for the FA Premier League, said: "As football is about fluidity, movement and continuity, those elements would be lost if you were forever halting the flow of the game to consult with someone in the stand."

Can a player be offside from a goal kick?

See Fifa Rules of Football internet link for the answer.