When the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of extra time in the Watney Cup semi-final between Hull City and Manchester United on 20 May 1970, a new chapter in football history was about to be written. No one truly knew what to expect, as the sport was about to witness its first official penalty shootout. The 'cruel' system of deciding drawn games by coin toss or endless replays was finally being replaced by a more direct, if equally nerve-wracking, method.
The Watney Cup, a short-lived pre-season tournament, provided the stage for this momentous occasion. With the score tied after 90 minutes and extra time, the two teams lined up for a series of spot-kicks that would determine who progressed to the final. The pressure was immense, with players acutely aware that they could etch their names into history – either as heroes or, perhaps less desirably, as the first to miss in an official shootout.
Manchester United's iconic winger, George Best, took the first penalty, confidently dispatching the ball into the net, thus becoming the first player to score in an official football shootout. The tension was palpable with each subsequent kick. Ultimately, Manchester United emerged victorious, winning the shootout and advancing to the final, though specific scores for this inaugural shootout are not widely detailed in historical records beyond the outcome.
This landmark event marked a pivotal shift in how football approached drawn matches. Before 1970, cup ties that ended in a draw after extra time would often be decided by a replay, sometimes multiple replays, or, in more drastic circumstances, a coin toss. The latter method, in particular, was widely criticised for its arbitrary nature, often described as 'cruel' and an unfair way to end a competitive sporting encounter.
The introduction of the penalty shootout, formalised by FIFA, aimed to provide a definitive and skill-based resolution to tied games, reducing fixture congestion and ensuring that the outcome was, at least in part, determined by the players' ability under pressure. While still capable of producing heartbreak, it offered a more direct and arguably fairer conclusion than its predecessors.