1960 FROZEN IN TIME

VAR is now here, and is not going away. And unless Scottish football breaks the mould that has been forged in other countries, with it will come controversy and endless debates about goals which should have stood or been disallowed, despite what the record books say.

Things were very different back in 1960. With no VAR, goals could be chalked off in dubious circumstances, and one game even saw the referee cancel out four strikes.

It wasn’t just any old game, either – Barcelona against Real Madrid in a European Cup tie.

Real had made the trophy their personal possession for the first five years of the competition, but their great rivals were to bring that run to an end, with a little help from the referee.

The pair had drawn 2-2 in the Bernabeu, and Barca won the return 2-1 to end Real’s European domination.

But not before English referee, Reg Leafe, had ruled out a goal by Evaristo – the scorer of a double on the night – for offside, and denied Real’s Luis del Sol for handball, and both Pachin and Alfredo di Stefano for offside.

The first of Real Madrid’s three disallowed goals in the Nou Camp. Luis del Sol (grounded centre) finds the net but it was ruled out by English referee, Reg Leafe, for handball