The long throw-in has long since been a weapon in most team’s arsenals, as they look for maximum impact from this unusual tactic.
Here Rob Beezley and Holly Wright take us on a journey regarding this phenomenon that has made a return.
The long throw-in has evolved from a simple method of restarting play into one of football’s most unusual yet effective attacking weapons.
At its most basic level, a throw-in is meant to return the ball to play after it crosses the touchline. But in modern football, certain players have transformed it into something far more dangerous.
A properly executed long throw can travel deep into the penalty area with speed, dip, and unpredictability, functioning almost like a corner kick delivered from a wider angle.
As tactics have advanced and teams search for marginal gains, managers increasingly value any situation that can create disorder in defensive structures.
Long throws do exactly that. They force defenders to retreat toward their own goal, disrupt marking assignments, and create second-ball opportunities.
What was once a routine restart has become a calculated attacking phase, capable of changing the momentum of matches.
Before the 2000s, throw-ins were rarely considered attacking opportunities. Most teams used them conservatively, throwing short to retain possession. That perception changed dramatically thanks to one player.
Former midfielder Rory Delap redefined expectations during his time at Stoke City. His throws were not just long, they were fast, flat, and accurate.
Delap famously dried the ball with a towel before launching it toward the six-yard box, where attackers and defenders collided in frantic aerial battles.
Opponents began preparing specifically for Stoke throw-ins, assigning markers and rehearsing clearances as if defending corners.
Analysts and commentators soon realised something remarkable: a throw-in, normally harmless, had become statistically comparable to a set piece.
Delap’s success proved that technique and repetition could turn an overlooked skill into a tactical weapon.
Earlier pioneers, like Andy Legg, also made a mark in the lower leagues with throws reaching over 40 metres, showing that the idea of using throws to attack isn’t entirely new.
Delap’s influence didn’t immediately change football overnight, but it planted a seed. Coaches began to view throw-ins differently, asking whether other players could replicate similar effects.
Over time, teams started training throw-ins deliberately, just as they would free kicks or corners.
Modern long throw strategies now rely on coordinated movement patterns, with attackers making timed runs toward near-post and far-post zones while teammates legally screen defenders to create space.
At the same time, sides position players outside the box to anticipate second balls and rebounds, ensuring pressure continues even after the initial delivery is cleared.
Throwers themselves vary trajectory, pace, and target areas to keep defenses guessing, showing how what once seemed like a simple act of power has evolved into a carefully choreographed attacking routine.
More recently in the Championship, Wrexham have been known for launching the ball into the box, scoring several goals from this phenomenon.
It causes mass panic for defences as they try to repel the attack. For the attackers, with the ball coming in at such pace, simply a touch can change the trajectory of the ball and often result in a goal.
Wrexham were masters of the long throw during their rise from the National League with defender Ben Tozer being their danger man, until his move to Forest Green Rovers in May 2024.
Whilst with Cheltenham Town, Tozer managed ten assists across just two seasons prior to his move to Wrexham.
With the Welsh side his throws weren’t as dangerous, getting just the one assist. The 35-year-old has now retired after playing 31 times for Rovers in the 2024-25 season.
Even after Tozer’s departure and retirement, the club retained long throws as part of its attacking identity.
One team this season that has really implemented the long throw-in is Lincoln City.
If the Imps get a throw basically anywhere in the oppositions half, centre-back Tom Hamer waltzes up and absolutely hurls it into the box looking for maximum impact for his side and hopefully, a goal scoring opportunity.
The 26-year-old has amassed six assists across his two seasons, with some of those coming from his long throw.
It also has to be accounted that some of the throws, whilst not entirely an assist, could possibly hit someone else on the way through and then be converted that way.
Hamer also has over ten assists during his time with previous club Burton Albion.
One modern Championship side that has quietly integrated the long throw-in into their attacking structure is Derby County, with full-back Callum Elder serving as their primary specialist.
Unlike traditional long-throw exponents who relied solely on distance, Derby’s use of the tactic is more layered and strategic.
Elder’s deliveries are launched with height and pace into crowded penalty areas, but crucially they are rarely aimless.
The Rams often position their most physically imposing players centrally, ensuring that the throw becomes the first phase of a structured attacking move rather than a hopeful punt.
Statistically, Elder has been one of Derby’s most productive creators this season. In the 2025/26 Championship campaign, he has registered one goal and five assists.
For AFC Wimbledon, Ryan Johnson offers a subtle but effective attacking option through his long throws.
When the Dons win possession near the opposition half, Johnson can deliver the ball deep into the penalty area, creating moments of confusion and forcing defenders to react quickly.
His throws give Wimbledon’s forwards opportunities to challenge in the air or capitalise on knockdowns, providing an alternative route into the box when traditional build-up play is stalled.
While not his team’s primary goal-scoring tactic, Johnson’s ability to turn a routine throw-in into a chance adds a valuable layer to Wimbledon’s attacking strategy.
At Stevenage, left-back Dan Butler adds an extra dimension to the team’s attacking play with his ability to deliver deep throws into the penalty area.
While not a specialist in the traditional sense, Butler’s long throws are used strategically to create pressure and disrupt defensive lines, particularly when the opposition sits deep.
His deliveries give forwards and midfielders opportunities to challenge in the air, win knockdowns, or capitalise on second balls.
By integrating these throws into rehearsed attacking movements, Stevenage gain unpredictability and a practical alternative to standard build-up play, turning routine throw-ins into a subtle but effective attacking weapon.
At Shrewsbury Town, Mal Benning uses his long throws to give the team an aerial dimension in attack.
His deliveries are often lofted into the box, allowing physically strong forwards to challenge defenders in the air or pick up second balls just outside the area.
This approach helps Shrewsbury unlock compact defenses and maintain pressure in dangerous zones, particularly in tight games where space is limited.
Benning’s throws are more than just distance. They create opportunities by exploiting timing, movement, and height, making them an important part of Shrewsbury’s attacking toolkit.
Together, these examples show that the long throw-in is far from a gimmick in the EFL. With the right player and planning, it becomes a subtle but potent weapon capable of influencing matches in meaningful ways.
Today’s managers rarely rely on distance alone when it comes to long throws. Instead, they weave them into a broader tactical approach.
Often, the goal isn’t to score directly from the throw itself, but to create what might be called structured chaos.
When a high-speed ball flies into a crowded penalty area, defensive marking can break down, and coaches exploit this by positioning attackers strategically to pounce on rebounds or flick-ons.
Many teams also treat long throws as a kind of hybrid set piece.
Much like rehearsed corner routines, players know exactly who attacks which zone, who screens defenders, and who hangs back to react to cleared balls.
This level of planning ensures that every throw is part of a wider attacking framework rather than a hopeful punt into the box.
Long throws are particularly useful in certain moments of the game.
Late on, when a team is chasing a goal, they offer a way to bypass midfield buildup entirely and deliver the ball straight into dangerous areas, ramping up pressure in minimal time.
Over the course of a match, repeated long throws can also weigh heavily on defenders.
Even if the initial delivery is cleared, constant aerial bombardment forces defenders deeper, tires them out, and increases the chance of mistakes making long throws as much a psychological weapon as a physical one.
Despite its effectiveness in certain situations, the long throw-in is far from a universal tactic.
There are several reasons why many teams choose to focus on traditional build-up play rather than emphasising throws as a weapon.
First, it requires a specialist: not every squad has a player with the strength, technique, and accuracy to consistently deliver dangerous throws.
Developing this skill also takes time, and relying on it can become predictable if overused.
Some clubs have found success sticking to conventional possession-based strategies.
For example, Ipswich Town under recent management have prioritized patient build-up from the back, using short passes, movement, and positional rotations to create openings rather than forcing aerial duels.
Similarly, Bristol Rovers have often thrived by keeping the ball on the ground, emphasizing wide play and overlapping full-backs to stretch defences.
Both clubs demonstrate that focusing on technical play and structured passing can be just as effective, if not more so, than relying on long throws to generate chances.
Another factor is tactical philosophy.
Teams that value ball retention, pressing triggers, or quick transitions often view long throws as a risk: if the throw is misplaced, possession is lost immediately, potentially leaving them vulnerable to a counterattack.
In contrast, teams that deploy long throws often do so because they lack consistent space to break down deep defenses through normal build-up, making the throw a practical alternative rather than a stylistic choice.
In short, while long throws can be a potent weapon in the right hands, they are not a necessity for success.
Clubs like Ipswich Town and Bristol Rovers show that disciplined passing, movement, and strategic positioning remain just as valuable in creating scoring opportunities, proving that the long throw is one tool among many rather than a requirement.
The long throw-in perfectly illustrates how football evolves over time.
What was once a simple way to restart play has become a genuine attacking weapon, thanks to pioneers like Rory Delap and modern EFL specialists such as Tom Hamer, Callum Elder, and Ben Tozer.
Today, throw-ins are often rehearsed like corners or free kicks, with carefully timed runs, positioning, and movement designed to create maximum impact.
In the EFL, where matches are often tight and physical, the long throw can be a real advantage. But it’s far from essential; choosing to use it is a tactical decision.
Some clubs, like Ipswich Town and Bristol Rovers, have enjoyed success without leaning on long throws, instead building their attacks through patient possession, smart movement, and carefully worked passing patterns.
The takeaway is that long throws are just one of many tools in a manager’s toolbox. When used by the right player in the right system, they can be devastating but for other teams, a more traditional, ground-based approach works just as well.
Ultimately, the long throw-in is less about necessity and more about choice.
It’s a reminder that football is a game of options: managers weigh their players’ strengths, the style they want to play, and the risks they’re willing to take, and then decide whether a ball hurled from the side-line is the best way to turn a match in their favour.
