[ NEW BOARD GAME ]
Richard Keys has called for a ban on players cutting holes in their socks after being left frustrated by Conor Gallagher's choice during Chelsea's draw with Manchester City. Gallagher played the entire 90 minutes as Chelsea came away with a point at the Etihad Stadium, with a late leveller from Rodri cancelling out Raheem Sterling's first-half opener.
Gallagher wore socks with two large holes cut into the back, following a trend set by footballers over the last few years. Jude Bellingham also wears socks with holes in while playing for Real Madrid, although the practice is officially banned by La Liga.
Keys was not best pleased with Gallagher's appearance and took to X, formerly Twitter, calling on the Premier League to follow La Liga in banning players from cutting up their socks.
He wrote: "Enough of this nonsense. There’s no need for it. The Spanish have outlawed it (although Bellingham gets away with it). It’s time we did."
Players often cut a number of holes in the back of their socks in a bid to protect muscles in their calves. The holes allow for tension in their legs to be released, which many players feel helps to reduce the likelihood of cramps and muscle injuries.
Socks can prove to be restrictive when they are too tight, which can cause difficulties with effective blood flow and circulation. Therefore, players will often decide to cut up their socks in order to remove the problem and help improve their game.
Jermaine Jenas explained the trend back in 2018 when Kyle Walker made the headlines for wearing socks with several holes, saying: "It’s about functionality. He obviously thinks his socks are too tight, so he cuts holes in them to help the circulation in his calves so he doesn’t get cramp."
The likes of Bukayo Saka and Arthur Masuaku have also jumped on the same bandwagon in recent years, while Gareth Bale took the trend overseas during his time at Real Madrid. Former Valencia defender Ezequiel Garay was once asked to change his socks by the referee, who deemed that he was not following the sporting dress code.
Other players, such as Jack Grealish, may choose to wear their socks lower than usual rather than cutting them up. However, the England winger previously explained that his choice was down to superstition rather than anything else.
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