Thorold Charles Reep was a British analyst credited with creating the long ball game, which has characterised English football.
12 Facts About Charles Reep
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2.
Charles Reep won the first prize in an entrance competition for the newly formed Accountancy Division of the Royal Air Force in 1928.
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Charles Reep achieved the rank of Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force and retired from the service in 1955.
4.
Charles Reep attended a series of lectures given by Arsenal right-half Charlie Jones in 1933 and became fascinated by manager Herbert Chapman's style of functional wingers and rapidly moving the ball forwards.
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Charles Reep surmised that with an average of two goals scored per game, only a small improvement was needed in the chance conversion rate to score three goals per game and all but guarantee promotion.
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Charles Reep's analysis caught the attention of Brentford manager Jackie Gibbons, and from February 1951 until the end of the season, he was employed part-time as an adviser.
7.
Charles Reep concluded that most goals were scored from fewer than three passes: therefore he proposed it was important to get the ball forward as soon as possible.
8.
Charles Reep's analyses published in the News Chronicle attracted Stan Cullis' interest at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
9.
Charles Reep's ideas were the foundation of the Norway national football team playing style under the management of Egil Olsen in the 1990s.
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Charles Reep's work has been heavily criticised by, among others, the writer Jonathan Wilson.
11.
Wilson points out that in World Cup matches Charles Reep observed, the percentage of all moves comprising seven or more passes was roughly double what it was for English league games in the preceding season.
12.
Charles Reep's paper provided an alternative reading of Reep's work and challenged accepted wisdom about Reep.