Football's relationship with new technology has always been an uneasy one. There has always been a fear that embracing new technology will change the character of the game. But the conservative resistance of the game's authorities (reflecting that of the wider football community) is starting to break down. In the past one of the most transformative technologies has been floodlighting. Experiments were carried out in the 19th century before the arrival of electricity, but not surprisingly what amounted to giant flares or using batteries and dynamos were not very successful. When floodlighting eventually arrived, it was treated as something of a novelty with special 'floodlight' competitions. During the 1930s Herbert Chapman at Arsenal decided to install permanent lights at Highbury. The Football League, in its infinite wisdom, refused to sanction their use, though, so only friendly and unofficial games were played using the newly installed lights. It took until the...