Over the last few years, footballers of all ages have started to receive foot, knee and ankle injuries on a massive scale. The insistence by the major sports manufacturers to market boots with blades on the sole has been a major influence on this increase in injuries. These football boots look more like Formula One cars and are designed to be easy on the eye, with little thought for comfort or performance.

It is a simple fact that circular studs, by virtue of their shape, can assist player movement. Players can pivot and turn sharply with little chance of the studs locking into the turf and thus minimising injuries to major joints. Blades however, are rectangular and can cause greater resistance when a player turns sharply. This can cause the blades to stick into the ground, leading to greater strain and force on major leg joints.

Additionally, blades have been known to cause horrific flesh wounds as the blades can have an effect similar to that of a knife when any force is put into a tackle. These kinds of injuries are more common in the lower echelons of the game - those walks across the changing room car park helping to 'sharpen' the blade.

It is not surprising that many schools throughout the UK have banned the use of blades during PE lessons and school football fixtures.

81 have therefore used the traditional six studded sole, in an off white colour reminiscent of the boots of the 60s and 70s.

Stay ahead of the game, buy traditional, buy studs, and buy 81.