If ever there was a team that epitomised the need for goal-line technology, it is England. The most famous ‘goal’ was in the 1966 World Cup final when Geoff Hurt’s shot struck the bar against Germany in extra time. It was deemed to be a goal and England went on to win the game 4-2.

There have been numerous incidents over the years and England was on the wrong side of a decision when Frank Lampard’s 2010 World Cup ‘ghost goal’ was deemed to have not crossed the line, despite having been a clear goal. Lampard’s goal – again a thunderous shot that cannoned down off the crossbar – came when England were 2-1 down, coincidentally against Germany. England went on to lose the game 4-1.

Matters were brought to a head again, during the 2012 European Cup when John Terry’s Herculean effort to stop a goal bound shot by Ukraine’s Marko Devic was deemed to have been a legitimate clearance. Replays showed that the ball had crossed the line and that a goal should in fact have been awarded.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has changed his tune and said that he was pleased that the International Football Association Board voted unanimously in favour of introducing goal-line technology.

He said it was Lampard’s 2010 “ghost” goal that made him realise that goal-line technology had to be introduced.

Blatter said: “That ‘goal’ was the moment for me to say, ‘you can’t afford for something similar to happen in the next World Cup’”.

Tests start in the Autumn of 2010 and the objective is to have the technology up and running and in practice by 2014. The English Premier League has already said it plans to introduce goal-line technology as soon as possible, maybe at some point during the forthcoming season.

However, not everyone is convinced it is a positive step forward. Uefa president Michel Platini has said that the technology would lead to “PlayStation football”. Blatter is confident the Frenchman will change his mind. In fact, it seems that Platini – a bit of a strange character when it comes to rationalisation – is a lone voice in the wilderness. Not everyone is convinced that cameras would help the game in terms of offside rulings etc, but when it comes to goals, everyone seems to be in agreement.

England striker Sir Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick as England beat West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final, has spent years answering questions about whether his second goal actually crossed the line. “It would have shown quite categorically that the ball was quite clearly at least a yard over the line,” he insisted. “But had it said it wasn’t in, we would have won 3-2. There’s still no difference.

“I am delighted though. I have been a leading advocate of bringing it in and I think it will benefit the game as a whole,” he told the BBC.

Football will be fairer after the introduction of the technology. A goal is a goal, and a team should never be denied. As we have said, it is England’s story – with rulings in favour and against – that best shows the story of why goal-line technology is needed. It is only fair to do so.