You have four attempts to move the ball 10 yards

Hence '1st and 10'. If you moved it 6 yards forwards on the 1st down, you would have 4 yards to go - hence '2nd and 4'.

If you move it 10 yards you get another first down and off you go again. If you don't, the opposition get the ball.

I learned all this during half time at a Norwich game in about 1985 when they had a demonstration of the sport by the Norwich Spackfackers or whatever their team was called.

Posted By: norway, Feb 5, 19:02:56