11. PLAYING SEASON. CONDITIONS OF PLAY

PLAYING SEASON.  CONDITIONS OF PLAY

TIMES OF KICK-OFF.  POSTPONEMENTS.  SUBSTITUTES

10. (A) All Competition Matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board or, for Mini-Soccer, and 9v9 football, the Rules as set down by The FA.

Clubs must take all reasonable precautions to keep their Grounds in a playable condition. All Competition Matches shall be played on pitches deemed suitable by the Management Committee. If through any fault of the home Team a match has to be replayed, the Management Committee shall have power to order the venue to be changed.

The Management Committee shall have power to decide whether a pitch and/or facilities are suitable for matches in the Competition and to order the Club concerned to play its fixtures on another ground.

Football Turf Pitches are allowed in this Competition.  All Football Turf Pitches used must be on The FA's Register of Football Turf Pitches and must be tested (by an accredited test institute) every  3 years and the results passed to The FA. The FA will give a decision on the suitability for use and add the pitch to the Register.

The home Club is also responsible for advising Participants of footwear requirements when confirming match arrangements in accordance with Rule 10(C).

All matches shall have a duration as set out below unless a shorter time is mutually arranged by the two Clubs in consultation with the referee prior to the commencement of the match, and in any event shall be of equal halves.

Matches should be played in accordance with the Laws appropriate to the relevant age group, as laid down by The FA, as detailed below.

For round robin/trophy events, the maximum duration of play per half cannot be exceeded, but the minimum duration of play per half may be adjusted.

For trophy events, the Competition may award mementos.
The times of kick-off shall be fixed at the AGM and can only be altered by the mutual consent of the two competing Clubs prior to the scheduled date of the match with written notification given to the Secretary at least [ ] days prior.

Referees must order matches to commence at the appointed time and must report all late starts to the Secretary.

The home Team must provide goal nets, corner flags and at least two footballs fit for play and the referee shall make a report to the Secretary if the footballs are unsuitable. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine (in accordance with the Fines Tariff).

(i) The length of the playing season will be notified at the AGM for the following season. A seven day over run may be permitted with the permission of the management committee.
(ii) Clubs are required to be available each Sunday of the playing season.
(iii) Clubs are also required to be available to play up to 9pm of the preceding Wednesday for any emergency fixtures.

    (B) Except by permission of the Management Committee all Competition Matches must be played on the dates originally fixed but priority shall be given to The FA and parent County Association Cup Competitions. All other matches must be considered secondary. Clubs may mutually agree to bring forward a match with the consent of the (Fixtures) Secretary. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine (in accordance with the Fines Tariff).

        In the case of a revised fixture date, the Clubs must be given by the Competition 5 clear days’ notice of the match (unless otherwise mutually agreed).

(i) The League Management Committee will advise all members of any dates when fixtures will not be played e.g. Christmas, Easter.

(ii) Clubs may request a postponement of league or league cup fixtures should a goalkeeper or two players or more selected to be part of the 16 player squad of a County

Representative team. The League must receive a letter from the appropriate County Football Association detailing the players selected no later than 7 days before the date of the fixture to consider a request for postponement. Any request received for a postponement received less than 7 days before the fixture is due to be played may be refused.

(iii) Clubs may also request a postponement if a goalkeeper or three or more players are on school activities providing the names of the players and a letter from the school signed by the class or head teacher is submitted 14 days before any scheduled game.

(iv) The Kick off times shall be 10:30am or 11am for ALL under 18 fixtures whether on grass on 3G. Under 13, Under14, Under 15 and Under 16 fixtures shall kick off at 10:30am, 11:00am, 2,00pm or 2:30pm for grass pitches. For 3G OR 4G approved pitches as per the FA guidelines, Under 13, Under 14, Under 15 and Under 16 age groups may also kick off at 12:30pm or 3:00pm in addition to those times applicable to grass pitches.

(v) In the case of a revised fixture date, the clubs must be given by the competition 5 clear days notice of the match (unless otherwise mutually agreed).

(C)    An Officer of the home Club must give notice of full particulars of the location of, and access to, the group and time of kick-off to the Match Officials and the secretary of the opposing Club at least [7 ] clear days prior to the playing of the match. If not so provided, the away Club shall seek such details and report the circumstances to the Competition. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine (in accordance with the Fines Tariff).

(i) No clubs may change grounds without permission of the Management Committee. A fine of £25.00 shall be implemented if permission is not given.

(ii) The Management Committee shall have the power to decide whether a pitch and / or facilities are suitable for matches in the competition and may order the club to play its fixtures on another ground.

(iii) All matches that are not played on a senior ground must have one side of the field completely roped off at least two metres from the field of play. This is where all spectators must stand. The other side of the field of play must have a technical area for each team at least two metres from the field of play and ten metres either side of the centre line where only five substitutes and three officials from each team must remain during the game. Where matches are played on 3G pitches respect barriers will be required to be placed down one side of the pitch, if it is not possible to rope off. Cones will NOT be permitted. Failure to comply with the above shall incur a £25.00 fine.

(iv) All fixtures must be started with the League sponsored match ball. Referees to report to the League if this is not carried out. A £10 fine shall be issued if the League sponsored match ball is not used.

    (D)    The minimum number of Players that will constitute a Team for a Competition Match is as follows:

Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine (in accordance with the Fines Tariff).

    (E)    (i)     In Competitions where points are awarded home and away matches shall be played. In the event of a Club failing to keep its engagement the Management Committee shall have the power to impose a fine (in accordance with the Fines Tariff), deduct points from the defaulting Club, award the points from the match in question to the opponents, order the defaulting Club to pay any expenses incurred by the opponents or otherwise deal with them except the award of goals. Notwithstanding the foregoing home and away provision, the Management Committee shall have power to order a match to be played on a neutral ground or on the opponent’s Ground if they are satisfied that such action is warranted by the circumstances.      

        (ii)    Any Club unable to fulfil a fixture or where a fixture has been postponed for any reason must, without delay, give notice to the (Fixtures) Secretary, the Competition Referees Appointments Secretary, the secretary of the opposing Club and the Match Officials.

         (iii)    In the event of a match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which neither Club has control, it shall be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two Clubs and approved by the Management Committee. Failing such agreement and notification to the (Fixtures) Secretary within [ 7] days the Management Committee shall have the power to order the match to be played on a named date or on or before a given date.

           Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine (in accordance with the Fines Tariff).

        (iv)    The Management Committee shall review all matches abandoned in cases where it is consequent upon the conduct of either or both Teams. Where it is to the advantage of the Competition and does no injustice to either Club, the Management Committee shall be empowered to order the score at the time of the abandonment to stand. In all cases where the Management Committee are satisfied that a match was abandoned owing to the conduct of one Team or its Club member(s) they shall be empowered to award the points for the match to the opponent. No fine(s) can be applied by the Management Committee for an abandoned match.

    (v) The Management Committee shall review any match that has taken place where either or both Teams were under a suspension imposed upon them by The FA or Affiliated Association. In each case the Team that was under suspension would be dealt with in the same manner as if they had participated with ineligible players in accordance with Rule 8(M)(i) above. Where both Teams were under suspension the match must be declared null and void and shall not be replayed.

    (F)    A Club may at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game use substitute Players in any match in this Competition.

       Where a Competition does not allow repeat substitutes:

        For Under 17s and Under 18s –  [up to 5 may be selected from 5 substitute Players].        
        Where a Competition does allow repeat substitutes:

        For Under 11s - Under 18s – [up to 5 may be selected from 5 substitute Players]. A Player who has been substituted becomes a substitute and may replace any Player at any time subject to the substitution being carried out in accordance with Law 3 of the Laws of Association Football.

        For Mini-Soccer – any number of substitutions may be used at any time with the permission of the Match Official. Entry onto the field of play will only be allowed during a stoppage in play. A Player who has been replaced may return to the play as a substitute for another Player. A Team must not have a match day squad greater than double the size of its Team in an age group.

        In Youth Football only, the referee shall be informed of the names of the substitutes not later than [30 ] minutes before the start of the match and a Player not so named may not take part in the match.

        A Player who has been selected, appointed or named as a substitute before the start of the match but does not actually play in the game shall not be considered to have been a Player in that game within the meaning of Rule 8 of this Competition.

(i) Fully completed teams sheets must be given to the Referee at least 30 minutes before kick off. These must include the full registered names of the players, Managers, Coaches  and First Aider. Failure to comply shall incur a fine of £15.00.

(ii) Refreshments are to be made available to Match Officials at both half time and full time. Home team is to provide the Away team with refreshments after the game. Sandwiches is the preferred choice. Failure to provide match officials with refreshments shall incur a fine of £10.00.

(iii) Prior to each match the two teams and officials shall conduct the Respect hand shake.

    (G)    The half time interval shall be of [10 ] minutes’ duration, but it shall not exceed 15 minutes. The half time interval may only be altered with the consent of the Match Officials.

    (H)    The Teams taking part in Youth Football shall identify a Team captain who shall wear an armband and shall have a responsibility to offer support in the management of the on-field discipline of his/her teammates. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine (in accordance with the Fines Tariff).

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