Playing Season/Conditions of Play/Kick off times/postponements/ substitutes
(A)The Annual General Meeting shall determine the commencing and concluding dates for the ensuing season which shall be in accordance with Football Association Rules. No Club shall be compelled to play after the concluding date. Original fixtures arranged by the Secretary, or at a meeting specially convened for that purpose, to be held no later than 1st August, must not be arranged for a date later than seven days preceding the concluding date determined by the Annual General Meeting.
(B) All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board as set down by The Football Association.
Clubs must take all reasonable precautions to keep their grounds in a playable condition. All 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 'League' and to order the Club concerned to play its fixtures on another ground.
All matches shall have a duration as set out below unless a shorter time (not less than 15 minutes for 7-a-side and 25 minutes for 11-a-side) is mutually arranged by the two captains in consultation with the referee prior to the commencement of the match, and in any event shall be of equal halves.
For 5-a-side - Under 10's,
For 7-a-side - under 11’s- two equal halves of 20 minutes, Under 12's,13's -two equal halves of 25 minutes
For 9-a-side - Under 14’s ,15’s
For 11-a-side - Under 16’s - two equal halves of 40 minutes
Note: The maximum playing time in any one day for under 8 age group is 45 minutes and for under 9 and under 10 age groups is 60 minutes.
For 11-a-side Women's - two equal halves of 45 minutes.
No player under the age of 17 as at midnight on 31st August in any season shall be permitted to play more than one game or, in the event the 'League' allows the playing of a double-header, ie: two separate matches, 100 minutes per day in this 'League'.
The times of kick-off shall be fixed by the A.G.M. or the Management Committee. Any Club failing to commence at the appointed time may be fined a sum not exceeding £10 or be otherwise dealt with as the Management Committee may determine.
For all age groups from Under 10’s up to and including Under 16’s, all Saturday mornings, matches shall commence no later than midday.
For ladies 7-a-side and ladies 11-a-side, Sunday afternoon matches shall commence between 12 noon and 2.00pm.
Referees must order matches to commence at the appointed time and must report all late starts to the 'League'.
The home team must provide at least two footballs fit for play and the referee shall make a report to the 'League' if the footballs are unsuitable.
The size of football to be used shall be: Under 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 age groups - size 4;
Under 15, 16 and Women's- size 5;
Goal nets must be used.
Matches shall be played at the time specified by the Home team (subject to the above kick off times) except by special agreement between both teams and the Management Committee.
(C) Except by permission of the Management Committee all matches must be played on the dates originally fixed but priority shall be given to The Football Association and all relevant County Association Cup Competitions. All other matches must be considered secondary. Teams may mutually agree to bring forward a match with the consent of the Divisional Secretary otherwise the match will be played on the next free day including Sunday and Weekdays prior to the next original fixture date. Teams desirous of playing in an outside competition, during the playing season, must first obtain clearance from the Management Committee. At least one months notice must be given. Overseas trips must also have the clearance by the F.A. and the Norfolk County F.A.
(D) The home team must give notice of full particulars of the location of, and access to, the ground and time of kick-off to the opposing team by the Monday prior to the date of the fixture. The away Team shall seek and acknowledge receipt of such particulars. Any Team failing to comply with this Rule shall be liable to a fine of £10.
(E) Every Club shall play its best available qualified team or teams in all matches in the 'League'.
(Note: The intention of this Rule is not to interfere with normal team selection by Clubs, but to prevent Clubs deliberately fielding a weakened team in order to unreasonably reserve players for another game or to boost the strength of another or lower team. It is NOT intended that Clubs MUST field higher team players in lower teams when the higher team has no engagement. If, in the opinion of the Management Committee, the substance or spirit of the Rule is obviously being disregarded, the Club or Clubs concerned may be called to account for its/their actions and shall be subject to such decisions as the Management Committee may determine, despite the fact that Rule 8 has not been infringed.)
In the event of a Club playing in any match with less than 5 players for 7-a-side,6 for 9 a-side and 7 players for 11-a-side they MAY be fined £5 for each missing player. A minimum of 5 players for 7-a-side, a minimum of 6 players for 9 a-side and a minimum of 7 players for 11-a-side will constitute a team for a 'League' match.
(F) Home and away matches shall be played. In the event of a Team failing to keep its engagement the Management Committee shall have power to inflict a fine, deduct points from the defaulting Team, award the points to the opponents, order the defaulting Team to pay any expenses incurred by the opponents or otherwise deal with them except the award of goals. Not withstanding 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.
Any Club with more than one team in the 'League' shall always fulfill its fixture, within the 'League', in the following order of precedence:- First Team, Reserve Team, A Team. Clubs in breach of this requirement shall be fined a sum not exceeding £20 or otherwise dealt with by the Management Committee.
Requests for a postponement of any match shall be dealt with by the Divisional Secretary. Such request shall be made to the Divisional Secretary at least 14 days prior to the fixed date of the match and the reasons for the requested postponement must be given in writing. Any Club failing to comply shall be dealt with by the Management Committee who may inflict any penalty it may deem suitable. Any team postponing more than 3 matches will be fined £50 and have points deducted.
Notice of postponement/postponing of matches must be given without delay, by the team postponing, to the Divisional Secretary, the Secretary of the opposing team and referee (where applicable). Any Club failing to comply with this rule shall be dealt with by the Management Committee who may inflict penalties as they deem necessary.
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 Divisional Secretary within 7 days the Management Committee shall have power to order the match to be played on a named date or on or before a given date.
A written notice of any postponement must be forwarded to the League Secretary by BOTH teams within 3 days of the match not being played, on a match postponement form. Teams failing to do so shall be fined £10.
In the event of a team(s) failing to keep it's engagement without just reason the Management Committee may deduct two points from the defaulting team(s) total and order the match to be played.
The Management Committee shall review all abandoned matches and in a case where it is to the advantage of the 'League' and does no injustice to either Club, 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 opponents and take what other action they may deem necessary. In cases where a match is abandoned owing to the conduct of both teams or their Club members, the Management Committee shall take such action as they consider appropriate. Such action is subject to any disciplinary action taken by the appropriate County Football Association.
(G) A Team may at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game use THREE substitute players in any match in this 'League' who may be selected from 5 players.
For all age groups up to under 16’s, a player who has been substituted becomes a substitute and may replace another player at any time subject to the substitution being carried out in accordance with Law 3 of the Laws of Association Football.
The referee shall be informed of the names of the substitutes not later than 5 minutes before the start of 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 'League'.
(H) The half time interval shall be of 5 minutes duration, but it shall not exceed fifteen minutes. The half time interval may only be altered with the consent of the referee.
(I) If the date of Centre of Excellence / County fixtures conflicts with league games (and the team has two or more CoE / County players) then the fixture can be re-arranged to the Sunday of the same weekend if in agreement with both teams.
