LSFA Rules for Inter-Association Competitions
Rules for Inter-Association Competitions:
Under 15, Under 14, Under 13, Under 12, Under 11
Under 15 Girls, Under 13 Girls, Under 11 Girls
Management.
- The laws of the game shall be those of the Football Association except as otherwise stated.
- The entire control and management of the Competitions shall be vested in the Council.
- The power shall have the power to deal, as they deem fit, with any competing association which may be proved guilty of any breach of the rules of the association.
- All teams must be under the ultimate control of one or more of the following people:
- A practising teacher, recognised as such by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and whose credentials have been checked and verified by the ESFA National Welfare Officer.
- A retired teacher, or present or past employee of the education service who has received direct approval in writing from the appropriate local Schools’ Football Association to undertake such responsibilities and whose credentials have been checked and verified by the ESFA National Welfare Officer.
- An AOTT who has direct approval in writing from the appropriate local Schools’ Football Association and whose credentials have been checked and verified by the ESFA National Welfare Officer.
5a. The cups presented by the LSFA shall be offered for annual competition among the affiliated associations in full membership. In the event of the competitions being discontinued, the trophy shall be returned to the donors.
5b. The number of medals presented to the teams participating in the cup finals shall be a maximum of 16 medals per team for 11v11 matches, 14 medals per team for 9v9 matches and 10 medals per team for 7v7 matches. Extra medals may be purchased at a cost of £2 per medal.
5c. For associations competing in district cups, there shall be an entry fee of £20 for each competition. The entry fee shall be reviewed at the Annual General Meeting.
Eligibilty of Players.
6. Only players who are bona fide scholars on the roll of a school affiliated to the local associations and meeting the age requirements set out below shall be allowed to take part in the competitions. The ages stated are at midnight between the previous 31 August and 1 September.
Under 15 District Cup: over the age of 14 years and under the age of 15 years
Under 14 District Cup: over the age of 13 years and under the age of 14 years
Under 13 District Cup: over the age of 12 years and under the age of 13 years
Under 12 District Cup: over the age of 11 years and under the age of 12 years
Under 11 District Cup: over the age of 9 years and under the age of 11 years
Under 15 District Cup for Girls: over the age of 13 years and under the age of 15 years.
Under 13 District Cup for Girls: over the age of 11 years and under the age of 13 years.
Under 11 District Cup for Girls: over the age of 9 years and under the age of 11 years.
7. No player shall be allowed to play for more than one association in the competition during any one season without the consent of the Council.
8. Should any association have any doubts about the eligibility of any player taking part in a district cup, it shall lodge a complaint in writing to the LSFA Secretary within 48 hours of the final whistle of the game. If Council has any doubts over the qualification of a player taking part in any competition, it shall have the power to call upon the player's association to which he or she belongs to prove that he or she is qualified according to the rules, and failing satisfactory proof, the offending association may be disqualified from the competition.
9. All discipline reports regarding dismissals (red cards) or cautions (yellow cards) must be sent to the English Schools' Football Association by post (ESFA, 4 Parker Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Stafford, ST18 0WP) or by email (competitions@esfa.co.uk) by the match officials and a copy should be sent to the LSFA Secretary.
Arrangements for Matches.
10. Matches in the district cups shall be played on a league basis as drawn by the Council and published on the LSFA Website (www.lancashireschoolsfa.org.uk)
The duration of matches shall be as follows:
Under 15 District Cup: 40 minutes each way
Under 14 District Cup: 35 minutes each way
Under 13 District Cup: 35 minutes each way
Under 12 District Cup: 30 minutes each way
Under 11 District League: 30 minutes each way
All associations should attempt to make an early start to the fixtures and observe the play-by dates as published on the website. Three points shall be awarded for a win and one point each for a draw. In each competition the four teams heading the league on the agreed date as published on the website will enter the semi-final stage. Any games not completed on or before the agreed final date will be declared null and void and will not be included in the final league tables. At the semi-final stage the team at the top of the league will be at home to the team in fourth position and the team in second position will be at home to the team in third position. In the event of teams finishing with identical points, league positions will be decided by goal difference, then by most goals scored, then by the team which has won most matches, then by results of matches between the teams concerned.
There will be NO Extra Time at the semi-final and final stage.
Should the scores remain equal at the end of the scheduled playing time, the result shall be determined by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark (taken in accordance with the recommendations of FIFA and published in the Laws of the Game).
11. Results of all matches should be forwarded within 3 days of the match by both teams taking part in the match, preferably by email, to the LSFA Secretary and the LSFA Competition Secretary.
12. a. All Association Teams entering a District League for the season shall have played a minimum of ONE match in their respective District Competition on or before the last day of October.
District Teams not adhering to this rule may be eliminated from the competition.
b. For all District Team matches, the home team shall offer three dates, including two separate midweek days and a Saturday, at convenient and acceptable times of day. Dates during half-term holidays and school holidays should be avoided where possible. The away team must accept one of the dates offered. Failure by the away team to accept one of the three dates offered may result in a 1-0 win and 3 points being awarded to the home team at the discretion of the Executive Sub-Committee (Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer).
13. The Council shall have the right to exercise direct control of all arrangements and finances connected with the cup finals in each competition.
14. The match referee shall decide as to the fitness of the ground or other conditions over which neither team has control. Associations shall not mutually arrange to play a match in lieu of a league match, but, if for any reason a match is not completed, it must be replayed for the full length of time. Abandoned or postponed games shall be played on a date to be mutually arranged. Failing a mutual arrangement, the Council shall fix the date.
15. If it is deemed inadvisable to play for the full length of time, the team managers of the competing teams together with the match referee may decide that the duration of the match shall be not less than 35 minutes each way for Lancashire Cup matches, not less than 30 minutes each way for Wrennall Cup matches, not less than 25 minutes each way for Under 13 matches and not less than 25 minutes each way for Under 12 and Under 11 matches. The points to be considered in shortening a game shall be adverse weather conditions, the state of the ground or other extenuating circumstances. Such decisions to shorten the match must be agreed before the game by the team managers of both teams and the match official.
16. Pitch sizes are recommended as follows:
Under 15 District Cup (11v11): 100 yards by 60 yards
Under 14 District Cup (11v11): 90 yards by 55 yards
Under 13 District Cup (11v11): 90 yards by 55 yards
Under 12 District Cup (9v9): 90 yards by 55 yards
Under 11 District Cup (9v9): 80 yards by 50 yards
Under 11 District Cup (7v7): 60 yards by 40 yards
Goalposts are recommended as follows:
Under 15 District Cup (11v11): 8 feet by 24 feet
Under 14 District Cup (11v11): 7 feet by 21 feet
Under 13 District Cup (11v11): 7 feet by 21 feet
Under 12 District Cup (9v9): 7 feet by 16 feet
Under 11 District Cup (9v9): 7 feet by 16 feet
Under 11 District Cup (7v7): 6 feet by 12 feet
Matches may be played on artificial grass pitches i.e.3G pitches and advancements introduced thereafter.
17. A size 5 ball shall be used for all Under 15 District Cup matches. A size 4 ball shall be used for all Under 14 District Cup matches unless mutually agreed to be a size 5. A size 4 ball shall be used for all Under 13, Under 12 and Under 11 District Cup matches. Where associations have similar colours, the home team shall be entitled to retain their colours and the visiting team shall change to colours that provide a satisfacory contrast.
18. A maximum of 5 substitutes may be used by each team in all 11v11 and 9v9 matches and 3 substitutes in all 7v7 matches. Repeated substitutions are allowed in both competitions. A player who has been substituted during a match becomes a substitute and may, in turn, replace another player at any time subject to the substitution being carried out in accordance with Law 3 of the FA Laws of the Game.
19. The home association must appoint the match officials up to the semi-final stage. In the event of no qualified assistant referees being available, each association must be prepared to provide an assistant referee who will act under the instruction of the match referee.
Associations should make every effort to appoint suitably-qualified match officials from their local referees’ association.
All District Cup semi-final matches must have three qualified match officials.
LSFA will appoint the match referee.
The home association will appoint the two assistant referees. LSFA will appoint the assistant referees if necessary.
The two semi-finalists will share the costs of the three officials.
LSFA will appoint and pay for the match officials for all cup finals.
20. All questions of eligibility, qualification of competitors or the interpretation of rules shall be referred to the Council but no objections relative to the ground, goalposts or other appurtenances of the ground shall be entertained by the Council unless a protest in writing is made to the match official before the commencement of the match.
21. The competitions shall be arranged so that the finals take place in June.
22. The executive sub-committee shall be empowered to deal with any matters not provided for in these rules.
23. These rules may be altered only at the Annual General Meeting, at a Special General Meeting or by Council to conform with essential ESFA and/or FA Rules.