Match Admin

Administration for Matches

Checklists for Team Manager tasks before, during and after each match as well as information on Power Play, Respect Stewards, Spectator Safety, Double Headers, Texting Results to Full-Time and Fairplay Awards. You can also view FAQ's here.

The match requirements below are in accordance with the NEHYL rule 20d.

Postponements & Cancellations

Divisional Secretaries must be informed of any known future postponements due to lack of players (e.g. school activities) at least 2 weeks in advance of the fixture. Read the full policy here.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding concerns regarding the opposition should be raised with the oppositions Club CWO in the first instance and escalated to the League Welfare Officer .

Rules

Get essential match day general and age group specific rules at a glance or view the full NEHYL Rules.

Match Rules Summary Full Rules 2024-25

ALL MATCHES CHECKLIST

01 Five days before

Home managers contact the Referee and opposition Manager with full details of the fixture. Referee allocations* can be found online here. Team manager contacts can be found on the online member system.

Organise a Respect Steward and QFA for all age groups and County Cup matches.

If the fixture cannot be fulfilled, give notice to NEHYL Divisional Secretary, Referees Secretary, the opposing Club and Match Officials.

02 The day before

Obtain the up to date squad list (approved players and coaches) from the FA's Club Portal (specific club roles have access to do this) and use either digitally or printed for the ID parade before kick off.

For U9, 10 & 11 festivals, download players from the Club Portal before the festival starts and mail the selected players to the NEHYL Divisional Secretary for authorisation of players to be fixed for the duration of the festival.

03 Match day

Present a Squad List to the opposition and carry out an ID Parade and respect handshake prior to kick off in view of the referee.

Complete the NEHYL Team Sheet, populate with players names and First Aider with FAN (if Home team) and exchange with opposition. Note information on image consent here.

Ensure Respect lines are in place and carry out the respect handshake prior to kick off.

Text results to Full-Time (to set yourself up as an SMS results contact click here for instructions).

For cup matches, check the NEHYL rules summary in the link above for further requirements.

04 Up to five days after

Complete the online Match Result Card no later than 5 days after the match. Refer to the information on Fairplay Awards for a guide to marking the opposition.

*It is the responsibility of the home team to source a referee (either qualified or unqualified) if no allocated referee is available.

The lack of a referee is not an acceptable reason for games to not be played. When a Referee is identified, this MUST be notified to the Referee Secretary to confirm appointment.

Mini Soccer Power Play

The main aim of the Power Play option is that all players are being challenged and enjoying the game. Power Play is available through all mini soccer football formats 5v5 and 7v7.

If a team is losing by a four goal difference they can put an additional player on - so 5v5 becomes 6v5.

If the score returns to less than a four goal difference the team takes off a player. It doesn't have to be the last player to come on.

If a team goes on to be losing by a six goal difference a further additional player can be added – so 6v5 becomes 7v5.

No Deliberate Heading, Pass-ins and Dribble-ins

The FA introduced a new rule to phase out deliberate heading in matches in all affiliated grassroots youth football between U7-U11 level.

NEHYL asked clubs to vote on whether to extend the new rule to phase out deliberate heading to our U10 and U11 teams for the 2024-25 season (this was permitted as we are a pilot league) - a majority of Clubs voted that at NEHYL we should only keep non-deliberate heading up to and including U10s for matches. That means that the no deliberate heading rule will only apply to U7 to U10 age groups for Season 2024-25 for matches – but we would emphasise that heading should not be introduced in training for any U7 to U11 players.

Resources

England Football has produced several relevant resources in relation to the new rule and we strongly recommend that all U7 to U10 team coaches and managers familiarise themselves with the key resources here.

You can find short videos explaining how the game restarts after a deliberate header and another that explains all about touchline restarts and pass-ins & dribble-ins.

To clarify, regarding a touchline restart - whilst you cannot score from a pass-in, you can score from a dribble-in.

Respect Stewards

To support the FA Respect programme Hampshire FA are continuing with the requirement for all teams Home and Away to provide an adult (this should not be the team manager or coach) steward for all youth football teams.

Roles & Responsibilities

Introduce yourself to the opposition Respect Steward the Match Official
Wear a fluorescent Hi Viz jacket
Ensuring that your own spectators comply with Respect codes of conduct designated spectator area
Remind own supporters of responsibilities in relation to Respect
Support the referee when dealing with any spectator related issue within your own team
Use common sense at all times to be a visual point of contact for any concerns from the opposition Respect Steward

The FA Respect programme must be considered by the Respect Steward at all times and any issues should be reported to the League & Hampshire FA.

Read the guide to find out more about the roles of a Respect Steward and what to do in the case of an incident.

NEHYL have some Hi Vis jackets in stock.

Contact Phil Rush 07921 781746.

HFA Respect Steward Guide

Respect Checklist

ALL clubs/teams MUST subscribe & conform to the Respect codes of conduct.
Spectator barriers MUST be used by ALL teams at ALL grounds (The bare minimum that will be accepted as a ‘barrier’ will be a line marked on the ground with coloured training cones). Spectators must stand behind the ‘barrier’ at one side of the pitch with managers, coaches & subs. stood at the opposite side of the pitch with NO ONE stood behind either goal; referees will be instructed not to commence any match until some form of barrier is in place and everyone is stood in the designated areas.
The Respect handshake MUST be carried out by ALL teams before EVERY match.
ALL team captains MUST wear a captain’s armband (ideally, the official Respect armband) & must have read the ‘Respect Captains Guide ’.
ALL clubs/teams in all age groups must appoint a responsible person to act as ‘Respect Steward’ on match days. This person must be identified to the opposition manager prior to kick off.

Spectator Safety

There is always a risk that during a football match the ball may leave the pitch and cause injury to a spectator or damage to their property. However, the risk is increased if spectators are asked to stand in areas with their back to adjacent pitches. The risk is further increased with older age groups who can kick the ball with greater force.

Therefore we are asking all clubs to review their spectator areas. Avoid situations that put spectators, especially young children and the elderly, in a position of increased risk of being hit by a football. As general rule spectator areas should be towards the outer perimeter of the playing field, with the coaches standing on the opposite side.

We understand there are more matches being played on Saturdays, with children aged 6 to 16 years, but please do your best to limit situations when the oldest and youngest ages are playing next to each other, as the youngest age groups will often have even younger siblings on the touchlines.

We have a duty of care to ensure the safest possible conditions are provided for participants and spectators.

Please make the players aware of the risks and to act in a responsible way especially during warm-ups.

Sin Bin Visual Guide

Below is a useful summary of the Sin Bin rules. The full guide can be found on the Information page. Click the image to download a PDF.

Procedure for Double Headers

If you're behind with your league games and your Divisional Secretary schedules you to play a 'Double Header' fixture, the below procedure and timings will apply depending on the age group.

Double headers not permitted for Under 7 and Under 8

Referees are paid double their normal fee less £5

The costs (pitch hire & officials) shall be borne equally by both teams

Under 9 and Under 10

You will play two matches on the same day at the same venue. Each match will last 30 minutes and will be split into two halves of 15 minutes. There should be a rest period between the two matches of no less than 15 minutes, no more than 30 minutes

Under 11 and Under 12

You will play two matches on the same day at the same venue. Each match will last 40 minutes and will be split into two halves of 20 minutes. There should be a rest period between the two matches of no less than 20 minutes, no more than 40 minutes

Under 13 and Under 14

You will play two matches on the same day at the same venue. Each match will last 40 (1) minutes and will be split into two halves of 20 (2) minutes. There should be a rest period between the two matches of no less than 20 (2) minutes, no more than 40 (1) minutes

By agreement between the two managers and the referee the match duration in these age groups can be extended (1) 50 minutes and (2) 25 minutes

Under 15 to Under 18

You will play two matches on the same day at the same venue. Each match will last 50 minutes and will be split into two halves of 25 minutes. There should be a rest period between the two matches of no less than 25 minutes, no more than 50 minutes

Fairplay Awards

Fairplay trophies are awarded annually to Club sides that have demonstrated an outstanding level of Fairplay. The awards are made on the basis of marks out of 15 awarded by each team’s opposition. These marks are also used to decide the winner of the Bernard Burke Award for Club Fairplay. Marks should be given in accordance with the following guidance.

The team, management & spectators should each be marked separately out of 5. Marks must be recorded on the match result card and, if the total for any category is 2 or less, a report must be sent to the appropriate Divisional Secretary to justify the low mark.

Please note that an isolated incident within a game, warranting perhaps a caution or even a sending off should not necessarily punish the sporting remainder. The attitude of the team and Club should be judged from the time of arrival at the ground to the time of departure.

OUTSTANDING 9 or 10 / 10

An outstanding sporting attitude from every team player or management/spectators with an absolute minimum of misconduct.

ABOVE AVERAGE 7 or 8 / 10

Good sporting play or behaviour from all concerned with little misconduct of note.

AVERAGE 5 or 6 / 10

Generally good sporting behaviour with some minor lapses by more than one player or management/spectator.

POOR 3 or 4 / 10

Fairly high proportion of unsporting behaviour and misconduct with a general disregard for the Laws, particularly dissent.

VERY POOR 1 or 2 / 10

It is hoped that such a mark may never be justified in this League but, if it is deemed necessary, then the mark should be accompanied by a report implying that the behaviour of the team or management/ spectators was disgraceful.