Rule One: Substitutes
- The MLLF rule is that if any player who is registered turns up to play on a Saturday they will get to play at least one full half.
- Substitutes can only be made at half time and at no other time except where a player is injured.
- Any player substituted through injury cannot re-enter the game.
- If the injury occurs in the second half then the substitution can be made with a player substituted at half time.
- The above rules apply in any extra time played in cup matches.
- Please Note: If a player arrives late after the second half has already started, they are still entitled to play for the remainder of the match. The referee must be informed, to allow the substitution to take place.
|
Rule Two: - Player Promotion Juniors to Seniors
-
Any player selected by a higher section as a selection or a replacement, subject to the age gap rule, must move to the higher section team or resign his/her participation in the League.
- The Committee or Emergency Sub-committee may grant an exemption on the advice of the League Secretary in exceptional cases
|
Rule Three: Minimum numbers to
constitutes a valid Team
- 11 a-side Senior, Junior and Girls Division teams must have a minimum of 8 players to be present to enable a game to start, with a maximum of one player difference between the teams on the pitch at the start of the game. Teams who have an extra player available must play them
- A maximum of one player difference between the teams on the pitch is only compulsory at the kick off.
- Once the game has started it constitutes a valid game and cannot be abandoned due to insufficient players.
|
Rule Four: Insufficient Players
- If a team does not have 8 players both teams will still be expected to attend to play a friendly only with the players registered with those teams, as no player should play in an extra friendly to help make up the numbers for another team.
- If any re-arranged game is subsequently deemed to be a friendly the team that had insufficient players on the first occasion will be advised that their failure to complete the fixture at the second attempt will result in the match being awarded to their opponents 2-0. This applies only when the same team is responsible for insufficient players on two occasions.
- At the commencement of a season in the 11-a-side sections of the League, squad sizes will be variable between a minimum of 12 and maximum of 16 players.
- After the league has started the minimum number of players in a squad may drop to 9 after which the committee or Emergency Sub-Committee will decide if that team can continue. When 9 a- side is played Teams must have a minimum of 7 players to be present to enable a game to start
|
Rule Five: Goal Difference
- It was confirmed that if any of our Autumn or Spring Division Championships end with two or more team’s level on points, a Play-Off will take place. This reduces the need to score more goals against the less able teams.
- In the Coopers, Mays, Smart, and Challenge Cups Group stages, the result between the two teams, goal difference, goals scored will be the main criteria in the event of teams on level points.
- All Semi Finals and Finals and League Play Offs will be decided by penalties in the 11-a-side competitions if there has not been a winner after extra time - no replays will take place
|
Rule -Six: Double Headers
- In the 11-a-side divisions, from time to time a double game may be required. This is only usually likely at the end of the season where postponements due to weather or insufficient players have occurred.
- This will be agreed between the Player Co-ordinator and League Secretary.
|
Rule Eight: Referees/ Assistant Referees
Three rules that every player, manager, and spectator should know about our referees and assistants.
- They are always right
- Even if they get it wrong they are right
- In the event of any complaints please refer to rule one
- The Match Official in the 11-a-side games will be appointed by the Referees’ Secretary
- No children/players are to run the line. The line person must be an adult or a child of 14 & above who know the “LAWS OF THE GAME “as per the MLL web site Referee Section.
|
Rule Seven: School Football/Sport
- No child is permitted to play a MLLF competitive game where they have been selected to participate in a school’s organised sporting activity that same day. League managers and assistants are responsible for ensuring this rule has been complied with before a competitive MLLF game commences.
- Where a manager or assistant has made reasonable efforts to establish a player’s eligibility to play in a MLLF game that day and it transpires that that player was either selected or has participated in a school organised sporting activity that day, then that child shall receive a two game suspension from further games for their team in MLLF competitions.
|
Rule Nine: – Venue Safety
- It is the responsibility of the managers and volunteers of the teams which have the first game on a Saturday morning to put up the respect barriers, goals and corner flags (11 a side) and make sure the pitch is ready for kick off time.
- Managers and volunteers of the last game are responsible for taking down the respect barriers, goals and flags and storing them neatly and safely in the allocated places in the shed.
|
Rule Ten: Mini Soccer
- In Mini Soccer no game should be played where one team has more than one extra player on the field than their opponents at any time. A team should borrow a player from the opposition if required.
- All Mini Soccer matches must conform to FA Guidelines of seven-a-side (not 8 or 9). The games will follow the younger sections principles of informality (which is why players in these younger sections are issued with shirts only, and play in their own multi-coloured shorts and socks) with games stopped for explanations of the Rule - NO OFFSIDE.
- All games shall be twenty minutes each way, with a brief interval.
- The rules of MLLF are that no formal League Tables shall be created in Mini Soccer.
- Scores for Mini Soccer games should be given to the Committee Member working on the Help Desk and he/she will make a note of the scores in a separate folder which will not be available for general viewing
|
Rule Eleven: - Kit
- No individual kit sponsorship
- Seniors, Juniors and Girls - including goalkeepers - are only allowed to wear the regulation issued kit. (Track trousers only for goalkeepers).
- The Bantams, Hornets, Rangers, Trinians & Soccer 7’s can of course wear whatever shorts and socks they like.
- Players must wear shin pads during all matches and training sessions.
- The colour of each teams shirts, shorts and socks shall be determined by the League Management Committee.
- The kit remains League property at all times and should only be worn for League activities. Managers and Assistants will be responsible for collecting the kit from all the players at the end of the season
|
Rule Thirteen: Emergency Committee
- In addition to the League Management Committee we also have our Emergency Committee which acts on urgent matters such as any of those above. All meetings should consist of a quorum of at least 4 people from the Emergency Committee. All issues will be looked at in a fair and measured way. The sanctions imposed will be considered on each individual breach of the Code of Conduct.
- The recipient of the sanctions will have the opportunity to make an appeal against the Emergency Committee’s decision to the executive team (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer). If the executive team consider that the appeal is justified they will meet with the person and review the decision. The decision of the executive team is final in all cases.
|
Rule Twelve: – Discipline and Behaviour
- All of our officials, Managers and Committee members give their time voluntarily and without these people we would not be able to run the league.
- We ask that all players, their parents and supporters respect this fact and follow our Code of Conduct.
- It is a requirement that managers, players and their parents/guardians sign their agreement to abide by the Code of Conduct.
|
Rule Fifteen: Managers Decorum
- It was agreed that considering the ethos of Morden Little League and that the children playing are of mixed ability, that it would be appropriate for either a Manager or an Assistant Manager to stand on the same side as the parents/spectators, if they believed it would give the children in their team some guidance which will hopefully help them to progress and enjoy football to a greater degree.
- However Managers and Assistants must ensure that they are not in the way of the Referee’s Assistants, they should not run up and down the touchline and never on the pitch directly or indirectly influencing, criticising or putting pressure on Referees or their Assistants; encouragement is desired and never unreasonable criticism.
|
Rule Fourteen: Managers Guide
- It is a requirement of every Manager and Assistant that they read and abide by the rules detailed within:-
The Managers Guide to Morden Little
League Football |
And Finally
The League Management Committee (“the committee”) as trustees of the charity that is Morden Little League (“the League” or “MLLF”) have the final decision on all matters on and off the field.
The committee may set up and dissolve sub-committees to fulfill specific roles with a level of delegated power to make decisions but in all cases these can be overturned by the committee if it sees fit by a majority vote.
The League will be administered in accordance with its constitution, guidance from the Little League National Executive Committee (“NEC”), the rules of the English Football Association (“the FA”) and any relevant statute. All games will be governed by a combination of local rules, NEC rules and FA rules in that order of priority.
Please note that no local rule may conflict with the LLF Rulebook or F.A. Rules |