Rules and T&Cs

League Rules

  1. The league will be made up of 6 teams, playing each other twice;
  2. A team can register up to a maximum of 18 squad players but must have a minimum of 8;
  3. Players must be over the age of 16 to play;
  4. Each team will have 1 game each week;
  5. Games are played on Thursday evenings at Celtic RFC’s Astro Turf pitch;
  6. Kick off times are 7pm, 7.40pm and 8.20pm;
  7. A full fixture list for the season will be provided with kick off times set in advance;
  8. Each team will pay £30 per match to play;
  9. If a team misses or forfeits a match, they will be subject to pay the match fee of £30 and will lose the game 3-0;
  10. The league will follow a standard format with 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw;
  11. If more than one team finishes on the same number of points at the end of the season, the team with the best goal difference will finish highest. If goal difference is the same, the team with the most goals scored will finish highest. If teams can still not be separated, the team with the better head-to-head results will finish highest;
  12. Each team should have a chosen kit colour – if there is a clash of colours, bibs will be supplied for one team to wear.

Match Rules

  1. Each team can name up to 12 squad members for a single match;
  2. Teams can make an unlimited number of substitutions throughout the game on a ‘rolling subs’ basis, when there is a break in play and the referee has acknowledged the substitution;
  3. Substitutions are strictly at the discretion of the referee, and if he/she deems a substitution to be at an convenient time i.e not too close to end of half or end of match;
  4. Matches last a maximum of 40 minutes – 20 minutes each half with a couple of minutes break in between;
  5. Teams must arrive at least 15 minutes prior to their kick off time in order to complete team sheets, pay match fees and be prepared for kick off. Any late arrivals will either lose minutes from their match or risk forfeiting the match and the points to their opponents;
  6. Any decisions by the referee must be adhered to at all times;
  7. A yellow card will result in a 5 minute sin-bin;
  8. Two yellow cards or a red card will result in a dismissal for the remainder of the match;
  9. There will be no slide tackling or going to ground to play the ball, anyone deemed to have intentionally made a slide tackle on an opponent will be shown a yellow card and face a 5 minute sin bin;
  10. There will be no offside rule;
  11. A goalkeeper may not pick the ball up if it is passed back to him from a member of his own team;
  12. If players head, shoulder or chest the ball back to the goalkeeper, he may pick it up;
  13. There is no over head height rule;
  14. No outfield player can enter any of the goalkeeper areas and goalkeepers must also stay within their area. Any breach of this rule will result in a penalty to the opposing team;
  15. When an outfield player receives the ball from his own goalkeeper, another player must touch the ball before the ball can be played back to the goalkeeper.