Season 2023/24 COMPETITION RULES

1. Teams to comprise boys and/or girls attending the L&SPSF member school. L&SPSF reserves the right to consider health and safety issues in respect of physical characteristics of any player and may disqualify any pupil deemed to pose a health and safety risk by virtue of physical development.

2. All players must wear appropriate footwear for the prevailing conditions, shin guards must always be worn and goalkeepers should wear appropriate gloves, watches and jewellery items of any kind are not permitted on the field of play. Players are checked before ko and referees are instructed to prevent any player not properly and safely equipped participating in matches.

3. Matches to be 9 a side for mixed (boys and girls teams) and 7 a side for girls only teams with any number of rolling substitutions permitted ie players substituted themselves become substitutes subject to the permission of the referee. The minimum permitted number of players is 6 for 9 a side and 5 for 7 a side. If any team has fewer than the above minimum the game will not take place and the match will be awarded to the opposition. If during a game the number of players on a team falls below the permitted minimum for whatever reason the game will be stopped at that point and the league committee will decide whether to award the result to the opposition or direct that the game be replayed.

4.  Heading of the ball is not permitted.  The rules of mini soccer apply for 7 a side games, these will also be subject to the no heading rule change. Headers will be penalised by indirect free kicks except where a goal is prevented by use of the head when a penalty will be awarded. Coaches and teachers are responsible for ensuring that this important rule change is made clear to their players and parents.

5. Composition of divisions in both 9v9 and 7v7 leagues will be determined following the September AGM dependant upon the number of schools and teams particpating. Goal difference does not apply. In the event of a tie for 1st or 2nd place the head to head record between two teams will be decisive. If the head to head record is inconclusive then the team winning most games to be placed higher. The final deciding factor will be the "Fair Play" scores. Play offs or trophy sharing may be organised at the discretion of the executive committee.

6. 9 a side games to last 50 minutes plus any stoppage time. Girls 7 a side games to last 40 minutes plus any stoppage time. 9 aside and girls 7 a side cup matches to proceed to penalties if the scores are level after normal time. 

7. All schools to provide match footballs which must be size 4.

8. Schools should fulfil their fixtures irrespective of loss of players because of injury, school disciplinary action, representative football etc. The only exception will be for pre-planned wholesale absences such as school journeys or secondary school entrance exams. However, such absences must be notified to the league at least two weeks before the fixture in question. Large scale absences because of illness may also be considered sympathetically by L&SPSF. Late notifications by schools unable to play may result in the match in question being awarded to the opposition. If there are any doubts about being able to fulfil fixtures the League needs to know at the beginning of the week preceding the game. Withdrawals after the Tuesday preceding a fixture may result in the game, League or Cup, being awarded to the opponents.

9. Any team failing to adhere to rule 8 and not fulfilling a scheduled fixture may be deemed to have lost the game subject to consideration of circumstances in each case.

10. Schools failing to turn up for a match which results in non use of a pre booked pitch will be expected to pay the cost of pitch hire and charged accordingly.

11. L&SPSF aims to provide qualified referees for 9v9 games but schools should have a responsible adult available to referee their matches. All 7 a side games will be refereed by the schools involved.

12. Schools are responsible for the behaviour of their players, team managers, coaches and spectators. Schools shall direct all their spectators to stand on the opposite touchline to that which the players and coaches occupy. Any behaviour deemed by the executive committee to be unacceptable will result in disciplinary action including formal or informal warnings and if necessary consideration of immediate expulsion from the league or any other sanctions considered appropriate by the executive committee. Particular attention will be paid to displays of dissent by spectators and or team managers/coaches.

13. Any player sent off or cautioned during a game may be reported by the League to his or her school and the management committee may also initiate disciplinary action and penalties appropriate to the offence. Referees are instructed to issue cautions and send off players as they deem necessary and without prior warnings to coaches. For the avoidance of doubt yellow and red cards will be shown.

14. Schools winning their division will be awarded the divisional shield and be responsible for having their name engraved upon it. The shield will be kept by the winning school and returned to the League at the end of the following season.

15. Players of the winning and runner up teams in each division will be awarded medals (up to 20) provided by the league.

16. Annual payments for the 2024/25 season will be £400 per school per 9v9 team £300 per school per 7v7 team. This includes costs of pitch hire, referees fees, administration, affiliation to the South London Schools FA, entry to the Magazine Cup and trophies and medals.