NTAG Parish Six a Side Football Championships

Rules And Regulations – Subject to change without notice

1. Fixtures

A. The named Team Organiser (Manager) will be responsible for ensuring that his team fulfils all the fixtures at the correct times and for advising his players of their match times/dates.

B. If for any reason, a team cannot fulfil a fixture, the NTAG Parish Six A Side Football Championships Co-ordinator should be informed at least 2 days in advance.

C. Failure to turn up for a match at the stated time will result in an automatic 5-0 defeat, deduction of 1 point and fined the match fee.

D. If a team fails to turn up 2 weeks in succession or three times in the season they will be withdrawn from the league.

E. It is not possible to rearrange any fixtures.

F. Please note that the Reserve Date for Postponed fixtures is only used when the pitch is unplayable and teams are not able to use them to postpone matches.

G. All matches will take place on at designated locations in each parish.

H. Please note there may be very limited parking available at designated locations in each parish.

2. SQUAD

A. Teams can name a squad of up to 10 players, who must all work  and reside in the parish they are representing, and all of whom can play during a match.

B. Only 6 players may play at any one time, one of whom must be a goalkeeper.

C. Teams can use an unlimited number of rolling substitutions.

D. Players must enter and leave the field of play from behind their own goal line.

E. Players may only play for one team in the Competition.

F. For 2024 at least six (6) players MUST be NTAG members.

G. All questions of eligibility of players or interpretation of the rules should be referred to the opposing team captain, or in the final instance, to the NTAG Parish Six A Side Football Championships Co-ordinator, whose decision shall be final.

3. MATCH TIME

A. Each match will be 17.5 minutes each way with a 2-minute half time during which teams must change ends.

B. Teams will be allowed 4 minutes warm up before each match.

C. All matches must start at the stated time.

D. Team Managers or Captains must check in with the NTAG Parish Six A Side Football Championships Co-ordinator and confirm that they have paid their entry fee, and present in writing the Team Member Names or squad of up to 10 players, all of whom can play during a match before playing their match.

E. Please ensure you allow time before your match to do this.

4. PLAYING KIT AND FOOTBALLS

A. All players within a team must wear shirts of identical or similar colours.

B. Players must ensure that they wear appropriate footwear- moulded boots are allowed although studded boots and blades are not.

C. A match ball will be provided by NTAG and the referee will collect and return the ball to the NTAG Parish Six A Side Football Championships Co-ordinator.

5. START OF PLAY

A. Fixtures will not start until the referee receives from Team Managers or Captains that they have paid their entry fee, and present in writing the Team Member Names or squad of up to 10 players, all of whom can play during a match before playing their match.
B. Each half of the game will start with a kick off from the centre spot.

C. Captains should toss a coin to decide ends and kick off.

D. After a goal is scored the game will be restarted by the opposing team from the centre spot.

6. BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY

A. No height restrictions are imposed.

B. The ball can be played off the walls on each side of the pitch and can only go out of play at the ends unless kicked over the fence.

C. When the ball goes over the fence a free kick will be awarded from the same spot.

D. When any free kick is awarded, all players from the infringing team must be 5 yards away from where the ball is placed.

E. Note that slide tackles are not allowed.

F. A free kick shall be awarded against any infringing player.

G. When the ball goes out of play at the goal line a corner kick or goalkeepers roll in will be awarded.

7. GOALKEEPER RETURNING THE BALL INTO PLAY

A. After collecting the ball, the goalkeeper must immediately return the ball into play with an underarm bowling action.

B. The ball must not be thrown or kicked. Any infringement results in a penalty.

C. The ball must be rolled to a player outside the goalkeepers’ area or the roll out must be taken again.

D. A player receiving the ball from the goalkeeper must not return the ball directly to the goalkeeper without another player of either side touching the ball. This will result in a penalty being awarded against the team committing the infringement.

8. GOALKEEPERS AREA

A. All field players are allowed into the goalkeepers’ area at either end of the pitch.

B. Goalkeepers themselves must remain within their area at all times. Infringement results in a penalty kick.

9. MISCELLANEOUS

A. All fixtures, results and other notices will be communicated via the NTAG PARISH SIX A SIDE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS website and will also be posted on the NTAG League Online Notice boards.
B. The main competition will comprise 14 parish teams.

C. All teams will play all the other teams twice.

D. At the end of the regular season, the top two teams will go forward to a Championship Play-off tournament, resulting in the overall championship winners. Third and fourth place will go into Plate competition and fifth and sixth into the shield competition.

E. The scoring system will be as follows: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 point for a loss, 1-point loss for failure to turn up.

F. In the event of 2 or more teams being equal on points after all matches have been played, the team with the highest goal difference will take precedence in the league table.

G. Prizes will be awarded to the winning teams of each competition at the end of season social evening. Details to be confirmed

10. REFEREES

A. During the game, the referee’s decision on all matters is final.

B. Teams are responsible for playing in an acceptable manner and for interpreting and accepting the rules of play fairly.

C. Indiscipline will result in suspensions and teams being thrown out of the competition.

11. MISCELLANEOUS

A. In the event of an emergency, Designated Security will be located alongside the playing area and a qualified First Aider is always on duty.