Junior/Youth Who started it?

[Mikysaints]

Hi guys! Gave a throw in to yellow team today and stood adjacent to thrower to see he was taking it correctly. Before he could take it I heard shouts coming from the halfway line and turned to see a boy from each team fighting. A spectator ran on to split them up after which I sent both players off for violent conduct. There were no complaints from the orange team but the yellows were furious, obviously feeling that their player hadn't instigated the fight, and when I went to send the yellow player off I was told by his coach 'he would see me at Hampden' implying he would challenge the decision and the report I would inevitably send in.

My question is this: was I right to send both players off having not seen who started it? In my eyes both players were involved regardless of who started it and are, therefore, guilty of the same offence.

PS…I restarted with the original throw in as I sent both players off while the ball was out of play, was this correct also?

 

[Grayson]

What did you see? Two players fighting? Two players engaging in violent conduct? That's your answer.

Complete your misconduct reports honestly and factually. What drew you to the incident, what you saw, where you were, what they did, what you did.

What a club does after that shouldn't be any of our concern.

Also, yes, ball was out of play so that's the correct restart.

Don't let it niggle at you

 

[Xman]

Like Grayson said, both players engaging in violent conduct is 2 red cards, regardless of who started it. Hearings for youth leagues are swamped with petty appeals to try and mitigate quite frankly horrid discipline. Make sure you analyse your paperwork and stick to it if it goes to appeal. Don't give and inch and be strong, mention what the player did and echo exactly the point Grayson made.

 

[Mikysaints]

Thanks guys! It's great to hear such good feedback. I've completed the reports exactly as you suggested and I'll just wait and see if the club takes it any further.

 

[Jordan Lockwood]

If both players act violently, both get sent-off, regardless of who started it.

My only exception to this is if one player may at first look like he's being violent, but really is just defending himself from an attack. If there's nothing else he can do to stop being attacked, I probably would consider a yellow rather than sending him off!