A&H

12 players on the pitch

J

jnwright71

New Member
Hi All,

I had a bizarre incident on Sunday.

At a GK, the home team calls to make a substitution and immediately the away team does too. No problem. As there were multiple players entering and leaving the field of play, I checked with both coaches that they had completed their substitutions before re-starting the game. They confirmed all completed.

The GK gets taken and the ball is contested on the touchline. Then an away player saunters into the area of play and it transpires that he is still leaving the field of play following the substitutions !

I can’t find anything in the LOTG about this and only articles on line regarding a similar incident in a Bundesliga game.

I stopped game, allowed the player to leave the field of play, then awarded a IDFK to the home team based on the away player having interfered with play.

I’d welcome feedback on this as I had to really think on my feet to come up with a decision.
 
The Referee Store
Law 3.7.

The player leaving is a substituted player that has interfered with play and so the restart should have been a DFK rather than IDFK.

Shows the importance of managing substitutions correctly and as per the correct procedure though. (On the halfway line, 1 on then 1 off). By not following this process you've created a situation that was avoidable.

Not a dig or criticism by the way, just a learning experience!
 
Will_A said:
Law 3.7.

The player leaving is a substituted player that has interfered with play and so the restart should have been a DFK rather than IDFK.

Shows the importance of managing substitutions correctly and as per the correct procedure though. (On the halfway line, 1 on then 1 off). By not following this process you've created a situation that was avoidable.

Not a dig or criticism by the way, just a learning experience!
Click to expand...
Not so easy when only one of you to manage and players never wait on half way and always cross on the pitch. If there's multiple subs I wait until I think they're finished and count players before restart.
 
jnwright71 said:
Hi All,

I had a bizarre incident on Sunday.

At a GK, the home team calls to make a substitution and immediately the away team does too. No problem. As there were multiple players entering and leaving the field of play, I checked with both coaches that they had completed their substitutions before re-starting the game. They confirmed all completed.

The GK gets taken and the ball is contested on the touchline. Then an away player saunters into the area of play and it transpires that he is still leaving the field of play following the substitutions !

I can’t find anything in the LOTG about this and only articles on line regarding a similar incident in a Bundesliga game.

I stopped game, allowed the player to leave the field of play, then awarded a IDFK to the home team based on the away player having interfered with play.

I’d welcome feedback on this as I had to really think on my feet to come up with a decision.
Click to expand...
Go to the IFAB website Laws of the Game (or to TheFA.com) where Law 3, section 3.7 will help you.
Learning point as Will A has said - take your time and don't let the substitute come on until the player being replaced goes off (section 3.3)
 
You're right, it's not always easy but it's far from impossible. Failing to manage subs correctly leaves you open to this kind of mistake. It's a potential challenge to match control that is entirely avoidable by taking our time and following processes.
 
Tell the managers before the game (if you're on your own) that subs are done in a controlled manner, by you. You will deal with each teams subs separately, whichever team you hear shout first if both want a sub. Anyone you see entering or leaving the field of play without permission will get a caution as is mandated in law.

I guarantee (most of the time), you say that to the managers, in a confident manner, using the correct terminology, and they'll make sure things are kept nice and clean at the substitute procedure because they'll see you know what you're talking about.

Just make sure you follow it through though if you need to!
 
Thanks All, so I largely got it the decision right but could have avoided the situation which I fully accept. I’ve only completed 14 games since qualifying so every game is a learning opportunity (even if this learning is by bitter experience).

During my ref’s course we didn’t really cover substitutions so I’ve allowed them to take place in the same way I’ve witnessed them taking place for 15 years whilst a grass roots coach - i.e. players entering before the substituted player has left the field, often 2 or more at a time.

Now it’s been pointed out, it’s obvious.

The advice and guidance on here is invaluable - thank you.
 
jnwright71 said:
Thanks All, so I largely got it the decision right but could have avoided the situation which I fully accept. I’ve only completed 14 games since qualifying so every game is a learning opportunity (even if this learning is by bitter experience).

During my ref’s course we didn’t really cover substitutions so I’ve allowed them to take place in the same way I’ve witnessed them taking place for 15 years whilst a grass roots coach - i.e. players entering before the substituted player has left the field, often 2 or more at a time.

Now it’s been pointed out, it’s obvious.

The advice and guidance on here is invaluable - thank you.
Click to expand...
Subs at grass roots has always been a bit of a free for all and will continue to be so for the foreseeable too! Rolling subs doesn't help the situation either.
99% of the time it'd be absolutely fine and not cause a problem provided you're alert to who's on and off but you've found out first hand what can happen and it causes a headache!

Well done for thinking on your feet and getting a sensible restart that no doubt was accepted by everyone. (Even if technically incorrect)
 
Will_A said:
Subs at grass roots has always been a bit of a free for all and will continue to be so for the foreseeable too! Rolling subs doesn't help the situation either.
99% of the time it'd be absolutely fine and not cause a problem provided you're alert to who's on and off but you've found out first hand what can happen and it causes a headache!

Well done for thinking on your feet and getting a sensible restart that no doubt was accepted by everyone. (Even if technically incorrect)
Click to expand...
To be clear, there is no "rolling subs", rather it is "repeated subs". The latter still have to be approved and supervised by the referee, should be done at the half way line, and the player being replaced must be fully off the pitch before the replacement comes on.

I know this isn't easy to manage in practice, but I see referees get confused with the concept of "rolling subs" and they think that absolves them of all responsibility and rather it can just be managed by the clubs. That isn't correct, and referees must know which subs have been used, and are responsible for ensuring that teams only have 11 on the pitch at any given time.
 
RustyRef said:
To be clear, there is no "rolling subs", rather it is "repeated subs". The latter still have to be approved and supervised by the referee, should be done at the half way line, and the player being replaced must be fully off the pitch before the replacement comes on.

I know this isn't easy to manage in practice, but I see referees get confused with the concept of "rolling subs" and they think that absolves them of all responsibility and rather it can just be managed by the clubs. That isn't correct, and referees must know which subs have been used, and are responsible for ensuring that teams only have 11 on the pitch at any given time.
Click to expand...
Pure terminology, we all know the official term is repeat substitutions but layman's terms are rolling subs.

In the same way a penalty shoot out is officially kicks from the penalty mark.
 
Tom_R said:
Not so easy when only one of you to manage and players never wait on half way and always cross on the pitch. If there's multiple subs I wait until I think they're finished and count players before restart.
Click to expand...
This is how I manage multiple substitutes at Grassroots. Teams often make 3-4 changes at a time and if both sides do it together then its a lot especially when eager players cant wait to get on the pitch even though their told to wait. I make a point of holding the restart until I've done a head count ...... doesn't take long and over the years I've had incidents were managers have only had 10 players on because they themselves lose track of substitutions
 
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