10. PLAYING SEASON : CONDITIONS OF PLAY : TIME OF KICK OFF : 

                                                       POSTPONEMENTS : SUBSTITUTES                                              

b. All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board or, for Mini-Soccer, the Laws of Mini-Soccer as set down by the Football Association. Clubs must take all reasonable precautions to keep their grounds in a playable 
condition. All matches shall be played on pitches deemed suitable by the Management Committee. If through any fault of the Home Team any match has to be replayed, the Management Committee shall have the power to order the venue to be changed. The Management Committee shall have power to decide whether a pitch and/or facilities is suitable for matches in the Competition, and to order the Club concerned to play its fixtures at another ground. 

All matches shall have a duration as set out below unless a shorter time (not less than 15 minutes) is mutually arranged by the two captains in consultation with the referee prior to the commencement of the match, and in any event shall be of two equal halves. 

For Mini-Soccer - The recommended duration of play shall be as follows: for under 7 and under 8 age groups, 15 minutes each way, for under 9, 20 minutes each way and for under 10, 25 minutes each way. The maximum playing time in any one day for under 7 and under 8 age groups is 45 minutes and for under 9 and under 10 age groups is 60 minutes. 

For Youth Football -The duration of play shall be as follows unless it is mutually agreed by all parties to reduce the time. For under 11 and under 12, 30 minutes each half; for under 13 and under 14, 35 minutes each half, for under 15 and under 16, 40 minutes each half; under 17 and under 18, 45 minutes each half. The minimum time for any game will not be less than 20 minutes each half for players in the under 14 age group and below and 25 minutes each half for all other age groups. 

No player under the age of 17 as at midnight on the 31st August in any season shall be permitted to play more than one game or, in the event the competition allows the playing of a double-header, ie two separate matches, 100 minutes per day in this Competition. 

The times of Kick-off shall be fixed by the Home team, but shall not be earlier than 10.30 am, unless by mutual agreement. Any Club failing to commence at the appointed time shall be fined a sum not exceeding £5.00, or be otherwise dealt with as the Management Committee may determine. Referees must order matches to commence at the appointed time if possible and must report all late starts to the Competition. 

The Home team must provide at least two footballs fit for play, and the Referee shall make a report to the Competition if the footballs are unsuitable. The recommended size of football to be used shall be: For Mini-Soccer, size 3 for players in the under 7 and 8 age categories; size 4 for under 9 and under 10s. For youth football - size 4 for those playing under 11, 12, 13 and 14 age groups; size 5 for all other age groups. 

Goal nets must be used. (Note: All Clubs should have an adequate stock of First Aid equipment and should have this with them at all matches). 

c. Except by permission of the Management Committee, all matches must be played on the dates originally fixed but priority shall be given to the Football Association and all relevant County Association Cup Competitions. All other matches must be considered secondary. Clubs may mutually agree to bring 
forward a match with the consent of the Fixture Secretary. 

d. The Secretary of the Home Club must give notice in writing of full particulars of the location of, and access to, the ground and time of kick-off to the Referee and the Secretary of the opposing Club, at least five clear days prior to the playing of the match. The away club shall seek and acknowledge receipt of such particulars. Any Club failing to comply with this rule shall be liable to a fine of £5.00. 

e. Every Club shall play its best available qualified team or teams in all matches in the Competition. In the event of a Club playing in any match with less than 9 players if 11-a-side or 6 if Mini-Soccer they may be fined £5.00 for each missing player. A minimum of 9 players, or 6 if Mini-Soccer, will constitute a team for a Competition match. The game must go ahead if a minimum of 9 if 11-a-side or 6 if Mini-Soccer players in both teams are available.

f. Home and away matches shall be played. In the event of a Club failing to keep its engagement the Management Committee shall have the power to inflict a fine, deduct points from the defaulting Club, award the points to the opponents, order the defaulting Club to pay any expenses incurred by opponents or otherwise deal with them except the award of goals. Notwithstanding the foregoing Home and Away provision:-The Management Committee shall have the power to order a match to be played on a neutral 
ground or on the opponents ground if they are satisfied that such action is warranted by the circumstances. 

Any club unable to fulfil a fixture must, without delay, give notice to the Fixtures Secretary (by post), the Competition Referees Appointments Secretary, the Secretary of the opposing Club and the match officials. Such postponement and the reason for the postponement, must be notified to the Fixture Secretary, in Writing, on the appropriate form within three days of the date of the postponement. The fixture must be re-dated within fourteen days of the postponement and this date notified to the fixture secretary. Any club failing to comply with this rule shall be liable to a fine of £10.00. 

Unless in the case of bad weather, such postponement will not be accepted within 48 hours of the match kick-off time and will also not be accepted if the postponing team has previously postponed 2 fixtures, unless any of these were due to bad weather. Any Club failing to comply with this rule shall be charged with failing to fulfil the fixture under rule 10(f). 

In the event of a match not being played or abandoned, owing to causes over which neither Club has control, it shall be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two Clubs and approved by the Management Committee. Failing such agreement and notification to the Fixture Secretary within fourteen days, the Management Committee shall have power to order the match to be played on a named date or on/or before a given date. 

The Management Committee shall review all matches abandoned in cases where it is consequent upon the conduct of either or both Teams. Where it is to the advantage of the Competition and does no injustice to either Club, the Management Committee shall be empowered to order the score at the time of the abandonment to stand. In all cases where the Management Committee are satisfied that a match was abandoned owing to the conduct of one team or its Club member(s) they shall be empowered to award the points for the match to the opponents and/or take what other action they may deem necessary. In cases where a match is abandoned owing to the conduct of both teams or their Club members, the Management Committee shall take such action as they consider appropriate. Such action is subject to any disciplinary action taken by the appropriate Affiliated Association.

g. A Club may, at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game use five substitute players in any match in this Competition who may be selected from 5 players. 

For Mini-Soccer - any number of substitutions may be used at any time with the permission of the referee. Entry onto the field of play will only be allowed during a stoppage in play. A player who has been replaced may return to the play as a substitute for another player. A Team must not have a squad greater than double than the size of its team in an age group. 

For Youth Football – for teams in the under 16 age group and below, a player who has been substituted himself becomes a substitute and may replace another player at any time subject to the substitution being carried out in accordance with Law 3 of the Laws of Association Football. 

The referee shall be informed on the approved form of the names of the substitutes not later than five minutes before the start of the match. A player who has been selected, appointed or named as a substitute before the start, but does not actually play in the game, shall not be considered to have been a player in that game within the meaning of Rule 8 of this Competition.

h. The half time interval shall be of at least five minutes duration, but it shall not exceed fifteen minutes. The half time interval may only be altered with the consent of the referee.

i. The consumption of alcoholic beverages in the close vicinity of the field of play during a fixture is not permitted. A club reported by a match referee for contravention of this rule will be dealt with by the Management Committee.