Discipline in Schools' Football
Wednesday 26 September 2012By ESFA Office
Last Updated:
10/02/2021 11:48:59
Following a number of queries regarding discipline in Schools' Football, the following is designed to assist in answering any questions you may have relating to the new system
From the start of Season 2012-2013, all football will operate under the MATCH BASED disciplinary procedures of The Football Association and Schools’ Football will be regarded as ONE category (i.e. Inter-School, Inter-District, Inter-County and International). Therefore, if your school football team has a player sent off for a standard red card offence, the suspension will automatically commence 21 days after the date of the game from which the player was sent off and will apply to all levels of School Football. This is mandatory and there is no right of appeal except under claims for mistaken identity or if DVD evidence can be supplied to prove that an obvious error has been made by the match referee. If you have not received a suspension notice from the ESFA within 10 days of a red card, then you must contact the ESFA immediately. Non-receipt of paperwork is not a valid defence and a charge will be issued if a student plays whilst under suspension to both the School/College and the player.
Any suspension that is imposed as a result of a standard red card offence will only apply to the category of football from which the player was sent off. This means that a player who is sent off for a Youth Club team can still play in Schools’ Football and vice-versa.
A Misconduct Charge will be issued where an incident is reported which does not fall under standard dismissal offences or is a serious offence. A Discipline Commission will convene to consider all Misconduct Cases, whether the response to the charge is accepted or denied. If you receive a Misconduct Charge and it is found proven, the suspension is from ALL Football. If you are issued with a Misconduct Charge you will receive a charge letter, response form and any evidence that the ESFA has received which we have based our charge upon. You must ensure you respond to the charge within 14 days.
An administration fee of £10 is applied to all discipline cases. For further information on the new discipline process visit www.esfa.co.uk/discipline or refer to pages 37 – 46 of the ESFA handbook.
