Determining a Championship by Goal Difference
Wednesday 16 October 2013By ESFA Office
Last Updated:
10/02/2021 11:49:26
So that there can be no doubt regarding the final positioning of league places in SCHOOLS’ FOOTBALL, they will be determined by each and every school league as the management committee see fit.
It is the recommendation of schools’ football that we apply the ‘Mercy Law’ as seen fit. i.e. when a pre determined goal difference in any one given match exceeds 5or as determined by the League Officers, the actual match is stopped, appropriate points are allocated to the winners and the remainder of the game completed by mixing up the teams.
The current FA Rule as part of the Code of Conduct for Youth Football as shown below is correct. The wording on page 539 of the 2013-2014 FA Handbook is incorrect as it reflects the rule as it stood in 2012-2013!
DETERMINING CHAMPIONSHIP
Rule 12. (A) Team rankings within the Competition will be decided by points with three points to be awarded for a win and one point for a drawn match. The teams gaining the highest number of points in their respective Divisions at the conclusion shall be adjudged the winners. Matches must not be played for double points. In Mini Soccer points can only be awarded for Under 9 Competitions onwards.
In the event of two or more teams being equal on points team rankings may be decided by deciding match(es) played under conditions determined by the Management Committee.
Rational:
This change provides for deciding matches to be played to determine a championship rather than allow the previous options of goal average or goal difference, both of which were considered to encourage teams to win matches against weaker opposition by large margins and thereby damage the confidence and enjoyment of the weaker team. This is not intended to undermine the play to win principle but only to avoid weaker teams from being subjected to defeat by a large margin as the stronger team seeks to strengthen its goal tally.
