This ensures everyone who participates can do so in the knowledge that the Laws of the Game will be upheld, that disputes will be dealt with in a fair and unbiased way and that everyone understands that the minority who give our game a bad name will be punished appropriately.
Players and coaches have a duty to see the game is played in the right spirit otherwise they will fall foul of the disciplinary punishments as laid down by The Football Association.
Clubs playing at Step 1 down to Step 7 of the National League System are dealt with under a match-based suspension system in line with football played above that level.
Clubs playing outside the National League System, including Youth and Sunday football, will continue to be dealt with according to a time-based suspension system.
If a player participates at both levels then the punishment will be based on the level at which the misconduct was reported.
Please be aware that, from the start of the 2010/11 season, the administration fee for all discipline cases will be increasing from £8 to £10 without exception, as voted in by The FA Council, and this is effective nationwide. In addition to this, there are a number of changes to the discipline process affecting Football Debt Recovery and the way charges are issued.
- The Administration Charge has been increased to £10
- There are now five options for answering a charge: (1) accept the charge and standard punishment which has been offered; (2) accept the charge, but put in written mitigation; (3) accept the charge, but request to put mitigation at a hearing (£25 required); (4) dispute the charge by means of a written rebuttal; (5) dispute the charge by requesting a personal Hearing (£25 required)
- Appeals to The FA are only permitted if the punishment is at least 21 days and/or a £15 fine
- Referees and assistant referees, or other parties, are able to request the decisions of cases, subject to the participant charged knowing the decision
- There is now the option to include a lesser charge in case papers, though the individual/club has to prove themselves not guilty of the higher offence before the lesser offence should be considered
For a league or club to request the County FA to implement the Football Debt Recovery System, there have also been changes:
- The time limit to make a request has been increased to 112 days
- The organisation making a request must supply the full details of the individuals (i.e. forename, surname, full postal address, date of birth). If any of this is missing then the debt will not be considered
- Leagues have responsibility to make applications themselves to the individuals
- Leagues must pay an administration charge of £25 per action, and this will be included in the debt to be repaid to the County FA. There is no charge for clubs
- For shares against one person the administration fee will be £10. For a share amongst a whole team, the administration fee per person will be £1 on top of the share of the debt
- Pitch suppliers can request debts to be undertaken, subject to a £25 administration fee being paid
