REGULATIONS FOR CASUALS LEAGUE 2009/2010

Last Update: September 8, 2009

The below are the regulations, at the end of the day though, common sense and captains mutual agreements are what should be used in the case where the below do not cover a particular situation or the situation calls for a variation in the rulings.

1. Sponsor :

The league is sponsored by MBMG International. MBMG will take care of the following in the 2009/2010 season:

• ID Cards and registration of players
• 2009/2010 League Party support

2. Squads :

The following are the regulations regarding squads.

• A squad can have an unlimited number of players
• All members of a squad must be registered on the Wednesday before they play.
• All Squads must have two strips of a different colour.
• Squad strips must have enough shirts for each player to have their own number for a full match.
• Squads may not include professionals or Thailand University players that were registered for a squad during the present season or the 2008/09 season.
• For a match to be played a team must field a squad of at least 7 players at kick off. Both teams must agree to a delay in the event one team is waiting for players, but face the potential of a shortened game.

3. Clothing / Kit :

The following are the regulations regarding clothing.

• All teams must have two kits of different colors
• All teams must have enough shirts for every player in the squad
• All shirts must be numbered.
• Shin pads are required for all players on the pitch at all times

4. ID Cards and Team Sheets

The following are the regulations regarding ID Cards and Team Sheets.

• All players must have a League ID Card
• If requested, ID Cards for the squad should be presented to the referee before the match starts and to the opposition captain.
• Opposition captain and league commissioner may request to view the ID Cards at any time during a match.
• The referee may request to review the ID Cards any time before, during or after the match.
• Playing an unregistered player will result in a 3-0 loss, or the actually result of the match as chosen by the opposition.
• Nationality of a player is defined by passport submitted for registration and is displayed on the ID card.
• The captain of each team must submit a full team sheet to the referee before the match starts.

5. Match Regulations

The following govern the league during play.

• A squad may not have more than 5 Thai nationals on the pitch at any time.
• The team listed first on the Excel fixture is considered the home team when it comes to deciding strip colours.  Home team provides the match ball.
• Players, fans and team management must at all teams remain at least 1 metre from the side of the pitch, better yet, sat down in the stands.
• Linesmen may request to check the studs of boots before a player goes on to the pitch. If the linesman considers the studs are not safe then the boots must be changed.
• Players may not change or share shirts during a match (i.e. each player must have the same shirt number for the entire match)
• General FIFA rules apply in all other aspects of the match.
• Kick off will start on time assuming a team has 7 players present.
• Failure to field 7 players at the time of kick off will mean that the opposition may declare a 3-0 walk over win, kick off immediately or wait a further, all time waited is considered playing time. i.e. a wait of 10 minutes, is 10 minutes of the match – this is needed to avoid delaying other matches.
• For matches that are abandoned during play due to the weather. Matches that played less than 60 Minutes are automatic replays. Matches that were played for more than 60 Minutes are results, unless BOTH teams are agreeable to a replay. Matches played for more than 70 minutes are a result with no option to replay.

6. Match Substitutions 

The following regulations govern player substitutions during the match

• Teams may make as many substitutions as they like meaning a player that comes off may go back on to the pitch at any time : However
• A substitution can only be done when the ball is out of play AND the referee has signaled his consent for the change.
• The new player may not go onto the pitch until the player coming off has left the pitch.
• Both players must enter and exit at the half way line, regardless of where they play.
• Injuries are the only exception to rule 3.

7. Referees, Patana Staff and League Administrators

The following regulations govern all aspects of dealing with the referees

• Referees are to be respected at all times regardless of whether a player disagrees with their decisions.
• Referees are empowered to book and send off abusive players.
• Referees are requested to send off players who retaliate in any way to tackles or provocation.
• Referees are requested to send off and report players who aim to provoke incidents.
• Pushing or prodding etc any of the referees will result in an immediate 10 match suspension and THB 2000 fine.
• Approaching the referee or any league administrator after a match to make complaints in an unsporting manner will result in an immediate one match suspension and potential fines.

8. Bookings / Fines and Suspensions

• Bookings accumulate for each half of the season.
• A straight red card from a dangerous/violent action or from abuse will result in a 2 match ban. A professional foul can be lowered to a one match ban in some instances
• 2 yellow cards in one match will result in a 1 match ban.
• Yellow cards in league matches are cumulative with 3 yellow cards resulting in a 1 match ban with the following caveats:
• Yellow cards for Cup matches are counted separately (with 2 yellow cards in the group stage resulting in a 1 Cup match ban)
• Every player’s yellow card count will be reset to 0 after the team’s 9th game.
• A red card or two yellows in a match result in a THB 500 fine payable to the league and passed on to the league charity.
• Fines will be deducted from each team’s fines deposit.
• Any incident requiring further review can result in a larger fine, suspension and/or ban at the complete discretion of the disciplinary committee..
• Any incident that involves players or fans coming on to the pitch from the side lines will result in punishment ranging from a THB 2,000 Fine and player suspensions, up to an immediate expulsion from the league for that team for the remainder of the season, as well as a life time ban for all people involved, from the Patana premises, dependant upon the seriousness of the incident.
• Incidents occurring within or as a result of actions on the pitch are dealt with by the league and the league alone. The league will not support any attempts to bring about legal action against a player due to events at Patana.

9. Postponing / Cancelling Matches

• The following governs when and how matches can be postponed and rescheduled.
• A match may only be postponed and rescheduled (After the start of the season) due to reasons of team bereavement or events beyond the control of the league (e.g. Patana Floods)
• No matches can be requested for reschedule after October 31st 2007.
• In all cases where a match is not played then the team that fails to field a squad loses 3-0.

10. Rules for transfers

• Before a transfer starts the manager of the team they are presently with needs to be informed by email by the new manager (CCed to me and the player).
• After that a mail must be sent to me by the player confirming their intent to move, CCed to BOTH managers.
• After that has been done, the manager of the team they are presently with needs to return their present ID card.
• Then the new team can send in the details for a new card to be created.
• No change in the process or rules regarding when the new card issued and when they can play. No card, no play.
• Expect and plan for the process to take 2 weeks
• Violations of the process result in a 3 month binding of the player to their present team or until such time as the manager of the team agrees to release them.
• There is no limit on how many times a player can change teams, although sharing players amongst teams on a week by week basis is strongly discouraged.

11. Relegation /Promotion

• If new teams join the current season, then the top teams from division 2 will be promoted to create a balance in the divisions structure, division 1 will retain the highest number of teams in the case of an uneven number of squads.
• Else the top two teams from Division 2 are promoted and bottom two teams from division 1 relegated
• Upon reaching 24 teams the league will review a split to three divisions.

12. Match Reports.

• It is not required, but appreciated, if teams can update their team page with match reports. It adds to the enjoyment of the league that there are reports to read and helps to provide content for the weekly round ups that are published.

13. League Cup.

• The League Cup competition will be played during the season. Each team will play regular 80 minute Cup matches in a group stage (4 groups of 5 teams) with 2 teams from each group advancing to a Knockout Stage.

14. Ineligible Players

• The following players are not eligible for the league, where a time frame and reason is defined for each person/player.

Rules and regulations may be changed and updated to suit the situation by the league disciplinary and rules committee at any time without notice. At the direction of the league commissioner, some rules may be taken to a league-wide vote.