RULES AND PROCEDURES
Name of Tournament: The Liverpool-Knowsley International Youth Soccer Tournament.
Tournament Organiser: Knowsley MBC and Liverpool CC
Tournament Director: Dave Mercer
Tournament Address: 2nd Floor, Nutgrove Villa, PO Box 23,
Westmorland Road, Huyton, Knowsley, Merseyside, L36 6GA.
Tel: 0151 443 3627
Fax: 0151 443 3492
MANAGEMENT OF THE TOURNAMENT
The Tournament shall be governed in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association. Matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as settled by the International Football Association Board. The tournament will take place from Tuesday 26 July to Sunday 31 July 2011.
ELIGIBLE CLUBS AND ENTRY FEE
The tournament shall be open to all affiliated Clubs that are approved by their County and National football Association. Each club shall consist of a maximum of 20 persons (with the exception of Under 12 girls - 12 persons). Entry to the tournament will be confirmed in June 2011 and only upon receipt of the appropriate entry fee.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND POWERS
A Management Committee shall be appointed to organise the Tournament consisting of: Councillor Eddie Connor: Cabinet Member (Leisure, Community and Culture) Knowsley MBC, Councillor Warren Bradley: Leader of Liverpool City Council, Mr David Mercer: Tournament Director, Leisure and Community Services Department, Knowsley MBC, Richard Johnson, Sport and Recreation Development Manager, Liverpool City Council. The Management Committee shall have the power to apply, act upon and enforce the rules of the tournament and shall also have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the tournament, including any matters not provided for by the rules. The Management Committee shall adjudicate in cases of dispute, protest or complaint excluding those of a football nature. All complaints of a football nature will be handled and resolved by a disciplinary panel appointed by Liverpool County Football Association. Other members may be co-opted if required.
PLAYER’S QUALIFICATIONS AND GAME INFORMATION
The Tournament shall be divided into the following age groups: Boys Under 18, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12 and 11 (11-aside). Girls Under 18, 16 and 14 (11-aside) and Under 12 (7-aside). The age qualification shall be divided by a date that is 31st August. All players shall be bona fide members of their club and shall play for one club only.
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Boys
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Age Group
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Squad size
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players
per side
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Qualification
date
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Match
duration
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Half
time
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Extra
time
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born on or after
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each way
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each way
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18 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1992
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45 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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16 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1994
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40 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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15 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1995
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35 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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14 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1996
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35 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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13 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1997
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35 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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12 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1998
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35 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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11 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1999
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30 minutes
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5 minutes
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5 minutes
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Girls
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Age Group
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Squad size
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players
per side
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Qualification
date
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Match
duration
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Half
time
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Extra
time
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born on or after
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each way
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each way
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18 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1992
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40 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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16 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1994
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40 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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14 & under
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20
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11 a-side
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31 August 1996
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35 minutes
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5 minutes
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10 minutes
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12 & under
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12
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7 a-side
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31 August 1998
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20 minutes
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5 minutes
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5 minutes
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If, after extra time has been played in any match and the scores are still level, the match shall be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty spot under FIFA laws.
REGISTRATION
Pre-Tournament Registration
Prior to the start of the tournament, each team shall produce a list of players eligible to participate together with their dates of birth. The Tournament Office reserves the right to access player registrations at any time during the tournament. Please note that overseas visiting teams will use passports to accompany the eligible player list. Each team may register up to 20 players with the exception of the Under 12 Girls who can register 12 players. Players cannot register for more than one team in the competition. This ruling also prevents players playing in more than one age group. Players cannot be registered after the start of the competition. Teams must also complete a Dispensation Form and Photography Authorisation Form to be allowed to play in the tournament.
Pre-Match Registration
Team colours and a squad list of no more than 20 eligible players must be lodged for registration at the results service at least 30 minutes prior to each game. This will be completed by each team manager on an official tournament match sheet. For any one match up to 20 players may be registered and up to five substitutes may be used at any one time during the match. The referee shall be responsible for returning the match sheet and notifying the result’s service of the result of each game at the conclusion of each game. The team manager from each team in a game must also sign the match sheet at the conclusion of a game to agree to the score noted by the referee.
CATEGORY A or B PLAYERS
Professional footballers are not permitted to participate in the tournament. Players registered as category A or B players at the Youth Academy or Centre of Excellence of professional clubs will also be ineligible to play in the tournament. This ruling applies to all age groups within the tournament with the exception of Under 7 and Under 8 age groups.
This ruling applies to all players who were signed to Academies or School of excellence Centres in the 2010 – 2011 season [including those that have been released].
Teams who are found to have category A or B player in their competition squads will be punished accordingly. The severity of the punishment remains at the discretion of the Tournament Disciplinary Committee. The punishment can range from the game in question being void and the opposition being awarded a 2-0 victory and any previous games being looked into, through to permanent expulsion from the competition.
COLOURS
Players shall be dressed in uniform shirts and shorts but the goalkeeper’s dress must distinguish him / her from the other players. Each team shall register its first and second choice colours at least 14 days prior to the commencement of the Tournament. In the event of a clash of colours the second named team (in the draw) shall change.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
The Tournament will be played on a league basis in the first stage with the teams divided into groups of 4. Each team shall play one match against each other team in its group.
Three points shall be awarded for a win and one point for a draw. In the event of any team being level on points for any place in a group the final position shall be decided by:
(a) goal difference
(b) number of goals scored
(c) the result of the match between the two clubs
(d) by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark
(e) the toss of a coin
The knockout competition shall comprise of teams finishing in the highest place(s) in their group(s).
Recognition of Fair play
All teams must take part in the Tournaments fair play directive, whereby teams will parade onto the centre of the pitch before each game exchanging handshakes in acknowledgement of fair play.
Technical Area
A technical area of size 10 metres by 1 metre will be marked inside the roped boundary on the touchline of each pitch. Only two designated officials from each team will be allowed in the technical area. All other officials, players and spectators will be expected to keep behind the roped boundary.
SUBSTITUTES
Age Group U11-U16
Five substitutes (from the pre-registered tournament squad) may be permitted at any time during a match. A player who has been substituted may be reintroduced with permission from the referee during any stoppages in play.
U18 Girls and Boys
Five substitutes (from the pre-registered tournament squad) may be permitted at any time during a match. A player who has been substituted may NOT be reintroduced with permission from the referee during any stoppages in play.
REPORTING RESULTS
The match referee shall be responsible for notifying the results service of the result of each match at its conclusion.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Liverpool County FA will appoint registered referees and assistant referees. Each game will be appointed a referee and 2 assistant referees.
PROTESTS AND COMPLAINTS
All questions of eligibility, qualification of players or interpretation of rules shall be referred to the Liverpool County FA disciplinary committee. The disciplinary committee will not accept any complaints or objections relative to the dimensions of the pitch or other appurtenances unless an official protest is lodged with the match referee before the start of the match. All protests and complaints relative to a particular match in the tournament shall be made in writing to the Liverpool County FA disciplinary committee within 15 minutes of the end of the match.
The Liverpool County FA disciplinary committee will not accept complaints made in relation to decisions taken by a referee in a match. Comments, complaints and compliments should be made using the official sheet from the results service and returned, marked for the attention of the Tournament Director.
TROPHIES
All players will receive a participation medal.
The following trophies/awards will be made to the winners/runners-up:
- Championship trophy and gold medals
- Runners-up trophy and silver medals
- 3rd Place trophy and bronze medals
Each age group will have the following award sections:
- Fair Play Award
- Leading Goal Scorer
- Player of the Tournament
RULES BINDING
The rules of the tournament are binding on the teams taking part.
MISCONDUCT
A player who is sent off the field of play (red card) shall be suspended for one match in the tournament. A player who receives two cautions (yellow cards) shall be suspended for one match in the tournament.
All cases of misconduct on the field of play will be reported immediately by the referee to the Liverpool County FA disciplinary committee and to the appropriate County/National Association.
Any misconduct by a player before or after a match, or by an official before, during or after a match, shall be reported to the Liverpool County FA disciplinary committee and to the appropriate County/National Association. The Liverpool County FA disciplinary committee are entitled to take appropriate disciplinary action.
FOREIGN CLUBS & SPECIAL DISPENSATION
The competition is open to invited foreign clubs that have the approval of their National Football Association. All countries that are members of FIFA will receive the tournament details.
The organisers of the tournament, in certain circumstances, will be allowed to give exemption (under Rule C4 (vi)) for overseas teams, where it is in the view of the Tournament Director that it could affect a visiting team not entering the tournament. This exemption will be used only as a last resort and as sparingly as possible. International visiting teams will be offered dispensation for a maximum 5 players under Rule C4 (vi).
A designated representative of each team must sign an exemption form to agree to the Tournament Director having the authority to offer special dispensation in circumstances where it is deemed necessary. Any teams that do not have their representative sign the exemption form will not be allowed to compete in the tournament.
COSTS AND INSURANCE
The Tournament is insured for public liability through its administrators Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. Each participating team will be responsible for taking out adequate insurance cover for those persons attending the tournament as players, officials or spectators.