The County Ground, Baldock Road, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, SG6 2EN
P: 01462 677622 | E: [email protected] | W: www.hertfordshirefa.com
@HertfordshireFA
/HertfordshireCFA
Discipline Information for Club Secretaries:
Whole Game System
Most of you would have used the Whole Game System to affiliate for the current season. It is a brand new IT based
football administration system. Available 24/7 it features a secure payment gateway. The system will provide an easy
to use platform through which the game’s many volunteers will be able to manage their administrative processes,
saving valuable time and money. If you submitted your affiliation online for this season then your club will
automatically be set as be online for discipline, this means all your discipline will be received via the portal. If you wish
to opt out and receive it via paper format you must do so by contacting us.
To login: https://wholegame.thefa.com
You will need to enter your FAN/Email Address followed by your password. If you have forgotten your password use
this link https://www.thefa.com/account/RequestPasswordReset
Automatic Sanctions
The period between the offence date and suspension commencement date is from 14 days. Please be reminded if
paperwork is not received or the offence does not show on your portal you must contact the County FA within 10
days as the suspension will commence 14 days after the offence date. Should a player play on the 14 th day then the
club and player will be charged. Non receipt of paperwork is not a valid defence for when a player has played whilst
serving a suspension.
Wrongful Dismissals
Changes were made last season to permit wrongful dismissals claimed at steps 5-7 and below, without having to
submit video evidence, however we do require the match footage if it is available. The deadline for appeal and
submitting evidence are strict and the intention to claim must be notifed to the County 2 working days after the
offence.
Player Checking
You can check players to ensure they are clear from suspension or sine die by using the following link.
http://www.hertfordshirefa.com/suspensions
Respect Sanctions
Respect sanctions will be imposed where teams accumulate incidents of C2 (Cautions for showing dissent by word or
action) & S6 (Sending off for using offensive, insulting or abusive language).The sanction threshold will be as follows
Stage 1
Threshold
Sanction
Accumulation of 6 incidents of qualifying offences
Warning as to future conduct
(per team)
Stage 2
Threshold
Sanction
Accumulation of 10 incidents of qualifying offences
Step 5
- £150.00
Step 6 & 7
-
£75.00
Outside NLS (including Youth)
-
£50.00
(per team)
Stage 3
Threshold
Sanction
Accumulation of 15 incidents of qualifying offences
Step 5
- £300.00
Step 6 & 7
- £150.00
Outside NLS (including Youth)
- £100.00
(per team)
Stage 4
Threshold
Sanction
Accumulation of 20 incidents of qualifying offences
The team will be charged under FA Rule E20 (Failure
(per team), and for each subsequent 5 qualifying
to control players)
offences
Additional points:



All thresholds will be based at team level and each team will be treated individually.
Each stage attracts an administration fee application to discipline charges (currently £10)
Stages 2 & 3 may be appealed in writing. Clubs are able to enter a plea in mitigation and to present
extenuating circumstances that a commission in a non-personal hearing may wish to consider.
Poor Discipline Record Sanctions
A procedure has been put in place to deal with clubs with a poor discipline record, taking into consideration all
offences and not just those imposed under the Respect sanction process.
Clubs with a poor discipline record will be charged under FA Rule E20 – failure to control players and/or officials
and/or spectators.
The measure of a number of offences will continue to be gauged by a point process with a difference level of points to
be allocated dependent on the seriousness of the offence:
Cautions
1 point each offences, with the
exception of Dissent (C2) which will
attract 2 points
S1 – Serious Foul Play
5 points
S2 – Violent Conduct
6 points
S3 – Spits at an opponent
7 points
S4 & S5 – Denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity
3 points
S6 – Abusive, insulting or offensive language
4 points
S7 – Commits a second cautionable offence
3 points
Misconduct charges
5 points each unless these are increased
by the Discipline Commission.
Charging Threshold
An E20 misconduct charge will be raised against a club in any of the following circumstances:





Any team’s points tally reaches 75 points
Any team within a club reaches Stage 4
A club has been charged and the cases proven where two games have been abandoned as a result of
misconduct (irrespective of how many teams within the club, but this could be considered as a mitigating
factor when considering sanction)
A club has four or more incidents across all its teams of violent conduct (including all S2 charges and any
other charge of assault on a match official or physical assault on a match official & participant on participant
assault) – this is irrespective of how many teams there are within the club, but this could be considered as a
mitigating factor when consideration sanction.
A club has 2 or more E3(2) charges raised against any played in a 12 month period
A charge under any of these conditions will be raised at any stage during the season. The sanction for any charge will
be at the discretion of a County Disciplinary Commission and would be subject to appeal to the Football Association.
Multi Player Misconduct
Threshold
Sanction
6 or more individual players cautioned or sent off in a
match
First Offence
Second Offence
Third offence
Step 5 & 6
- £150.00
Step 7
- £75.00
Outside NLS (including Youth)
- Warning
Step 5 & 6
- £300.00
Step 7
- £150.00
Outside NLS (including Youth)
- £25.00
Step 5 & 6
- £450.00
Step 7
- £225.00
Outside NLS (including Youth)
- £50.00
Discipline Handbook 2015/16
To help clubs understand the relevant discipline procedures and regulations, The FA has published an electronic
handbook.
The Discipline Handbook 2015-16 is an online interactive reference guide to aid Leagues, Clubs and Players through
the forthcoming season. The handbook will be a useful guide to explain the disciplinary process and details the
changes that have taken place over the last few years – including match based discipline, sanction guidelines, the
whole game system and changes to handling discrimination. This year’s guide also includes videos and resources that
will go into greater depth to explain the disciplinary process.
You can access the handbook via our website http://www.hertfordshirefa.com/club/administration/discipline