Game rules

General

The rules are stipulated, ultimately, to increase the overall enjoyment of the game for all. Please do your best to keep to the rules wherever reasonably possible, but see the note below.

  1. A playing team will consist of five players, one of whom will be the goalkeeper, while a squad of up to ten players can be chosen for any match.
  2. Unlimited substitutions can be made at any time during the match, but the player entering must wait until the player he is replacing has left.
  3. A match will consist of two halves of twenty minutes, changing ends at half-time. All games must finish promptly once the hour that has been booked is up, to allow other users on to the pitch.
  4. An outfield player may change places with the goalkeeper during any stoppage as long as this is made clear to the opposition.
  5. Play shall be commenced by a conventional kick-off, which will also restart play after a goal has been scored.
  6. A goalkeeper may pick up a ball that has been passed back to him by one of his own players. However, he may not touch a ball that has been returned to him directly. I.e. a defender who has received the ball from his own keeper may not pass the ball back to him, or else a direct free kick will be awarded from the position the defender was standing.
  7. Goalkeepers must play the ball within six seconds of having received it.
  8. At free kicks the opposition must be at least two metres from the ball. All free kicks are direct.
  9. Drawn cup matches will be decided with a penalty shoot-out, with five kicks being taken by each team, and then sudden death if needed. All kickers may be players who were on the bench at the time of the game's end.
  10. Any disputes should be taken up with the Exec- whose decision is final.

Indoors

  1. A ball played out of bounds restarts in the hands of the goalkeeper of the non-offending team.
  2. Goalkeepers may only play the ball out with a throw (underarm or overarm), otherwise a direct free-kick is awarded two metres outside the area.
  3. All free-kicks near the opposing goal area must be taken from a position not less than two metres from the area.
  4. Only the defending keeper is allowed in the goal area, which he may not leave when the ball is in play.
  5. Penalties are awarded for keepers intentionally leaving the area, or defending players intentionally entering the area. If an attacking player enters his opposition's area, the ball restarts in the keeper's hands. Penalties must be taken with one step.

Outdoors

  1. A ball played out of bounds restarts with a kick-in, unless the ball is played out over the goal line. In this case either a corner is awarded or the goalkeeper restarts with the ball.
  2. Due to there being no obvious markings for areas on outdoor pitches, it will be left to the decision of the competing captains as to whether players are allowed in the area, keepers are allowed out, size of the area etc.
  3. The field of play shall be as follows:
    • on the Old Astros: ¼ of the full pitch
    • on the Tarkett Pitch: ½ of the full pitch BUT only between the halfway line and edge of the penalty area (full pitch markings)

Small alterations

N.B. Competing captains may choose to play by a slightly different set of rules if they agree upon it before the game. If there is any argument about whose rules to play however, these default rules must be adhered to.