U-8/9’s Small Sided Games (SSG) Guidelines

• Non-trophy football, no match cards, no results, no league tables
• 2 x 5-a-side games, with one substitute on each team
• Roll-on Roll-off
• A 7-a-side pitch to be used, 5 v 5 on each half of the pitch.
• If smaller number of players travel to games, reduce numbers accordingly, loaning players to a team if necessary so games are played.
• Maximum of 14 is recommended in a team, i.e. 2 x 5 players with each team having 2 substitutes
• All players to be given 30 minutes play at a minimum
• 16x6 ft goals to be turned on their back to reduce size
• PERIODS OF TIME: 4 quarters x 12 mins or 4 x 10 mins with 2 min breaks
• Dimensions: 40x25 metres, max 45x25 metres.
• Change personnel on teams particularly to make games more evenly balanced
• No REF required, but use SUPERVISOR for each game officiating from side of pitch, i.e. a club official or adult agreed by both sides.
• Rope pitches off at 2 metres distance from pitch side, using cones to mark out line behind which spectators must remain
• Coaches and substitutes to remain on same side of the pitch
• Size 5 Ball, 290 grams in weight for U-8s,
• Size 5 Ball, 310 grams in weight for U-9s
• RETREAT LINE – Divide pitch into thirds, mark with flat YELLOW ‘cones’/disk.
  • Keeper passes ball or rolls it or throws it to team-mate after the ball has gone over end-line or a goal was scored (NO booting ball up pitch)
  • Retreat Line only applies when ball goes over the goal-line or end-line
  • Keeper may not kick ball out from his hands
  • Opposing players must remain outside Retreat Line until defender has touched the ball which he has received from keeper
• THROW-IN : Nearest player to ball recommences play by dribbling the ball into play or kicking from ground.
• Not possible to score from throw-in
• CORNER KICKS apply as normal
• NO PENALTY KICKS, as indirect free is awarded instead
• FREE KICKS are all indirect, with opponents 5 metres away
• League Divisions of 6-10 teams, but may vary depending on numbers applying
• Divisions to be regional as far as possible
• Shin pads compulsory
• No jewellery, earrings etc
• Results from U-8s, surveys etc inform league in allocating teams to U-10  divisions
• Re-grading after Christmas based on survey and results reported
• Additional games to be arranged if divisional games are completed early

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