Summary of how suspensions work within Jersey, resulting from Cautions (Yellow Cards) and Standard Charges (Red)

MATCH BASED DISCIPLINE CATEGORIES

Categories for Match Based Discipline and which football this affects in Jersey:
- Saturday – All First, Reserve & C Team league/cup matches
- Veterans – All Over 35s league/cup matches
- Sunday – All Women and Junior (U11 to U18) league/cup matches
- Midweek – All Trinity Shield cup matches
- Friendly – All friendly matches for any age group or type of football
- Representative – All Jersey FA and League representative matches
- Further Education – This category is not currently used in Jersey

Automatic suspensions for dismissals apply to one of these seven categories. If you are dismissed in a game, you are unable to play again in the same category of football until the automatic match-based suspension is served. For example, a Player sent off in Sunday football would be still be eligible to play football for a Saturday team as the suspension would apply to Sunday football only.

These categories also apply with regards to continuing misconduct, receiving multiple cautions or dismissals in a Season. A Player would need to accumulate 5 cautions before the 31 December in the same category of football to receive an automatic one match suspension. For example, if during the same period, a Player received 3 cautions in Midweek football and 2 cautions in Sunday football, then they would not be subject to the automatic suspension for accumulated cautions.

Please note that suspensions resultant from misconduct cases (charges issued by the County FA) are from ALL football at CFA level, so a Participant will not be able to play until the team they were playing for when the charge was issued serves the appropriate number of games.

YELLOW CARDS

Suspensions which are imposed for reaching the thresholds below will commence automatically 7 days following the final caution.

No. of Cautions Cut Off Date (Inclusive) Automatic Suspension
5 31 December 1 match suspension and £15 fine
10 2nd Sunday in April 2 match suspension and £15 fine
15 End of Season 3 match suspension and £15 fine
20+ *Contact the Jersey FA

If a Player reaches one of the thresholds after the cut-off date they will be warned as to their future conduct and no suspension shall be imposed.

As mentioned previously, match-based discipline categories apply and to reach the threshold you must receive the amount in the same category of football.

For the avoidance of doubt, the accumulation of cautions by a Player in relation to matches in the same Football Category shall include those that are punished by a temporary dismissal.

Where a Player is the subject of more than one temporary dismissal during a match in a Football Category, that Player will receive a fine of £25.00 and an automatic suspension of 1 Match to be served in the same Football Category in which the temporary dismissals were incurred.

RED CARDS

Suspensions commence automatically on the 7th day following the match in which the Player was dismissed.

The standard sanctions are shown below:
Dismissal Offence Suspension
Serious Foul Play 3 Matches
Violent Conduct 3 Matches
Spitting at an Opponent 6 Matches
Denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity 1 Match
Use of offensive, or insulting or abusive language 2 Matches
Receiving a Second Caution in a Match 1 Match

Match based discipline categories apply and therefore if a Player is sent off for a second time in the Season, they will only serve an additional suspension if the Red Card is within the same category. Players dismissed from Saturday football can still play Sunday football and vice versa as these are separate match-based discipline categories.

Qualifying matches for a suspension are based on the team the Player was playing for at the time they were sent off. Should a Player transfer, (i.e., cease to be a member of the original Club), to the satisfaction of the County FA, to a team at the same level and category as the original Club, then any remaining period of suspension may also be transferred to the new Club.

If the team has no more fixtures remaining at the end of a Season, the suspension is lifted and commences when that teams first qualifying fixture takes place in the new Season. The Player is free from suspension between the last qualifying fixture and the opening qualifying fixture of the new Season to participate for any team they wish to - this applies to Match Based Discipline football only.

A match this is a walkover, abandoned or postponed match will not count towards clearing a Player of suspension as it is not a completed fixture. Any Misconduct received in the abandoned fixture must still be processed by the County FA. Importantly, this is still the case even if a League decides that the result from the abandoned fixture stands. All matches must be completed for the fixture to count towards the suspension.

A game that is classed as a ‘double header’ where teams play each other twice on the same day is classed as two matches. A Player can therefore use both fixtures as qualifying matches.

CONTINUING MISCONDUCT

Players who are dismissed on more than one occasion during the Season will receive an automatic additional match ban.

This only occurs for multiple dismissals that have taken place within the same category of football. For example, if you have been dismissed in a Sunday football match and are then sent off again in a Sunday football match later in the Season, then you will get an additional match ban. There would be an additional two matches for a 3rd dismissal within that category and so on.

There is no right of appeal against this punishment, and it will be imposed automatically. However, if you have been sent off in Sunday football but are then sent off again later in the Season in a Saturday football match, you will not receive any additional suspension other than the standard charge

If any player, coach or manager has any queries regarding a suspension, please contact your Club Secretary or nominated Club Discipline Officer in the first instance.

Grassroots Discipline Guide 2022-23 Season: https://en.calameo.com/read/0012302350a12fb961b0a?authid=jqdy6WLsm4nO&_gl=1*1owsy5v*_ga*MTAwNTk3OTcxNy4xNjE4NDg0OTEz*_ga_T81QCG9DQL*MTY1NjQyMDA1MC4zNC4xLjE2NTY0MjQwMjQuMTk.