2022 Cup Competition Constitution

The entire control and management of these Cup Competitions rests with the Swindon & District Football League Management and Cup Committees, with the power to formulate, alter, or add to
the Rules of the Cup Competitions from time to time.

The Competition and Competition rules have been sanctioned by the County Football Association.

 

Trophies and Medals

“Perpetual” Trophies will be presented at the Cup Finals and will be available for team photographs but must be returned to the SDFL before leaving the Arena. Failure to return the
Trophies on the day of the Finals will incur a fine of £150.00.

The sponsor will provide a trophy for clubs to keep along with 16 medals to the winning teams and 16 medals to the runners up of each competition.

 

Competition Rules

For the 2021-22 season, the SDFL Cup Committee have chosen a Round Robin competition format followed by 3 knock out stages to determine the winners of the competitions.

This was ratified by the SDFL Management Committee at their 22nd February meeting. The Up A Ladder Cup & Don Rogers Plate Competitions will consist of a first round of mini leagues, 4 groups of 3 teams, to determine who goes forward into the knockout stages 12 teams in each.

UP A LADDER CUP COMPETITION consisting of the 8 Premier teams, and the top 4 teams of Division 1, that had entered by the deadline of the 12th Feb 2022, and after the results had been
recorded on that day.

DON ROGERS PLATE consisting of the rest of Division 1 and all of Division 2, that entered the Competition by the deadline of the 12th Feb 2022.

 

Cup Draw

A “SPIN THE WHEEL” app was used to randomly select teams for each group. This was recorded and a copy can be supplied on request.

The full list of groups that have been drawn can be found here.

 

Eligibility Of Players

1. Note : No SENIOR players are allowed to play in either of these Competitions.

A SENIOR player definition – He must not have played in any Competition (Cup or League) SENIOR to ours (other than a County FA Junior Cup Competition), after the start of this
current season, prior to playing in any game in the Competition. Wiltshire Premier League & Hellenic are the main local senior competitions. Hellenic Division 2 is equivalent to our League.

2. To be eligible to play at each stage of the round robin competition a player:

i) Must be registered before the 28th February 2022.

ii) Must have played in at least 2 SDFL League games, before the Cup and plate competitions start, (named as a sub, and not used does not count).

iii) Clubs with 2 teams in the Competition. Players having played for a club’s first or second team, in one competition cannot play for the club’s other team.

iv) Any challenge of player eligibility must be made at time of team sheet exchange before start of game but is between the teams. (The referee cannot take any action), The
SDFL Management Committee can take further action on any indiscretion based on statements, reports, photographs, and submitted team sheets, etc;.

v) Players also excluded will be those who were under suspension by the County FA, through suspension in any competition, when the original tie was due to have taken
place.

 

Player Identification

i) Team sheets must be fully completed, and exchanged before the match starts, and supplied to the Results Secretary no later than 3 days after the match taking place.

ii) 5 substitutes can be used, if they are listed on the team sheet.

iii) Team photographs, including named substitutes, are to be taken on the day of the game by each team and supplied with your team sheet at the Quarter Final stage and
onwards for the League website.

iv) Note : Team photographs can be taken and submitted for any/every game if desired.

 

Condition of Play

Club Colours

Please avoid any clash of colours. The colours in the Handbook will determine HOME colours for all matches. If playing on a neutral ground the teams should agree colours or the Management
Committee will decide on the colours.

The same ruling applies in the FINAL.

 

Group Matches

4 groups of 3 teams randomly selected by the aforementioned ‘SPIN THE WHEEL’ app.

All matches must be played on the date fixed and shown on Full Time, unless otherwise arranged by the Cup Fixture Secretary on behalf of the Management Committee. The club first drawn shall have the choice of ground.

All group matches must reach a conclusion.

 

i) In the event of a group match being drawn at the end of 90 MINUTES, the match shall be decided by the taking of penalty kicks in accordance with FIFA conditions.

ii) No extra time will be played in any game before the semi- final, it will be played in the semi- final and finals.

iii) The team winning on penalty kicks at the end of the group match, will be awarded 3 points and an additional goal added to their goals for column. (e.g. after 2 – 2 draw, the result will be recorded on Full Time as 3 -2, or 2 – 3, pending the result of the penalty shoot- out.).

iv) Any club responsible for failing to fulfil a fixture on the day of the match shall NOT be fined, but shall forfeit the three points to their opponents.

v) Any match being forfeited will be awarded with a 3 – 0 score line.

vi) In the event that two or more teams being equal at the top of the group when all matches are played the rankings will be determined by goal difference, If the goal difference of 2 or more teams are the same then the rankings will be determined by the highest goals scored.

If the teams still cannot be divided then the score of the first game between the two teams will determine who finishes first or second.

If teams are still level, the Management Committee reserves the right to request a tie breaker game, under group conditions.

vii) The top 2 teams qualify for the Quarter Finals. The team finishing last in the group is eliminated from the Competition.

vii) The team finishing in first place will go forward to the quarter Finals as Group winner…

The team finishing second will go forward as Group runner – up.

 

Quarter Finals

A “SPIN THE WHEEL” app will select the first round of knock-out matches with Winners playing Runner – ups randomly chosen by the app.

The winners of the match going forward to the SEMI FINALS, the losers are eliminated from the Competition.

 

Semi Finals

A “SPIN THE WHEEL” app will select the ties for the semi- finals. The winners of the match going forward to the FINALS, the losers are eliminated from the Competition.

 

The Finals

The Finals will be played at Gerard Buxton Stadium Royal Wootton Bassett, on Saturday 30th April 2022, in front of a ticketed crowd. The times of the Finals still to be determined, but the Plate will be A.M and the CUP P.M.

All 4 teams to provide two footballs for the match. Awards will be made to the competing teams immediately after each match.

 

Match Expenses

(i) The cost of staging each tie up to the Final will be borne equally by both competing Clubs, unless otherwise directed by the Management Committee, and must be settled on or before the day of the match.

(ii) Any club found guilty of failing to reimburse its opponents with its share of the cost of staging the match, on or before the day of the match, may be fined, and/or eliminated from the Competition.

 

Referees

Clubs will have the opportunity to agree with their opponents to request 3 officials for their quarter finals and semi- finals matches. This will also be subject to availability of officials, and cannot be guaranteed.

Referee fees for each game is set at £30 plus traveling expenses of £0.40 p per mile. Assistant referee fees, where applicable, are set at £25 per official, per game, plus traveling expenses of £0.40 p per mile.