No matter the standard, one of the best things to do as a footballer is to get on the referee’s good side!
Got your first league game coming up this week, or even been asked to fill in just as a one off? Here are all the rules you’ll need to know before the big fixture!
Let’s get the obvious bit out of the way, there are 5 players on each team that will start the game. Sometimes you’ll see teams turn up with 4 if they’re really struggling, but hopefully our transfer market solves that issue.
Substitutions are roll-on, roll-off, which means that players who have left the pitch are allowed back on. Subs are usually made at a break in play, the majority of the substitions are made when the ball is in a goalkeeper’s hands, or when a foul is given.
The match is always split into two 20-minute halves, so substitutions need to be used wisely to preserve energy. 40 minutes of high intensity tracking-back is no joke, and no one wants to pull their hamstring on a cold Tuesday night!
A standard 5 a side pitch is usually 40 yards long and 30 yards wide, surrounded by boards and netting (or railing). 5 a side pitches can differ in size dependent on the club, however all standard Powerleague clubs will have the same pitch sizes.
The boards surrounding the pitch can be used for rebounding the ball, clever pieces of trickery and even to help shield the ball from the opponent, it’s important you remember this in case someone tries to play give-and-go with an immovable object.
Goalkeeper rules are where most 5 a side arguments are born, so let’s rip this off like a plaster! Goalkeepers are not allowed OUT of their area, and outfield players are not allowed IN their area. A goalkeeper leaving their area or a player on the defensive team entering their own area results in a penalty for the opposition.
Perversely, an attacker entering the opposing team’s area results in the ball being given back to the opposing goalkeeper.
This seems a pretty easy rule to follow, right? You’d be shocked how many times this happens every night…
Pass back rules are slightly more difficult to remember. If the goalkeeper gives the ball to a player on his team, that player CANNOT give the ball straight back to the goalkeeper. The ball must be given to an outfield teammate first. This stops teams from being able to time waste.
So, if you’re playing in goal, or you don’t trust your keeper, have a double check of these rules before kick off!
The beauty of 5 a side is that play doesn’t have to restart all that often. Due to the format of the pitch, there are no throw ins, corners or goal kicks.
The only real stoppages in play are for goals and when your mate screams “GERRARD” and the ball goes flying over the netting!
Goals will result in a standard kick off for the team that has conceded, taken from the centre of the pitch. If the ball goes outside of the netting, the opposing team’s goalkeeper of those who kicked it over will receive the ball.
When it comes to fair play, common sense and standard footballing rules apply. 5 a side isn’t a place to verbally or physically abuse a referee or an opposition player.
In terms of fouls, the main difference is sliding tackles, which are strictly forbidden in 5 a side football. We all love the art of a good slide tackle, however on a small-sided pitch, it can cause real problems to both you and your opponent.
Whether it’s your first league game, or your 100th, the main thing is that you enjoy it. But as a wise Neil Warnock once said, enjoy it by being disciplined!
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