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Okay so I’ve been getting loads of questions lately about how our local footie league actually works. New players turning up all confused about substitutions or yellows, so I sat down yesterday to actually figure out this Dorset Premier League rulebook once and for all. Proper headache material honestly.
First Steps With The Rulebook
Started by digging up the official PDF document online. Man that thing reads like tax paperwork! Scrolled straight past all the “whereas” and “heretofore” garbage looking for the meaty bits. Pro tip: skip the first 20 pages unless you want instant nap time.
Poured myself a cuppa and attacked it section by section:
- Match duration – Found out we play 45-minute halves here unlike some leagues doing 40. Clock stops for subs? Nope! Ref keeps it running even when players are swapping out.
- Team sheets – Gaffer needs to hand in subs list BEFORE kickoff. Saw poor Dave last season try to sneak on after halftime without being listed – ref sent him straight back to the bench.
Yellow Card Surprises
Got proper confused with cautions. Thought two yellows meant one-game suspension right? WRONG! Our league does “points” – get 10 points from bookings (2 per yellow, 5 per red) and you’re banned for a match. Watched the counter like a hawk now!
The Substitution Chaos
Here’s where I messed up last season. Assumed rolling subs like five-a-side. Nearly cost us a match when I tried bringing fresh legs on in the 89th minute. Rulebook says maximum 5 subs across 3 slots – no re-entries! Wrote that one in bold on our dressing room whiteboard:
- Only 3 stoppages allowed for subs
- No swapping goalies mid-game unless injured
- Subbed players? Done for the day mate
Practical Takeaways For Newbies
After three hours drowning in PDFs, here’s what actually matters for fresh players:
- Keep your flipping studs down – refs here card for any high foot
- Slide tackles from behind? Automatic red, no arguments
- No jewelry AT ALL – saw them stop a derby match last month over earrings
- Shinpads must be fully covered by socks – none of that tiny-pad nonsense
Honestly just printed the key pages and stuck them in our club WhatsApp. If you’re new to DPL – save yourself the migraine and follow these. Now if you’ll excuse me, need to go count my yellow card points before Saturday!