Question Number: 16017

Law 3 - Number of Players 7/13/2007

RE: Rec Under 10

Greg Hodgeson of Pittsburgh , PA USA asks...

During a recent game, my son's team scored late in the game to take a 1 goal lead. Our coach asked for a substitution. One of those players was our best defenseman. The referee said "no, not enough time". She whistled the game to re-start after the goal. The other team controlled the ball, moved down field and scored the tying goal. I have looked in FIFA rules and our local association rules and I can not find a rule about the referee disallowing substitutions at the end of a game because there isn't enough time. Wouldn't it make more sense to allow the substitution and then add that time to the end of the game rather then deny a coach from putting on the line-up he desires.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You are correct, this was a stupid ref trick. It gets even stupider if the score was tied and you were trying to get your best penalty shooter on the field for the Kicks From The Penalty Mark to determine a winner.

Now sometimes leagues and especially tournaments hogtie us and tell us that the almighty field schedule is not to be disregarded. You will start and stop on time, no adding time on to the game! If that's the way they want the games to be run, then the teams are stuck with it.

The allowance for time lost goes way back to the beginnings of the game, when maybe someone had to borrow a timepiece from the railroad station master, or you had to squint to see the clock on the church steeple. It was accepted in the game that time was approximate, and the referee was given discretion to add time to compensate for things that took time away. It was never meant to be measured to the exact tenth of a second. If you want to make a substitution in the waning moments of a game, I'll let you - but if I think you're doing it to use up time, be assured that I'll generously estimate how much time is added to the game!

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Have to agree with Ref Voshol. What was this referee thinking? You HAVE to allow substitutions and you HAVE to add on time for them. But... if this was a tournement then the referee accepted whatever nonsensical rule modifications the Directors wanted such as no subs during the last 2 minutes or 5 minutes of a game. This was at a kick-off and unless the referee's hands were tied she made an error. But.... this is a U-10 Rec game. Your chances of getting an experienced referee at this age and skill level is about zero. She is probably just learning as are your son and his teammates.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

I concur with my colleagues. The referee can always add the lost time to the end of the match, but should allow the substitution.