Fairplay Rules

How the scheme rates team bahaviour

The Fairplay score system rates behaviour of players, managers and supporters of opposing teams. It produces a League table that we publish. Teams are expected to submit Fairplay scores within one week of the game being played.

The online system allows team managers to nominate helpers or parents to do the Fairplay submissions. General remarks  can by filled in by the manager, giving both positive and negative comments about the game. After each fixture, each team is responsible for submitting the Fairplay scores so that the overall points can be used to calculate League table position for later publication.

Rating an opposition team for Fairplay

Points should be deducted for the following offences by players, managers or supporters :-

  • Losing control of temper
  • Arguing with the referee / questioning the referees decision
  • Criticising players performances (from their own team or the opposition)
  • Shouting abuse
  • Encouraging unfair play
  • Failure to show respect to the opposition i.e. not apologising after ‘putting in a hard tackle’.

For consistency of ratings we have developed a marking system.  A maximum of 100 points can be scored for each of the three categories of opposing players, manager and supporters : –

10- 20 30- 40 50- 60 70 – 80 90 – 100
Very poor Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent
  • 10 points are deducted for a sending off.
  • 5 points are deducted for a booking.

Important for teams to submit Fairplay scores

Why? .. because those teams that do not return their submission within the time allowed are allocated a low default score while teams that are left without a rating receive a default favourable score : –

Missing Fairplay scores
How teams are scored
Neither teams submit a Fairplay report for the game
  • Both teams get 0%
  • The game still counts, so it brings down both team’s average for the season.
Only one team submits a Fairplay report for the game
  • Submitting team gets 100%
  • The other team gets whatever the submitting team says.
Both teams submit a Fairplay report for the game Each team gets whatever the other team says

Goal scores will not count

The award is really all about fair and sporting behaviour. Mini-Soccer is aimed at developing the football skills in young people in a safe but enjoyable environment. Serious competition at too early an age has been shown to be damaging to players and turned many away from what should be an enjoyable and worthwhile sport.

What type of games need to be reported

  • Fairplay socres should be submitted only for officially listed SBMSC fixtures, whether Developmental or Competitive
  • Friendlies, tournaments or non-SBMSC matches do not count in the Fairplay league, so no fairplay submission is required for these.
  • Emails should be sent in to the Fairplay Secretary to advise of a postponement, cancellation or abandonment, stating the reason. No online fairplay scores submission is required for postponement or cancellations.

Thousands of boys and girls from nearly 250 teams play friendly football fixtures in age groups Under 7 to Under 12.