U11 Football Goes 9 v 9 in 2011/12

The Surrey Youth League have announced that for the 2011/12 season their U11 age group will play a 9 v 9 format. This age group will continue as 9 v 9 in 2012/13 and move to 11 a side at U13 as the league transition to 9 v 9 for the U11 and U12s.

The FA have published recommendations for  9 v 9 and SYL are still finalising the rules to be adopted. As an indicator only these may be the rules:

• A Junior size pitch of 80m x 50m
• 16'x7' goals
• A maximum squad of 18
• A match squad of 14 with roll on roll off substitutions allowed
• A maximum playing time of 30 minutes each way
• Size 4 ball
• Fully qualified and registered referees, (not Mini Soccer only).
• Each club to provide one assistant referee.
• The offside rule will apply

Sheen Lions will be entering U11 sides in the SYL next season and arrangements are being made to provide a 9 v 9 pitch at Palewell. We will field two and possibly three sides considering the optimal squad size,  the demand and standard the of players available.

Note that players that qualify as U10 or younger are not allowed by FA rules to play 11-a-side or 9-a-side matches.