A users guide for clubs and officials
The Technical Area - A Users Guide
a) Scope
LADs expects all referees and clubs to uphold this guide as far as is reasonably practical.
Should issues arise this guide maybe used as the standard expected for all those involved.
b) Home club are responsible for the following.
1. Providing a permanent or temporary barrier.
2. A marked technical area.
c) Permitted Personnel
1. Coach
2. Replacements
3. Physio
4. Yellow Carded Player
d) Responsibilities of Permitted Personnel
Coach or DOR
The coach or DOR must stay within the technical area at all times. He can enter the field of play only at half time. If the coach wants to move up and down the touchline it must be done from behind the barrier. However, it must be one or the other he/she cannot switch from one to the other it must be technical area or behind the barrier not both.
Replacements
Replacements must stay in the technical area and have shirt/top on that differentiates them from the players on the pitch. The only exceptions are.
1. During a break in play replacements can take water on to the pitch. If a player requires water at any other time he /she must come to the technical area.
2. One replacement may enter the field of play to take on the kicking tee.
3. A player may leave the technical area to warm up prior to replacing a player. This must be done in an area that does not impact on the match in progress.
Physio
The Physio must stay in the technical area except when entering the field of play to attend to an injured player. It is advisable to agree a protocol with the match referee prior to kick off.
e) Yellow Card
When a player is temporarily suspended (yellow card) a player may stand in the technical area subject to the following.
1. If agreed by the match referee. The referee may require the player to stand elsewhere.
2. The player must stay silent and not shout instructions to the players.
f) Red Card
For the removal of doubt a player who has been sent off must go behind the barrier and cannot stand in the technical area.
g) Overall Conduct
All people in the technical area are under the same jurisdiction and control as the players on the field and are subject to refereeing sanctions. Any person, including replacements, can be asked to leave the technical area. Serious offences can result in a red card being issued and reported in the normal way. Players and coaches often think that because they are in the technical area they have licence to complain or abuse the opposition or the referee, they do not.
f) Info
Acknowledgement to Lancashire CB for the original text.
Briefed and adopted at LADS mid monthly 18/11/19
WTR and Whats App comms 23/11/19