NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #16
September 2025
Welcome everyone to the 2025-26 season – at North East Hants Youth League we are all looking forward to getting football back underway, and with everyone either playing, coaching or spectating doing so with Respect.
As is the case at the start of every season, we want to use this newsletter to draw everyone’s attention to some key pointers before we really get going so that everyone has chance to become familiar with any changes. We say it every time – but this website, should always be the go-to place to initially try and find answers to any questions you may have.
This season, the Football Association has announced an updated set of measures to help improve behaviour and combat misconduct in grassroots football. These interventions are aimed at driving a positive culture across grassroots football and act as a clear deterrent against unacceptable behaviours. They also form part of the ‘Love Football. Protect The Game’ campaign to introduce enhanced measures and tougher sanctions so that everyone can enjoy the game in a positive and enjoyable environment.
It’s always good to remind ourselves that
everyone associated with NEHYL - be that league committee, club committees and volunteers, or team managers, coaches & admins – give up their time voluntarily to allow boys and girls to enjoy playing football. Let’s all embrace the mindset that
‘We only do positive’.
Match Day Administration
There are several changes to the match day process. If you want a refresher to the overall Admin Process then everything is laid out clearly on our
Match Admin page - but the key changes are as follows:
Team Sheets
The most important rule change is around Match Day Team Sheets and ID parades – Rule 8D refers:
- Match Day Team Sheets MUST have players listed with their (unique) shirt numbers
- Manager/Coaches MUST be named
- You MUST have your Photo Squad List with you for every match – it’s available on line, or can be downloaded beforehand, so surely there can be no excuses…
- A photo ID parade is no longer mandatory – but if a team so wishes then they can request to do an ID parade before kick-off, which cannot be refused
- If a name AND photo are not on the Photo Squad list, then a player cannot play, and a coach cannot stand on the side of the pitch with the teams.
Our advice is that when you greet your opposing manager you show that you have the Photo Squad List, highlight who your coaches are (named & pictured), agree whether you are going to have an ID parade, and then start your match preparations.
The updated Match Day Team Sheets available on the
Information page on this website in three formats (pdf, xls, & doc). We also ask that clubs check that all your coaches are not just named but also have a current photo provided – there are several officials who do not currently have a photo across all the age groups.
Players Kit
And, as a reminder to all, NEHYL Rule 19 has two important points relating to players kit for all our clubs and teams:
- Names of Youth Players shall not appear on the shirts.
- No Player, including the goalkeeper, shall be permitted to wear black or very dark shirts.
Laws of the Game – Changes
IFAB are the guardians of the Laws of the Game, comprising of four British football associations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and FIFA. The key changes for the 2025/26 season include a new eight-second rule for goalkeepers; the "captains only" protocol; and around dropped ball restarts – and you can view a summary of the changes to the Laws of the Game here:
Changes of Laws of the Game 2025/26.
Goalkeeper Eight-Second Rule
The Rule:
A goalkeeper controlling the ball with their hand(s)/arm(s) within their penalty area must release it within eight seconds. A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of the ball.
The Penalty:
If the goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
The Process:
From the five-second mark, referees will visually count down with a raised hand to signal the time limit. Please give referees time to get used to doing this!
Captains Only Protocol
The Rule:
Only the designated captain(s) of a team are permitted to approach the referee to discuss decisions. Read more about the rule HERE.
The Purpose:
To instil greater fairness and mutual respect in the game by reducing confrontations and potential intimidation.
The Captain's Role:
Captains must ensure their teammates maintain a reasonable distance and do not interfere in the interaction with the referee. They must be wearing a Captain’s Armband.
Note: For NEHYL, the Captains Only Protocol only applies to Competitive football (U12 and above).
Dropped Ball Restarts
New rules clarify how dropped ball restarts are conducted based on possession and location.

Play always resumes by dropping the ball for the defending team's goalkeeper where play stopped within their penalty area.
When outside the penalty area, the ball is dropped to a player from the team that would gain possession, unless this is unclear, in which case it goes to the last team to touch the ball.
All other players must stay at least 4 meters away, and the ball is in play once it touches the ground.
NEHYL Girls’ Football
Girls’ football continues to go from strength to strength in NEHYL, with matches played on Sunday mornings. We will be running U7 through to U11 age groups – plus girls’ flexi football for girls who just want to play from U12 upwards; more information on flexi football can be found here.
It’s really exciting to share that our Girls’ Sunday League has been approved by the FA as an early adopter for the new 3v3 format a year ahead of its full rollout in 26-27 season for ALL U7s. We will be piloting the new FA initiative this season for all girls’ teams playing in U7 in our Sunday league – which gives all of us a great opportunity to learn more about this initiative.
For more information on NEHYL Girls’ Football
click here or email
girls@nehyl.org.uk. And if you are ready to join, you can
register your club here or if you are already a member club, email
girls@nehyl.org.uk to add a team.
Play Safe Weekend
Play Safe is a year-round campaign that champions the importance of safeguarding in football. It encourages leagues and clubs at every level of the game to play their part in making the game ever-safer, fun, and enjoyable for everyone, everywhere, every time. At NEHYL, we are encouraging all clubs to show their support for an ever-safer game and take part in Play Safe 2025, taking place over the weekend of 27 and 28 September 2025. Club officials will already have received a link to this year’s invite from the FA – and there are further resources here.
We also ask that you mark the two
National Silent Support Weekends in your football diaries - November 15th & 16th and March 14th & 15th. The aim of the National Silent Support Weekend is to reduce pressure on youth players and give them a better opportunity and environment to find their own voice, improve their on-pitch communications skills, develop their own game, and most importantly have fun. We also believe that it helps to promote good behaviour on touchlines across youth football.
Check out the England Football page for resources and future updates for the next Silent Support weekend.
Key Dates
All key dates can be found on the calendar here. Don't forget you can subscribe to the NEHYL google calendar dates and to reminders for submitting MRCs.
The FA Player Dispensation Process
Player Dispensation enables children with a disability, Significant Physical Development Delay (SPDD), or who are schooled no more than one year behind the age group prescribed by their date of birth (their “prescribed age group”) to play football outside of their prescribed age group.
The latest information on Player Dispensation and how to apply can be found on our website
here.
Hampshire Sports Club Conference
Eastleigh Borough Council and Test Valley Borough Council are working in partnership to proudly present the biannual Hampshire Club Conference 2025 – and which is being promoted by Hampshire FA.
Tickets are £10 and will provide you with a delegate pack, including a quality Hampshire Sports Club Conference notebook, pen and lanyard. You will also have access to tea and coffee on arrival, alongside light refreshments during the networking session. You can find out more about this event on our website
here.
Hampshire FA Discipline
Hampshire FA is now using The FA’s County FA Discipline Service – which means that there are key changes as to how disciplinary matters will be handled. In short, all disciplinary administration will now be managed centrally by The FA’s County FA Discipline Service team, who will be responsible for:

- All disciplinary investigations
- Preparing case files
- Raising charges
- Arranging hearings
- Liaising with victims
- Administering suspensions
- Delivering discipline services that meet the needs of customers
Surrey FA will continue to handle and manage all their own disciplinary matters.
USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees
Let us know what you think...
If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk
