Following a successful trial period, The FA have brought in temporary dismissals, or sin-bins, from the start of the 2019/20 season.

Sin-bins have become mandatory for all leagues at Step 7 or below in the men’s game, Step 5 and below in the women’s game, and for all junior football leagues across the country.

The aim is to reduce and put a stop to dissent received by referees on a regular basis. Derbyshire County FA has provided ‘sin-bin training’ across the county to ensure that referees, teams and leagues are fully prepared for the start of the season - Pride Park FC attended briefings provided to Derby City and Derbyshire Girls and Ladies Leagues respectively during the close season, details have been circulated to coaches, and were first briefed in a news item on 28th May - see Here

How will it work?

• The referee will take the name of the offending player
• A yellow card will be issued and shown
• Referee to point to the touchline where the player must go (there will be no specific Sin Bin area)

How long does it last?

• Sin Bin to last for 10 minutes in matches of a 90 minute duration
• Sin bin to last for 8 minutes in all other matches
• The Sin Bin period only commences when the referee restarts play
• Referee will include any lost time (i.e injury delay)
• Referee is the sole arbitrator of time and as to when the player can return (permission can be given when the ball is in play)

Offending Player

• Cannot be substituted until the Sin Bin period has expired
• Can take part in a penalty shootout – even if the Sin Bin period has not expired (i.e. end of extra time)
• Must be in the Sin Bin for active playing time (i.e. Sin Bin to continue into 2nd half if required)
• Defined as being in the Sin Bin from the moment they are cautioned for Dissent (even if play has not yet restarted)
• Any player who has been Temporarily Dismissed and commits a further yellow or red card offence whilst in the Sin Bin cannot take any further part in the game and cannot be substituted

On-Field Sanctions
All Dissent cautions must be dealt with via the Sin Bin process whereas cautions for all other offences (Unsporting Behaviour, Persistent Infringement etc.) will remain unaffected. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned as per the guidelines below.

Key sin-bin information

• Players will be sent to the sin-bin, initially, if they are cautioned for dissent.
• Sin-bins only apply to players – not substitutes or coaching staff.
• Sin-bins will last for 10 minutes in 90 minute matches, 8 minutes in matches of any other length.
• All sin-bins will be reported by the referee but there will be no admin fee charged

Whilst two cautions in a game, of which one is for dissent, don’t lead to a red card (but two yellow cards for other offence do still lead to a red card), cumulative cautions for dissent do have on-field consequences - the table (see attached) summarises the various processes for how dissent and sin-bins will be dealt with and distributed.

In the past, referees may have been initially reluctant to resort to a caution in instances of dissent, and the new arrangements provide an additional tool for them to manage on-field behaviour as part of a stepped approach.

The evidence suggests the new approach is proving effective in reducing instances of dissent. However, notwithstanding the widespread problem with dissent in the game, this change isn’t something our players should be too concerned about - cards of either colour are a fairly rare occurrence, and we haven’t seen one for dissent for any of our current teams since 2014/15, which reflects well on our players, and on the standards we set.

There’s no room for complacency, however, as one of the consequences of the new arrangements may be that referees are more willing to give cautions for dissent, and send the culprits to the sin bin, as the first step in managing on-pitch behaviour.