Too many players on the field

[fiddlestick]

Team A is reduced to 10 men due to a red card early in the 2nd half. As the 2nd half goes along, it is discovered that the team has mistakenly put 11 men back on the field.
The referee and his assisant do not know who the last player to come on the field is, but one player volunteers that he was and takes a caution. The referee then also issues a caution to the captain of Team A (which ended up being a 2nd yellow).
This is an amateur Sunday men's league.

What law did the captain violate to earn the 2nd yellow?


I searched this thread:

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233475

but didn't find a specific answer to my question.

Please respond in 90 minutes or less so I can properly formulate an argument and avoid a fine and suspension for my team's captain at our D&R committee meeting later this evening :D

[MassachusettsRef]

If you (or a referee) wanted to get real technical, the "Additional Instructions to Referees", which are published by FIFA and carry the weight of law, have always said:

The captain of a team has no special status or privileges under the Laws of the Game but he has a degree of responsibility for the behavior of his team.

In this regard, if we're dealing with an amateur team (without a coach?), that intentionally played with 11 players instead of 10, it's likely that the captain was well aware and did nothing. To that extent, the referee was within his rights to caution the captain.

All that being said, it's a very unorthodox card if the referee didn't think/know that the captain was complicit in the misconduct. As long as the captain stands by a story that A) it was an honest mistake to play with 11 AND/OR B) he was unaware of the mistake, your protest should be along the lines of the punishment being excessive, because the "extra" player is already being cautioned. If, however, your team intentionally played with 11 players when it was supposed to be 10, and the captain knew it, then a yellow card for the captain--while still unorthodox--doesn't seem so harsh.

What was the result of the game? Were any goals scored when it was supposed to be 11 v. 10?

[fiddlestick]

If you (or a referee) wanted to get real technical, the "Additional Instructions to Referees", which are published by FIFA and carry the weight of law, have always said:



In this regard, if we're dealing with an amateur team (without a coach?), that intentionally played with 11 players instead of 10, it's likely that the captain was well aware and did nothing. To that extent, the referee was within his rights to caution the captain.

All that being said, it's a very unorthodox card if the referee didn't think/know that the captain was complicit in the misconduct. As long as the captain stands by a story that A) it was an honest mistake to play with 11 AND/OR B) he was unaware of the mistake, your protest should be along the lines of the punishment being excessive, because the "extra" player is already being cautioned. If, however, your team intentionally played with 11 players when it was supposed to be 10, and the captain knew it, then a yellow card for the captain--while still unorthodox--doesn't seem so harsh.

What was the result of the game? Were any goals scored when it was supposed to be 11 v. 10?
I can guarantee there was no intent to play with an additional player. We were also substituting right in front of an experienced (experienced in that he's officiated games for us for many years) AR on that side and he didn't catch it.

We only had 11 for 5 or 10 minutes and the game ended in a scoreless draw.

There were a couple, in my opinion, questionable yellows given for dissent (a player extending his arms after a call, said nothing verbally) and a hold away from the ball. Yet one player violently kicked the goal post twice while loudly yelling the f-word.
Also not deserving of a yellow--While the opposing team and fans are yelling at the ref about how many men we have on the field, me shouting above them "It doesn't matter how many damned players we have on the field because you haven't figured out how to get it past me (GK) yet!" :D

[MassachusettsRef]

In that case, I'd confine your protest to the fact that:

A) it was an honest mistake
B) your captain had no idea
C) the assistant referee didn't catch it
D) the "extra" player was duly punished
E) cautioning the captain amounts to double jeopardy--two players shouldn't be cautioned for the same single misconduct

I'd stay away from other complaints, like the weak dissent cards. The more focused you are on the particular incident, the better. The wider-net you cast, the more it looks like you're just complaining about the officiating in general (even if justified). Good luck.