Playing out of year

I wanted to ask if a boy is out of year by 8 days and has been deferred to the school year below. If it is in his best interest socially, psychologically and emotionally is he able to play in his school year group. His age (by 8 days) would put him in the year above but he is deferred at school year due to medical reasons (for the mum during pregnancy). His due date was in September. He has been excluded from his current class school sports social circle as most of the sporty boys that all play together (including him at school) are in this team. They train and play together 2 x a week and have forrmed their own social circle excluding him. Even though they play football together at school competitively. He has been excluded from the out of school football team for his current year and asked to play in the year above with boys he does not know.

  • This is a really helpful question.  I have a boy in the same position in my U7s team (I coach U8s, and he may be moving up to us).  Currently he trains with his school friends, but he is too old by 14 days, and we have to get dispensation from the FA for him to play down a year, and permission from every team we play against, for him to be able to play.  I've been advised by more experienced coaches to move him up to the "correct" year group for his date of birth, even if that is not with his friends, as it apparently gets more problematic the older they get (more objections tend to be received). I don't know what we will do with this boy, but I hope the decision will involve input from his parents.

  • If you been confirmed from the fa with the dispensation. How comes you still have to ask every team if they can play befor u play as you have already been authorised