Until relatively recently, the age of players eligible for teams was a minefield of inconsistency and varied according to region and individual league rules.

However to fix the problem the FA have developed and issued a ruling to ensure consistency of application across the whole country.

Specifically the age group team that a player is eligible to join is determined by his or her date of birth - this typically also mirrors the school class year.

The key date is 31st August of the year (assuming September season start) and the chart below shows which age group applies for new season.

Age on 31st of August	School Year (September)	Football Age Group
Below 6	Year 1	Under 6
6	Year 2	Under 7
7	Year 3	Under 8
8	Year 4	Under 9
9	Year 5	Under 10
10	Year 6	Under 11
11	Year 7	Under 12
12	Year 8	Under 13
13	Year 9	Under 14
14	Year 10	Under 15
15	Year 11	Under 16
16	Year 12	Under 17
17	Year 13	Under 18

Current FA rules do permit a child to “Play Up” a year (an under 9 can play for under 10’s) but under no circumstances can a child play for the age group below.

As a club, Leighton United FC require that, for any player wishing to play up a year, a consensus of agreement is reached between both team coaches, the player's parents and, of course the player themselves.

We always try to consider what is best for the player, taking into account factors such as ability and physical development to avoid possible injuries playing against old, typically bigger, players.