With high-level football set to have trials of sin bins, what have the results been when used at grassroots level? We asked those who know
This is an updated version of an article first published in December 2023. It was the summer of 2019 when Mark Bullingham outlined a new era for grassroots football across England. An initial pilot period that had spanned two seasons and 31 regional leagues had convinced the Football Association that sin bins should be introduced at each and every amateur level.
— has looked to the For the last four years — and even longer in parts of the country where the FA’s trials were first held — players have been sent to the sin bin for dissent. It’s the same in the men’s and women’s games, junior and senior: chat back, get binned.
intend to use in its own trials. Advertisement The FA’s numbers back up its arguments. In 2019, when rolled out nationwide, it was said that 25 of its 31 trial leagues had seen a reduction in dissent and, tellingly, the overwhelming majority of players, coaches and officials wanted sin bins to be continued. A sin-binning is still common enough on any given Sunday.