| 1. |
General |
| 1.1 |
The competition will consist of 16 teams. |
| 1.2 |
The competition will be divided into two stages – a league stage and a knock-out stage. |
| 1.3 |
Entry to the competition is free but by invitation only to teams from the previous season's WAFFL. |
| 1.4 |
All prizes will be awarded at the end of the competition. |
| 1.5 |
Team selections must be registered online no later than 17:00 GMT on the day of the match. Failure to register your team in time will result in your selections being allocated randomly from the teams still available to you. |
| |
| 2 |
The League Stage |
| 2.1 |
Teams will be divided into four groups of four. |
| 2.2 |
Each team within a given group will play every other team in their group twice during the league stage on a home and away basis – i.e. the league stage will consist of 6 games for each team. |
| 2.3 |
Points will be awarded on the basis of three for a win, one for a draw and none for a defeat. |
| 2.4 |
The winners and runners-up in each group will qualify for the knockout stage. |
| 2.5 |
Team composition and goalscoring will be based on the teams competing in 3rd Qualifying Round and the first four weeks of the league phase of the European Champions’ League. |
| 2.6 |
If two or more teams within a group finish level on points, group positions will be decided based on the aggregate score from the two “head-to-head” matches between the relevant teams. |
| 2.7 |
If teams are still level, the “away goals count double” rule will be applied. |
| 2.8 |
If teams are still level, positions will be decided based on overall goal difference during the league stage and then goals scored. If all else fails, positions will be decided by payment of a suitable bung. |
| |
| 3. |
The Knock-Out Stage |
| 3.1 |
The eight qualifying teams from the group stage will then play through to a single winner via a knock-out stage. |
| 3.2 |
All rounds of the knock-out stage will be drawn at random. |
| 3.3 |
All games in the knock-out stage will be played over two legs (i.e. home and away basis) to determine an aggregate score. |
| 3.4 |
If aggregate scores are level after the second leg, the “away goals count double” rule will be applied. |
| 3.5 |
If aggregate scores are still level, the result will be determined by “extra-time” as explained below, again with away goals counting double if necessary. |
| 3.6 |
If aggregate scores are still level after extra-time the result will be determined by a penalty shoot-out as described below. |
| 3.7 |
If the penalty shoot-out fails to provide a clear winner, the biggest bung will obviously win. OK, I’ll toss a coin. |
| 3.8 |
Team composition and goalscoring for the LAM Quarter-Finals will be based on the final two weeks of matches in the league phase of the European Champions’ League. |
| 3.9 |
Team composition and goalscoring for the LAM Semi-Finals will be based on the first knock-out round of the European Champions’ League. |
| 3.10 |
Team composition and goalscoring for the LAM Final will be based on the Quarter-Final round of the European Champions’ League. |
| |
| 4 |
Team Composition |
| 4.1 |
Each team must consist of four components (a goalkeeper, a defence, a midfield and an attack) drawn
from the teams in the relevant stage of the European Champions’ League. |
| 4.2 |
For the league stage: |
| 4.2.1 |
Depending on the stage of the competition as outlined above, team components must be selected from the teams actually participating in the 3rd Qualifying Round or the first four matches of the group stage of the European Champions’ League. |
| 4.2.2 |
An entirely new team must be selected for every game. |
| 4.2.3 |
No team may be used twice during the league stage - i.e. you must select six different teams, each with four components. |
| 4.3 |
For the Quarter and Semi-Finals: |
| 4.3.1 |
Depending on the stage of the competition as outlined above, team components must be selected from those teams participating in the group stage or the appropriate knock-out round of the European Champions’ League. |
| 4.3.2 |
Teams previously used in the league stage may be used again during the knock-out stage. |
| 4.3.3 |
An entirely new team must be selected for each round of the knock-out – i.e. each team selection will play two legs and depending on your progress you will need to select a maximum of 3 different teams. |
| 4.3.4 |
With the exception of the final (see below) no team may be used twice during the knock-out stage. |
| 4.3.5 |
As well as the four standard components, one additional “extra-time” component must be selected for each of the knock-out rounds. In the event that aggregate scores are level after the two legs and after applying the “away goal” rule, each team’s score will be increased by the number of goals scored by their “extra time” component during their (UEFA) away match played relevant to the current knock-out stage. |
| 4.3.6 |
Each team must also select three “penalty takers” for each round. Penalty takers must be specifically ordered as first, second and third choice. |
| 4.3.7 |
No team which has already been used as a main component during the knock-out stage may be used as a either an extra-time component or a penalty taker. |
| 4.3.8 |
No team can be used as both an “extra time” component and a penalty taker during the same round. |
| 4.3.9 |
If scores are still level after extra-time (and the “away goals” rule), the match will be decided on penalties as follows: |
| 4.3.9.1 |
The goals scored by the three penalty takers in the (UEFA) away legs of the relevant round are totaled for each team. The team with the highest score wins. |
| 4.3.9.2 |
If scores are still level, the goals scored by the first choice penalty taker in the (UEFA) home leg of the relevant round are added. |
| 4.3.9.3 |
If necessary, the above step is repeated for the second and third choice penalty takers. |
| 4.3.10 |
A team used as an “extra-time” component or penalty taker may still be used for subsequent matches in any role (i.e. main, extra-time or penalty taker). |
| 4.4 |
For the Final: |
| 4.4.1 |
For the LAM Final, all eight teams remaining in the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals are available for selection subject only to the proviso in rule 4.4.2 |
| 4.4.2 |
Any team or teams not previously used in either the LAM Quarter-Finals or Semi-Finals must be used as one of the four main team components for the Final - i.e. they must be used as Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield or Attack. |
| |
| 5 |
Goalscoring |
| 5.1 |
The number of goals scored by your team in any match will be determined based on the performance of
the relevant components in the corresponding Champions’ League fixtures as follows: |
| 5.2 |
Each goal scored by the team providing your midfield and attacking components adds one goal to your
score for the match. |
| 5.3 |
Each goal conceded by your goalkeeper or defence components reduces your score by one goal. |
| 5.4 |
To simulate “home advantage”, away teams are automatically handicapped by one
goal. |
| 5.5 |
To determine the number of goals scored by your fantasy team, add the number of goals scored by
your attack and midfield teams and subtract the number of goals conceded by your defence and goalkeeper
teams. If you are the away team in the Loads-A-Money fixture subtract one additional
goal. The resulting total is the number of goals scored by your team. The number of goals
scored by your opponent is calculated in the same way based on their own team composition. |
| 5.6 |
If either team ends up with a negative score, the appropriate number of goals will be added to both
sides such that the negative score becomes 0. |
| 5.7 |
In the event of a Champions League match being postponed or abandoned, I will log the latest score
from the affected Loads-A-Money matches and then complete the scoring when the relevant matches are
eventually played. |
| 5.8 |
During the knock-out phase of the Champions League, if any match goes to extra-time then the score for LAM purposes will be that at the end of the regulation 90 minutes. |
| |
| 6 |
How to Enter |
| 6.1 |
Entry to the competition is by invitation only and based on the previous season's WAFFL competition. |
| 6.2 |
Qualifying managers will be contacted by me within one week of the end of the WAFFL season and must confirm their acceptance within a further two weeks. Failure to confirm acceptance will result in their place being forfeit and the invitation will be re-issued to the next eligible WAFFL manager. |
| 6.3 |
At the relevant time I will publish:
- A full list of teams and managers in each group.
- A full fixture list for each group.
- The European Champions’ League fixtures for the corresponding dates.
|
| 6.4 |
Once I have received all starting line-ups, I will collate the information and publish a full list
of team line-ups. |
| 6.5 |
After each round of matches I will publish the results and tables for all groups. |
| |
| 7 |
The Prizes |
| 7.1 |
A full list of prize monies will be published on this site prior to the start of the competition. |
| 7.2 |
Prize monies may be paid in different currencies upon request. The exact value of the prizes paid in this way will be determined based on the Sterling exchange rates prevailing at that
time. |
| |
| 8 |
The Only Rule Worth Anything |
| 8.1 |
In the event of any dispute or confusion, I am right and you are wrong. |