How Plymouth Argyle were allowed to make four lots of substitutions in defeat at Sheffield Wednesday
Plymouth Argyle were able to make substitutions on four separate occasions during their 1-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Injuries to star men Dan Scarr and Michael Cooper saw them replaced by Nigel Lonwijk and Callum Burton respectively in separate occasions in a full-throttle first half, while both Ryan Hardie and Sam Cosgrove replaced Joe Edwards and Ben Waine at half-time.
The further replacement of Callum Wright by his namesake Tyreik in the 74th minute prompted a head-scratch or two in the Wednesday terraces, with many believing that clubs could only make changes on three occasions during a match.
The devil is in the detail of the ruling, however, is that clubs can only stoppages in play to make substitutions three times – meaning that subs made at half-time do not count towards that tally of three.
Rumours online that the substitution of Cooper had been dealt with as a ‘concussion sub’, which also would not count towards a maximum of three substitute stoppages – were false.
A statement released by the EFL ahead of the start of the season read in part: “For League matches during the 2021/22 season, Clubs were able to field three substitutes from seven nominated, which has now increased following Friday's Annual General Meeting (AGM) when EFL Clubs approved a number of regulation changes that will come into effect immediately.
“Each Club is only permitted a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during the fixture, plus an opportunity at half-time, and a Club may make more than the one substitution at each of these opportunities.”