How Plymouth Argyle were allowed to make four lots of substitutions in defeat at Sheffield Wednesday

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.

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“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.”