The question is "When can a player be penalised, booked or sent off?" I have my doubts but there must be time when the players arrive at the stadium or ground when they cease to be public property and begin to be an appurtenance. An incident in the tunnel, a fight in the public lavs, some rude comment to an official as they walk through the stadium gates. Let's be serious!
Chippenham forward David (aptly named) Pratt met his doom in 3 seconds for a reckless challenge on a Bashley opponent on December 27th 2009 (still recovering from Christmas excesses?).
Cross Farm Park Celtic's (make your mind up about your name lads) Lee Todd went in 2 seconds (do the refs actually look at their watch as the crime happens?) for foul language. The story goes that as the ref blew his whistle (not a euphemism) to start the game against Taunton East Reach Wanderers (what is it with west country teams and lengths of names?), Todd said "F*** me, that was loud" and duly was walked! "I was only talking to myself", said Lee.
Giuseppe Lorenzo left his Bologna side one short against Parma when he hit an opponent after 10 seconds in a league game in 1990 and Keith Gillespie, for the Blades, in a Premier League game in January 2007, came on as a sub against Reading and elbowed an opponent in 0 (ZERO) seconds before the ref restarted the game.
There are many other examples (Stevie Gerrard 38 secs v United in 2015?) and remember, once you are indentified as a partaking footballer at the venue, you are vulnerable to the whims of the officials!!
If one of your named starting players is sent off before the game begins he may be replaced with a sub. A named sub "sent off" before or after the game begins may not be replaced.
In 2002 the Blades again v WBA had their match abandoned after 82 minutes when they had 3 players sent off and 2 injured....clever plot that....managers not very happy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDsjY3uFdE
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