The starting point
A substitution entry in a report records a change in personnel. To discuss what was permitted, check the relevant law edition and the competition information for that season. A present-day allowance should not be applied retrospectively to an older match simply because the sport and team names are familiar.
A useful way to read the evidence
Keep a record of who replaced whom and any minute the source supplies. Preserve uncertainty when the minute is absent or conflicting. Do not infer an injury, tactical purpose or disciplinary reason solely from the change. An attributed explanation or a fuller contemporary account may support that additional detail; the substitution list alone usually answers a narrower question.
Keep in your notes
- Check law and competition context.
- Preserve the reported personnel change.
- Do not infer the reason.