|
SILVER
STREET VOLKSWAGEN
TAUNTON
AND DISTRICT SATURDAY FOOTBALL LEAGUE
(Est.
1920)
GENERAL RULES
1.
NOMENCLATURE
AND CONSTITUTION
1.1
The Competition shall be
designated the Silver Street Volkswagen Taunton and District Saturday Football
League and shall consist of not more than fifty-two (52) teams representing
Member Clubs who shall be Full Members.
1.2
All
such Member Clubs must be affiliated to the Somerset Football Association
Limited and their names and particulars shall be returned annually by the
appointed date on Form “D”. The area covered by the Competition Membership
shall be within a radius of
Taunton
not exceeding forty (40) miles. Any Member Club being within the
County
of
Devon
shall also affiliate to Devon Football Association.
1.3
The
Competition shall apply annually for sanction to the Somerset Football
Association Limited. The constituent teams of Member Clubs shall be grouped in
two or more Divisions with each Division not exceeding thirteen (13) teams in
number according to the number of teams in membership.
1.4
In
addition to the above, the League shall be responsible for the organisation and
running of the following competitions:-
1.4.1
League
Knock-Out Cup
1.4.2
Seward
Memorial Cup
1.4.3
Gardner
Security Trophy
1.4.4
West
Somerset
Rose Bowl
(See
Appendices A-D)
together
with any other competitions that may be found necessary to provide sufficient
competitive football for all, or some of, the Member Clubs in the League.
1.5
Member
Clubs shall not enter any of their teams playing in the above competitions in
any other competitions within the playing season (with the exception of Football
Association and County Football Association Competitions and the Rowbarton
Charity Cup – see Appendix E) except with the written consent of the
Management Committee of the League.
1.6
At
the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose,
a majority of the delegates present shall have power to decide or adjust the
compilation of the Divisions at their discretion. When necessary, this Rule
shall take precedence over Rule 12.
2.
ENTRY
FEE, SUBSCRIPTION, DEPOSIT
2.1
Applications by clubs for
admission to this League’s competitions or the entry of an additional team(s)
must be made in writing to the General Secretary ten (10) days before the date
fixed for the Annual General Meeting in each season.
2.2
For
new clubs, such applications shall be considered at the Annual General Meeting
of the League and ruled upon by the Management Committee who will, if necessary,
arrange an inspection of a ground and facilities before final approval is
granted.
2.3
Changing
accommodation used by each club must contain a minimum of two (2) hot
working showers per team.
2.4
The
Annual Subscription for each team shall be £70 of which £35 must be paid on or
before the 31 August each year; the balance remaining to be paid by 31 December
following.
2.5
Each
new club shall with their first instalment of Annual Subscription pay a
deposit of £20 which shall be returnable to clubs on leaving the Competition
provided they have fulfilled their fixtures and complied with all orders of the
Management Committee and where they request a refund of such deposit within 28
days of leaving the competition.
2.6
A
club shall not participate in this Competition until the first instalment of the
Annual Subscription and Deposit, where applicable, have been paid.
2.7
Clubs
must advise annually to the General Secretary in writing by 1 August of its
Somerset Football Association Limited affiliation number for the coming season,
failing which they shall be fined £10.00.
2.8
Clubs
must advise the General Secretary in writing, or on the prescribed form, of
details of its Headquarters, officers and, in addition to the home telephone
number of the Club Secretary, also the home telephone number of at least one
other responsible named person who should be contactable on Friday evenings and
Saturday mornings.
2.9
All
new clubs shall complete a questionnaire issued by the League which must
be submitted, together with the official application form, no later than the
date specified in paragraph 2.1 above.
3.
OFFICERS
3.1
The Officers of the competitions shall be the President,
Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Fixtures Secretary,
Referees Secretary, Registration Secretary and Press Officer (to be elected
annually at the Annual General Meeting).
4.
MANAGEMENT, NOMINATION, ELECTION
4.1
The competitions shall be governed in accordance with the Rules and
Regulations of the Football Association by a Management Committee
comprised of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer,
Fixture’s Secretary, Referee’s Secretary, Registration Secretary, Press
Officer and elected Club representatives (2 per Division) with power to
co-opt.
4.2 Officers
and club representatives forming the Management Committee shall be elected at
the Annual
General Meeting.
4.3
Retiring Officers shall be eligible to become candidates for re-election
without nomination. All other candidates
for election as Officers or club representatives
on the Management Committee shall be nominated to the
General Secretary in writing, signed by the secretaries of two
Member Clubs, not later than fourteen (14)
days prior to the date of the
Annual General Meeting in each year.
4.4 Names of the candidates for
election shall be circulated with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.
4.5 In
the event of there being no nomination in accordance with the foregoing for any
office, nominations may be
received at the Annual General
Meeting.
4.6 The
Management Committee meeting shall normally be held on the second or last
Wednesday or Thursday in
September, November, January and March at
7.30
p.m.
unless otherwise notified by the General Secretary, to
deal with business as it arises.
4.7 After
each meeting, a Newsletter will be issued to all member clubs
within 14 days. Minutes of meetings will
be produced and made available for inspection on request.
4.8 On
receiving a requisition signed by two-thirds of the member clubs, the
General Secretary shall convene a
Special General Meeting of the League.
4.9 Non-attendance
at a Special General Meeting will result in any defaulting clubs being fined £20.00.
Apologies
will be recorded but the fine imposed.
4.10
Except
where otherwise mentioned, all communications shall be
addressed to the General Secretary who
shall conduct the correspondence of the League and its associated competitions
and keep a record of its
proceedings.
4.11 All communications
received from clubs must be conducted through
their Secretary or, in his/her absence,
another nominated Officer.
4.12 Not
less than seven (7) days notice shall be given of any meeting.
5.
POWERS OF MANAGEMENT
5.1
The Management Committee may
appoint and delegate sub-committees as they deem necessary such as
their powers.
5.2
The decision of all such sub-committees shall be reported to the
Management Committee for ratification.
5.3
Subject to the permission of the Somerset Football Association
Limited having been obtained, the Management Committee may order a match
or matches to be played each season, the proceeds to be devoted to the funds of
the Competition and, if necessary, may call upon
each club (including any club which may have withdrawn during the season) to
contribute equally such sums as may be necessary to
meet any deficiency at the end of the season.
5.4
Each Member of the Management Committee shall have the right to
attend and vote at all Management Committee Meetings and have one vote
thereat, but no Member shall be allowed to vote on any matters directly
appertaining to such Member or to the Club so represented.
(This shall apply to the procedure of any sub-committee).
5.5
In the event of the voting being equal on any matter, the Chairman shall
have a casting vote.
5.6
The Management Committee shall have powers to apply, act upon
and enforce the Rules of the Competitions and shall also have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the competitions, including
any not provided for in the Rules.
5.7
Except where these Rules provide for the imposition of a set penalty, any
club, official or player alleged to be in breach of a Competition Rule must be
formally charged in writing and given the opportunity to
present their case before the Management Committee.
5.8
All breaches of the laws of the Game, Rules and Regulations of the
Football Association shall be dealt with in accordance with F.A. Rules.
5.9
All decisions of the Management Committee shall be binding subject
to the right of appeal to the Board of Appeal in accordance with Rule 16.
5.10
Decisions
of the Management Committee must be notified in writing to those concerned
within fourteen (14) days from the date of the meeting.
5.11
One-third
of Members of the Management Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Management
Committee and one-third Members shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of the business by any sub-committee of the
competitions or full members’
meetings.
5.12
The
Management Committee, as it may deem necessary, shall have power to fill in an acting capacity, any vacancies that may occur
amongst their number.
5.13
A
club having failed to comply with an order or instruction of the Management
Committee, or failing to satisfactorily attend to the
business and/or the correspondence of the Competition, shall be liable to
be fined or otherwise penalised at the discretion of the Management Committee.
5.14
All
fines and charges shall be paid within twenty-eight (28) days of the date of
posting of the written notification.
5.15
If
any invoice remains unpaid after twenty-eight (28) days of its date, a fine of
£10.00 will be levied. An additional £8.00 fine will be imposed on
any invoice still outstanding after a further fourteen (14) day period.
5.16
The
Treasurer shall report all such outstanding invoices at each meeting of the Management Committee.
5.17
Clubs,
officials or individuals committing a breach of Rules 5.14 and
5.15 will incur such additional penalties as the Management Committee may
impose.
5.18
A
member of the Management Committee appointed by the
Competition to attend a meeting or match may have any expenses incurred refunded by the Competition.
5.19
The
Management Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may occur in
the membership of the Competition between the
Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called to decide
the constitution and the commencement of the Competition season.
5.20
A
Sub-Committee (see Rule 5.1) with delegated powers to conduct League business
when appropriate, shall consist of a maximum of six
(6) members appointed by the Management Committee but there shall not be
more than two elected representatives per club, together with
the appointed Officers of the League.
5.21
At
all meetings of Sub-Committees every member shall have a vote,
except on matters directly appertaining to such member or to the
club so represented, with the
Chairman having the casting vote.
- ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING
6.1
The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held not later than
fourteen (14) days after the Somerset Football Association Annual General Meeting in each year. At this meeting the
following business shall be
transacted provided that at least one-third of Members are
present and entitled to vote.
6.1.1
To receive and confirm the
Minutes of the preceding Annual General Meeting.
6.1.2
To consider any business
arising therefrom.
6.1.3
To receive and adopt the Annual
Report, Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts .
6.1.4
To review the honorarium paid
to the General Secretary, Treasurer, Fixtures Secretary, Referees Secretary,
Registration Secretary and Press Officer.
6.1.5
Election of clubs to fill
vacancies.
6.1.6
Constitution of the Competition
for ensuing season.
6.1.7
Election of Officers
(President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Fixtures
Secretary, Referees Secretary, Registration Secretary, Press Officer and club
representatives (2 per Division) onto the Management Committee [Note: club
representatives must be a club secretary].
6.1.8
Election of Vice Presidents.
6.1.9
Election of Team Manager(s).
6.1.10
Appointment of Auditor.
6.1.11
Alteration to Rules, if any (of
which notice has been given).
6.1.12
Fix the date for the
commencement and conclusion of the playing season.
6.1.13
Other business of which due
notice shall have been given and accepted as being relevant to an Annual General
Meeting.
6.2
A copy of the Agenda, duly audited Balance Sheet and Statement of
Accounts shall be forwarded to each Club at least seven (7) days
prior to the meeting and to the
Somerset Football Association
Limited.
6.3
A signed copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts
shall be sent to the Somerset Football
Association Limited within
fourteen (14) days of its adoption by the Annual General
Meeting.
6.4
Each Member Club shall be empowered to send two delegates to an
Annual General Meeting. Each club shall be entitled to one vote only.
6.5
Clubs who have withdrawn their membership of the Competition
during the season being concluded or who are not continuing in
membership shall be entitled to attend but shall vote only on matters
relating to the season being concluded.
6.6
All voting shall be conducted by a show of hands unless a ballot be
demanded by at least 50% of the delegates qualified to vote or the Chairman so
decides.
6.7
No individual shall be entitled to vote on behalf of more than one
Member Club.
6.8
Any continuing Member Club failing to be represented at the Annual
General Meeting shall be fined £20.00. Apologies will be recorded but the fine
imposed.
6.9
Officers of the Management Committee shall be entitled to attend
and vote at an Annual General
Meeting. Elected representatives shall be entitled to one vote only as
their club representative. Should an elected club representative be unable to
attend, another representative of that club will be entitled to vote in their
absence.
7
AGREEMENT
TO BE SIGNED
7.1
The Chairman and Secretary of each club shall complete and sign the
following Agreement which shall be deposited with the Competition together with
the Application for Membership for the coming season or upon indicating that the
club intends to compete.
“We, ……………………….. of ………………………
(Chairman) and
………………. …. of
……………………………………. (Secretary) of
the …………………………………… Football Club have been
provided with a copy of the Rules and Regulations of the Taunton and District
Saturday Football League and its associated competitions and do
hereby agree for and on behalf of the said Club, if elected or
accepted into membership, to conform
to those Rules and Regulations and to accept, abide by and implement the
decisions of the Management Committee of the Competitions, subject to the right
of appeal in accordance with Rule 16.
(Note:
the spaces above are intended for the inclusion of the names, addresses and
signatures of the Club Officers mentioned).
7.2
Any alteration of the Chairman and/or Secretary in the above
Agreement must be notified to the Somerset Football Association Limited
to which the club is affiliated and to the General Secretary of the Competition.
7.3
In addition to the above, the following information must be complied with:
7.3.1
The Club Secretary of a new club and any newly elected Club
Secretary of any existing club must, prior to the commencement of the Season,
undertake induction training on each of their duties
and responsibilities. A club’s acceptance into the League will be conditional
upon the completion of such training.
7.3.2
Clubs have a “duty of care” and must take all reasonable steps to
minimise the risk of injury to their
players and to the players of the opposition team. This fact must be
clearly explained to everyone involved with
the club. More especially, a club must ensure that nothing is omitted to
be done or done which is likely to
cause bodily injury to the public, club members or others and extends to
the preparation of any pitches for
which it is responsible. Clubs should also take great care that any
obligations under pitch hire agreements are
complied with. All Clubs must have a suitable First Aid Kit available at each of
their matches.
7.3.3 Clubs must
support the FA Code of Conduct (reproduced
in these Rules at Appendix G, H and I)
and prepare their own Code of Conduct particularly
highlighting what internal action the club propose to take in dealing
with any player’s indiscipline and/or
misconduct.
7.3.4 A copy
of each club’s Code of Conduct must be lodged with the
General Secretary, together with an application form to join the League and
Membership Agreement Form as per Rules 2.1 and 7.1.
Failure to do so will result in a fine of £10.
8.
QUALIFICATION OF PLAYERS
8.1
Contract players, as defined in
Football Association Rules, are not permitted in this League’s competitions.
8.2
A registered playing member of
a club is one who, being in all other respects eligible, has:-
8.2.1
Fully and correctly completed
in ink and CAPITAL LETTERS, a registration form. This must be signed by the
player and countersigned by the Club Secretary or, in his/her absence, an
approved nominated Officer, and who has been registered with the Registration
Secretary by 12 noon on the day of the match prior to such player being allowed
to play in a League match.
8.2.2
Clubs must forward to the
Registration Secretary, registration forms for sufficient players to form a team
seven (7) days before their first fixture or in default be fined £10.00.
8.2.3
Forms shall be acknowledged by
the Registration Secretary. Incomplete or ineligible forms will be returned to
clubs unregistered for which a £2.00 administrative charge will be levied.
8.2.4
Registrations are valid for one
Season only.
8.3
A player having played more
than five (5) senior matches shall cease to be eligible for junior
football but shall be allowed to apply for reinstatement. Such application
forms, in writing, must be in the hands of the Registration Secretary by
12 noon
on the day of the match. Reinstatements shall be limited to three (3) per club
in any one (1) calendar month.
8.4
Should a reinstated player
subsequently play a further five (5) or more senior matches, then a
further reinstatement must be authorised.
8.5
In any match after the last day
of February, no club may play more than three (3) players who have been
reinstated after February 1st. (Any players reinstated prior to
February 1st do not count in this total).
8.6
No reinstatements shall be
granted after the last day of February in each season.
8.7
A registration fee of £2.00
will be levied for each reinstatement request. [An invoice for this fee will be
issued by the Treasurer].
8.8
Applications must be signed by
the Club Secretary, or in his/her absence, a nominated (approved) officer, and
shall be acknowledged by the Registration Secretary.
8.9
For the purpose of this
Competition, senior competitions are as listed in the Somerset
Football Association Limited’s Handbook.
8.10
A player having taken part in
matches for any club affiliated to any County Football Association shall not be
allowed to join, be transferred to, or sign for a club in the Competition
without first proving to the Officials of the intended club that the player has
discharged all reasonable financial liabilities to the previous club, or clubs,
and a Club Official may not accept such player’s signature without first
ascertaining whether such claims have been discharged to the satisfaction of the
club, or clubs, for which the player last played.
8.11
Registration forms shall be
obtained from the Registration Secretary or may be down loaded from The League
Website (www.tdsfl.net)
8.12
The Management Committee shall
decide on all registration disputes.
8.13
In the event of a player
signing a registration form or having a registration submitted for more than one
(1) club, priority of registration by the League shall decide for which club the
player shall be registered. The Registration Secretary shall notify the club
last applying to register the player of the fact of the previous registration.
8.14
It shall be deemed misconduct
for a player to:-
8.14.1
Play for more than one
(1) club in the League Competition in the same season without first being
transferred.
8.14.2
Having signed for one
(1) club in the Competition, sign for another club in the Competition in that
season except for the purpose of a transfer.
8.14.3
Submit a signed registration
form for registration that the player had wilfully neglected to accurately or
fully complete.
8.15
The Management Committee shall
have power to accept, refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player
or may fine any player at their discretion proved guilty of registration
irregularities (subject to Rule 16).
8.16
The Management Committee shall
have power to fine, refuse and/or cancel the registration of any player found
guilty of undesirable conduct and to disqualify the player in question from
participating in all matches in all Competitions (subject to Rule 16).
Especially, any player suspended twice in a season may be brought before
the Management Committee, or a Panel appointed by it, which may result in
further action being taken. [Suspensions relate to those imposed by the
Somerset
and Devon F.A.’s]
[Note:
Action under paragraph 8.16 above shall not be taken against a player for
misconduct on the field of play until the matter has been dealt with by the
appropriate Association, and then only in cases of the player bringing the
Competition into disrepute.]
8.17
Subject to the Football
Association Rules – a copy of which is available from the General Secretary
– dealing with players without a written contract when a player desires a
transfer, the club the player wishes to transfer to shall submit a transfer form
to the Registration Secretary together with a registration form duly completed
in accordance with Rule 8.2.1 (having first referred such transfer to the club
for which the player is registered). Should this club object to the transfer it
should state its objections in writing to the Registration Secretary and to the
player concerned within seven (7) days of receipt of the transfer form. Upon
receipt of the club’s consent, the Registration Secretary will, on behalf of
the Management Committee, transfer the player who shall be deemed eligible to
play for the new club once receipt of such transfer has been authorised by
him/her. A registration fee of £5.00 will be payable for each transfer. [An
invoice for this fee will be issued by the Treasurer]. (Please also see Rule
8.10)
8.18
In the event of an objection to
a transfer, the matter shall be referred to the Management Committee for a
decision.
8.19
A player may not be transferred
to another club in the Competition after the last day of February in each
season.
8.20
A club shall keep a list of the
players it registers and a record of the games in which they have played and
shall produce such records upon demand by the Management Committee. Failure to
produce such records shall result in a fine of £10.
8.21
A register containing the names
of all players registered for each club, with the date of registration, shall be
kept by the Registration Secretary and shall be open to the inspection of any
duly appointed Member Club representative at times mutually agreed with the
Registration Secretary.
8.22
A player shall not be eligible
to play for more than one (1) team in any of the competitions organised
by the League other than in the League Championships.
8.23
Other Rules of eligibility are
contained in those Competition’s Rules – see Appendices A-E.
8.24
Any team playing an
unregistered or otherwise ineligible player or players shall have the points
gained in the match deducted from its total and may be fined and/or otherwise
dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee. The Management
Committee may also order the match to be replayed.
8.25
In addition the team may have
further points deducted from its total at the discretion of the Management
Committee and may be dealt with in any further manner which is thought to be fit
including the imposition of a fine.
8.26
The Management Committee in exceptional
circumstances may, at its discretion, award any points deducted from a club
under Rule 8 to the opponents in the match in question, subject to the match not
being ordered to be replayed.
8.27
Where a club signs a player in
full-time secondary education, the following will apply:-
8.27.1
Priority must be given at all
times to school and school organisations activities.
8.27.2
The availability of children
must be cleared with the Head Teachers (except for Sunday Leagues).
8.27.3
Children under 14 shall not
play in a team involving players who are more than two (2) years older.
[Note:
For players under the age of eighteen (18), the provisions contained in
Football Association Rules will apply].
9.
CLUB COLOURS, CLUB NAME
9.1
Every
club must register the colour of its shirts and shorts with the General
Secretary on its application form who shall decide as to their suitability.
9.2
Goalkeepers
must wear colours which distinguish them from other players and the Referee.
9.3
No
player, including the goalkeeper, shall be permitted to wear black or very dark
shirts.
9.4
Any
team not being able to play in its normal colours as registered with the
Competition shall notify the colours in which they will play to its opponents at
least five days before the match.
9.5
In
the event of a clash of colours, the home team shall change into
non-conflicting colours. Teams must wear colours as described in the League
Handbook under their name unless a change has previously been notified to the
General Secretary.
9.6
The
General Secretary may request shirts to be submitted if complaints are received
as to lack of distinguishing colours and the Management Committee may refuse to
permit any shirts or shorts as they think fit. Shirts must be numbered.
9.7
Any
club wishing to change its name and/or colours must obtain permission from
it’s Affiliated County Association and from the Management Committee.
10.
PLAYING
SEASON, CONDITIONS OF PLAY
TIMES
OF KICK-OFF, POSTPONEMENTS, SUBSTITUTES
10.1
The
Annual General Meeting shall determine the commencing and concluding dates for
the ensuing season which shall be in accordance with Football Association Rules.
10.2
Fixtures,
including reserved dates for cup matches, will be prepared by the Fixtures
Secretary and posted on the League Website (www.tdsfl.net)
and issued to those Clubs requesting a paper copy, on a monthly basis. All
fixtures should normally be completed by the last day in April in each season
which will commence on the first Saturday in September, subject to fixtures
being prepared at the discretion of the Fixtures Secretary prior to this date.
10.3
Fixtures
may be amended at the discretion of the Fixtures Secretary to ensure the playing
of as many matches as possible on any given date. League matches must be given
preference over friendly games.
10.4
Notification
of a change to a published fixture will be by an official notification issued by
the Fixtures Secretary which notification must be acknowledged by the Secretary
of the Club involved. Clubs in default will be dealt with by the Management
Committee.
10.5
All
matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by
the International Football Association Board.
10.6
Clubs
must take all reasonable precautions to keep their grounds in a playable
condition. All matches shall be played on pitches deemed suitable by the
Management Committee. If through any fault of the home team a match has to be
replayed, the Management Committee shall have power to order the venue to be
changed.
10.7
The
Management Committee shall have power to decide whether a pitch and/or
facilities are suitable for matches in the Competition and to order the club
concerned to play its fixtures on another ground.
10.8
All
matches shall have a duration of 90 minutes unless a shorter time (not less than
70 minutes) is mutually agreed by the two captains in consultation with the
Referee prior to the commencement of the match, and in any event shall be of
equal halves. All such matches shall be considered to be league matches unless
the Management Committee from the knowledge of other circumstances (unknown to
the Referee at the time of the match) deem that the match be replayed.
10.9
In
the event of a match not being finished, or being ordered to be replayed owing
to circumstances over which neither team has any control, the Fixtures Secretary
shall arrange the replay.
10.10
In
the event of a short time match of seventy (70) minutes or over, in which a full
first half has been played, the result at the end of play shall stand unless any
outstanding circumstances warrant the Management Committee ordering a replay.
Any such replay shall be arranged by the Fixtures Secretary
10.11
All
Saturday matches kick-off times shall be
2.30
p.m.
for league matches and
2.00
p.m.
for cup matches. Evening matches shall commence not later than
6.30
p.m.
Kick-off times including those for holiday fixtures, may be varied at the
discretion of, or with the consent of, the Fixtures Secretary. (Kick-off times
for Somerset Football Association matches may differ from these times).
10.12
Referees
must order matches to commence at the appointed time and must report all late
starts to the Competition for which the offending club shall be fined £5.00 for
the first fifteen (15) minutes or part thereof plus £2.00 for each succeeding
five (5) minutes or part thereof or otherwise be dealt with as the Management
Committee may determine.
10.13
The
home team must provide at least two footballs fit for play and the Referee shall
make a report to the Competition if footballs are unsuitable. Clubs in default
will be fined £10.00. Goal nets must be used.
10.14
Except
by permission of the Management Committee all matches must be played on the
dates originally fixed but priority shall be given to the Football Association
and all relevant County Association Cup Competitions. All other matches must be
considered secondary. Clubs may mutually agree to bring forward a match with the
consent of the Fixtures Secretary.
10.15
The
Secretary of the home club must give notice, if necessary, of full particulars
of the location of, and access to, the ground and time of kick-off to the
Secretary of the opposing club at least four (4) clear days prior to the
playing of the match.
10.16
Any
club failing to comply with Rule 10.15 shall be liable to a fine of £6.00.
10.17
Every
club shall play its best available qualified team or teams - but see definition
below - in all matches in the Competition.
Note: The intention of
this Rule is not to interfere with normal team selection by clubs, but to
prevent clubs deliberately fielding a weakened team in order to unreasonably
reserve players for another game or to boost the strength of another or lower
team. It is not intended that clubs must field higher team players
in lower teams when the higher team has no engagement. If, in the opinion of the
Management Committee, the substance or spirit of the Rule is obviously being
disregarded, the club or clubs concerned may be called to account for its/their
actions and shall be subject to such decisions as the Management Committee may
determine, despite the fact that Rule 8 has not been infringed).
10.18
In
the event of a club playing in any match with less than ten players may be fined
£5.00 for each missing player. A minimum of seven players will constitute a
team for a Competition match.
10.19
Any
club wishing to postpone a fixture must do so through the Fixtures
Secretary, who will notify the opposing team and the Referees’ Secretary.
Clubs must not deal direct with the other team except when directed to do
so by the Fixtures Secretary. Any club failing to comply shall be dealt with by
the Management Committee who may inflict any penalty it may deem suitable.
10.20
Teams
will be allowed to close two (2) dates between the second Saturday in
September and the last Saturday in April. Prior notification of these must be
given to the Fixtures Secretary by the 10th day of the previous
month. Any postponement not in accordance with the above will result in the team
forfeiting three points and being fined £20.00. For a second offence, a
further three points will be deducted and the fine will double to £40.00.
Any subsequent occurrence will result in the team being dealt with by the
Management Committee. Clubs postponing an evening fixture will be dealt with by
the Management Committee.
10.21
Postponements
made by telephone except those relating to unfit pitches must be confirmed
immediately in writing by the secretary of the club or in default be
fined £10.00. All postponed matches will be re-arranged by the Fixtures
Secretary.
10.22
Any
team failing to arrive for a pre-arranged fixture or postponing a match less
than two hours from the prescribed kick-off time shall forfeit three
points and be fined £30.00 and be dealt with by the Management Committee, and
shall also pay such reasonable out of pocket expenses to their opponent as may
be decided by the Management Committee, as they see fit, in the event of any
dispute between the clubs concerned. The Management Committee shall have power
to order a match to be played on a neutral ground or on their opponents’
ground if they are satisfied that such action is warranted by the circumstances.
10.23
Where
a club is forced to vacate their home ground before the end of the playing
season and still have outstanding home fixtures to play, these fixtures will be
played either on their opponent’s ground if both teams agree or on a neutral
ground which will be arranged by the Fixtures Secretary and which will be the
nearest available neutral ground to the home club. The home club will be
responsible for any expenses incurred for the ground together with normal match
expenses.
10.24
Where
a visiting club has caused a game, which should have been played when the home
side’s ground was available, to become outstanding because of the cancelling
of the fixture on their part, then the visiting side will be held responsible
for any reasonable expenses of the home side having to travel to the neutral
ground. Such expenses shall be at the current Somerset FA rate which is 25p per
mile. In such cases, the visiting team shall also reimburse all reasonable
ground and match expenses incurred by the home team.
10.25
In
the event of a match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which
neither club has control, it shall be played in its entirety on a date to be
notified by the Fixtures Secretary.
10.26
The
Management Committee shall have power to order a match to be played on a named
date or on or before a given date.
10.27
The
Management Committee shall review all abandoned matches and in a case where it
is to the advantage of the Competition and does no injustice to either club,
shall be empowered to order the score at the time of the abandonment to stand.
In all cases where the Management Committee are satisfied that a match was
abandoned owing to the conduct of one team or its club member(s) they shall be
empowered to award the points for the match to the opponents and/or take what
other action they may deem necessary. In cases where a match is abandoned owing
to the conduct of both teams or their club members, the Management Committee
shall take such action as they consider appropriate. Such action is subject to
any disciplinary action taken by the Somerset Football Association Limited.
10.28
A
club may at its discretion, and in accordance with the Laws of the Game, use three
(3) substitute players in any match in the League’s Competitions who may be
selected from five (5) players.
10.29
The
Referee shall be informed of the names of the substitutes not later than fifteen
(15) minutes before the start of the match.
10.30
A
player who has been selected, appointed or named as a substitute before the
start of the match but who does not actually play in the match shall not be
considered to have been a player in the match within the meaning of Rule 8 of
this Competition
10.31
The
half time interval shall be of ten (10) minutes duration but it shall not exceed
fifteen (15) minutes. The half time interval may only be altered with the
consent of the Referee.
11.
REPORTING
RESULTS
11.1
The
Referees’ Secretary must receive a team sheet from both teams within four
days of the date of each Competition match played (excluding Sundays). This must
include the match result, forename(s) and surname of the team players (IN
CAPITAL LETTERS) and also the Referee’s mark required by Rule 13 and/or
any other information required by the Competition. Failure to do so will incur a
fine of £5.00. Team sheets not produced within seven days of the
deadline will incur an additional £10.00 fine. Persistent offenders will be
dealt with by the Management Committee.
|