THE HALLMARK SECURITY CHESHIRE ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL LEAGUE Founded 1948 Web site: www.cheshirefl.com Twitter: @cheshirefl
Inaugural Winners FA National League System Cup 2004
Handbook of League Officials and Rules
Season 2014-2015
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Tel: 0151 257 9996 THE HALLMARK SECURITY CHESHIRE ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL LEAGUE SEASON 2014/2015 Web Site: www.cheshirefl.com
PRESIDENT R ATHERTON (1980) Telephone 01606 43524 E-mail [email protected]
CHAIRMAN R M GOODWIN-DAVEY (2000) Telephone 07850 470306 E-mail [email protected]
VICE CHAIRMAN R WASHBURN (2001) Telephone 01606 44640 E-mail [email protected]
LIFE MEMBERS R ATHERTON (1980) Telephone 01606 43524
E B DAVIES (1982) Telephone 0161 881 5732 E-mail [email protected]
H REDMOND (1991) Telephone 01606 552841
T B RILEY (1981) Telephone 01625 614805
P R STANLEY (1990) Telephone 01606 77567 E-mail [email protected]
K J WEBB (1982) Telephone 0161 439 4583 E-mail [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENTS D G ADAMSON (2004)
V J CALDERBANK (2004) Telephone 0161 969 1156
G FOXALL (2001)
A HOUGH (1995-2001, 2003)
B McGUINNESS (2005) Telephone 0161 929 0021 E-mail [email protected]
D MURPHY (2001)
M G QUIGLEY (1997-2001, 2002) Telephone 07743 390427 E-mail [email protected]
P WAINWRIGHT (1994) Telephone 01270 668800 E-mail [email protected]
HONORARY SECRETARY & HONORARY DISCIPLINE SECRETARY L TAYLOR (2014) c/o 22 Birch Close, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 5XE Mobile 07792 809722 E-mail [email protected] HONORARY ASSISTANT SECRETARY M G DAVEY (2008) 4 Mount Grove, Gatley, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 4HR Telephone 0161 491 6132, Mobile 07739 007838 E-mail [email protected]
HONORARY TREASURER M WEBSTER (2001) 29 Townfield Lane, Barnton, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 4LH Mobile 07517 964120 E-mail [email protected]
HONORARY ASSISTANT TREASURER D MURPHY (2001) Telephone 0161 718 0523 E-mail [email protected]
NORTH WEST COMBINED COUNTIES REFEREE POOL MATCH OFFICIALS APPOINTMENTS OFFICER D G ADAMSON Telephone 07964 297224 E-mail [email protected]
NORTH WEST COMBINED COUNTIES REFEREE POOL ASSESSOR APPOINTMENTS OFFICER G P JOHNSON Telephone 07964 297225 E-mail [email protected]
HONORARY MATCH OFFICIALS APPOINTMENTS OFFICER G EDGELEY (2013) Telephone 07980 114156 E-mail General - [email protected] Closed Dates - [email protected] Appointment Confirmations - [email protected]
HON. MATCH OFFICIALS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER D J IRELAND (2013) Telephone 07980 114156 E-mail [email protected]
HON. FIXTURES SECRETARY R M GOODWIN-DAVEY (2000) Telephone 07850 470306 E-mail [email protected]
HONORARY REGISTRATIONS SECRETARY Mrs H REDMOND (1991) Telephone 01606 552841 Fax 0871 989 6267 E-mail [email protected]
HONORARY PRESS & MEDIA OFFICER LEAGUE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Miss K DAVEY (2005-2008, 2011) Mobile 07792 072509 E-mail [email protected]
CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER B McGUINNESS (2005)
LEAGUE MOA REPRESENTATIVE D G ADAMSON (2004)
DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES PREMIER – J WHITEHEAD (2011) LEAGUE ONE – P FORESTER (2014) LEAGUE TWO – VACANT RESERVE LEAGUE ONE – VACANT RESERVE LEAGUE TWO – J EVANS (2014) CUPS COMMITTEE D MURPHY (Chairman), V J CALDERBANK (Secretary), D G ADAMSON, G FOXALL, B McGUINNESS, R WASHBURN
CLUB and GROUND VETTING COMMITTEE R WASHBURN (Chairman & Secretary), R ATHERTON, M DAVEY, A HOUGH, D MURPHY, P R STANLEY, P WAINWRIGHT, M WEBSTER
FINANCE AND LEAGUE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE D MURPHY (Chairman), K DAVEY (Secretary), R ATHERTON, M DAVEY, J EVANS, P FORESTER, R M GOODWIN-DAVEY, P R STANLEY, M WEBSTER, J WHITEHEAD
PRESENTATION DINNER COMMITTEE B McGUINNESS (Chairman), R WASHBURN (Secretary), V J CALDERBANK, R M GOODWIN-DAVEY, K DAVEY
Chairman and Secretary are members of all Sub-Committees
REPRESENTATIVE TO MID CHESHIRE FA L TAYLOR
INTER LEAGUE TEAM MANAGER STEVE LLOYD Telephone 07753 284639 (M) E-mail [email protected]
BOARD OF APPEAL As appointed by the Football Association
HEADQUARTERS Winnington Park Recreation Club, Park Road, Northwich CW8 4EB Tel: 01606 79897 / 74049
ALL MEETINGS HELD AT WINNINGTON PARK RECREATION CLUB COMMENCING 7.30 pm
MEETING DATES 2014-2015
FULL COUNCIL 7 AUGUST 2014
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 4 SEPTEMBER 2014
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 2 OCTOBER 2014
FULL COUNCIL 6 NOVEMBER 2014
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 4 DECEMBER 2014
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 5 FEBRUARY 2015
FULL COUNCIL 5 MARCH 2015
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 2 APRIL 2015
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 7 MAY 2015
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING 21 MAY 2015 (Constitution 2015-2016)
PRESENTATION DINNER FRIDAY 5 JUNE 2015
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 11 JUNE 2015
TIMES OF KICK OFF - LEAGUE MATCHES
(Teams with floodlights may kick off at 3:00 pm with the prior agreement of the Management Committee or Full Council)
AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER (except last week) 3:00 pm LAST WEEK OCTOBER 2:00 pm NOVEMBER 2:00 pm DECEMBER 2:00 pm JANUARY 2:00 pm FEBRUARY 2:00 pm MARCH, APRIL, MAY 3:00 pm
Reserve Division Evening Matches to be Played Thursday Evenings, Unless Otherwise Advised by the League
PLAYERS PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE
All teams of this Competition shall have a valid Players Personal Accident Insurance policy having at least a minimum cover as specified by the Management Committee. The current minimum cover level is as follows:
Summary of Benefits: Accidental Death £7,500
Permanent Disabling Injuries £20,000
Out of Pocket Expenses £25.00 per week, payable for 4 weeks
Temporary Total Disablement £35.00 per week, payable after 14 days for up to 52 weeks
All Clubs must have Public Liability £10,000,000 Cover of at least
INTER LEAGUE RESULTS The Cooper Smith Annual Challenge Cup Cheshire League v West Cheshire League
1952 MCFL 1989 MCFL 1953 Joint Holders 1990 Joint Holders 1954 No Comp 1991 WCFL 1955 WCFL 1992 WCFL 1956 WCFL 1993 WCFL 1957 Joint Holders 1994 WCFL 1958 WCFL 1995 Joint Holders 1959-1961 No Comp 1996 WCFL 1962 MCFL 1997 Joint Holders 1963 WCFL 1998 MCFL 1964 WCFL 1999 Joint Holders 1965 MCFL 2000 Postponed 1966 MCFL 2001 MCFL 1967 WCFL 2002 Joint Holders 1968 MCFL 2003 WCFL 1969 Joint Holders 2004 MCFL 1970 MCFL 2005 Joint Holders 1971 Joint Holders 2006 MCFL 1972 MCFL 2007 WCFL 1973 MCFL 2008 WCFL 1974 WCFL 2009 No Comp 1975-1984 No Comp 2010 Joint Holders 1985 MCFL 2011 CFL 1986 WCFL 2012 No Comp 1987 Joint Holders 2013 No Comp 1988 WCFL
The North West Inter League Cup Winners Runners Up
2013 Cheshire League Manchester League
Jeff Walton Memorial Trophy 2014 TBC
FULL COUNCIL CLUB REPRESENTATIVES
ALTRINCHAM FC RESERVES CRAIG MALBON ASHTON TOWN FC RESERVES STEFAN OCHWAT BILLINGE FC LES PILLING CHEADLE TOWN FC RESERVES BRIAN LINDON CONGLETON VALE ROVERS FC GRAHAM BOOTH CREWE FC MAGGIE VICKERS CUDDINGTON FC SIMON SMITH DATEN FC TREVOR FARRINGTON DENTON TOWN FC STEVE DUNN EAGLE SPORTS FC COLIN HOPE EGERTON YOUTH CLUB FC AMANDA BERGIN FC WOODFORD BOB HASLAM GAMESLEY FC WEZ MORRELL GARSWOOD UNITED FC ANDY CLOUGH GOLBORNE SPORTS FC STE McLAUGHLIN GRAPPENHALL SPORTS FC RITA GRIFFITHS GREENALLS PADGATE ST OSWALDS FC KEN MAGILL IRLAM FC RESERVES WARREN DODD KNUTSFORD FC JIMMY EVANS LINOTYPE/CHEADLE HN FC GEORGE GIBBONS LOSTOCK GRALAM FC BOB BARROW MAINE ROAD FC RESERVES PADDY FLYNN MALPAS FC JIM DESMOND MERSEY VALLEY FC DAVE WOOD MIDDLEWICH TOWN FC NATHAN MORRIS MOORE UNITED FC KEITH SHERIDAN PENLAKE FC DAVE HAYWARD PILKINGTON FC COLIN BIRCHALL POYNTON FC MARK WARBURTON RUDHEATH SOCIAL FC MIKE ALCOCK RYLANDS FC IAN FINCHETT SANDBACH UNITED FC JOHN CLAYTON STYAL FC JOHN WHITEHEAD TARPORLEY VICTORIA FC ANDY WILLIAMS WARRINGTON TOWN FC RESERVES TOBY MACORMAC WEST DIDSBURY & CHORLTON FC RESERVES ROB TURLEY WHALEY BRIDGE FC ELLA BUTTRILL WITTON ALBION FC RESERVES DIONNE MARTIN WYTHENSHAWE TOWN FC KENNY HOPE
NOMENCLATURE AND CONSTITUTION 1.(A) This Competition shall be designated the Cheshire Association Football League and known as The Hallmark Security Cheshire Association Football League and shall consist of not more than 48 Clubs who shall be Full Member Clubs.
(B) All such Member Clubs must be affiliated to an affiliated County Football Association and their names and particulars shall be returned annually by the appointed date on the Form "D" to The Football Association. The area covered by the Competition Membership shall be centred within a 35 mile radius of League Headquarters (Northwich).
This Competition shall apply annually for sanction to The Football Association and the constituent teams of Member Clubs may be grouped in 5 Divisions, 2 being divisions for reserve teams of member clubs.
(C) This Competition shall only permit one team from a Club to participate in the same division unless there is no viable alternative because of logistical issues and/or reasons linked to participation and geographical boundaries. This Competition will obtain the prior approval of the sanctioning Association in the event of a division comprising of more than one team from the same Club. This Competition will ensure that, where permission is given, teams from a Club operating in the same division are run as separate entities with no interchange of players other than via transfers of registration in accordance with Competition Rules.
(D) Inclusivity and Non-discrimination
(i) This Competition and each Member Club must be committed to promoting inclusivity and to eliminating all forms of discrimination
(ii) This Competition and each Member Club does not and must not [by its rules or regulations or] in any manner whatsoever unlawfully discriminate against any person within the meaning and scope of the Equality Act 2010 or any law, enactment, order or regulation relating to discrimination (whether by age, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or belief, ability or disability or otherwise).
(iii) This Competition and each Member Club must make every effort to promote equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and by providing access and opportunities for all members of the community, irrespective of age, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or belief, ability or disability or otherwise). (iv) Any alleged breach of the Equality Act 2010 legislation must be referred to the appropriate sanctioning Association for investigation.
(E) As an FA Charter Standard League this Competition requires all its Clubs to have achieved FA Charter Standard League status. The League Management Committee may expel any club that has failed to maintain its Charter Standard status by this date. New Member Clubs will have achieved the Charter Standard club award prior to acceptance.
(F) The Competition and its Clubs shall support the FA's Respect programme. As such, it recognises that everyone in football has a collective responsibility to create a fair, safe and enjoyable environment in which the game can take place. A Respect League values the contribution of match officials, players and spectators and ensures that they are treated with courtesy and fairness by opposing players, club officials and spectators. The League and its Clubs will seek to play fixtures in a fair, competitive but not antagonistic environment.
Teams who have accepted membership of this Competition, may not be members of any other League normally playing on the same day of the week (except a Youth League) and they may only enter 3 Cup Competitions viz: The FA Vase, a County FA Competition and one other, unless so permitted by the Management Committee or Full Council. Application for membership will not normally be accepted from Clubs with teams in a more Senior League, except with the permission of the Management Committee.
No more than one team from a Club can participate in the same division. (G) At the Annual General Meeting, or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose, a majority of the League Council Members present shall have power to decide or adjust the constitutions of the Divisions at their discretion. When necessary, this Rule shall take precedence over Rule 12.
ENTRY FEE, SUBSCRIPTION, DEPOSIT 2.(A) Applications by Clubs for admission to this Competition or the entry of an additional team, must be made in writing to the Secretary on or before 1st Thursday in April each year and must be accompanied by an Entry Fee of £100.00 per team which shall be returned in the event of non-election and a non-refundable ground vetting administration charge of £25.00.
All successful applicants (excluding Clubs applying for re-election), will be charged an initial Entrance Fee of £100.00, less the ground vetting administration charge of £25.00.
At the discretion of a majority of the accredited voting members present, applications, of which due notice has been given, may be received at the Annual General Meeting, or a Special General Meeting. The Entry Fee shall apply. When Rule 12(B) is applied and a team seeks a transfer or is compulsorily transferred to another division, no Entry Fee shall be payable.
(B) The Annual Subscription shall be £100.00 per Team, payable within 28 days after the AGM in each year, this fee to be inclusive of the supply of 5 copies of the League Handbook.
(C) Each Club shall within 14 days of election pay a Deposit of £50.00, 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 or Full Council.
(D) A Club shall not participate in this Competition until the Entry Fee, Annual Subscription and Deposit have been paid.
(E) Clubs must advise annually to the Secretary in writing by 30 June of its County Football Association affiliation number for the forthcoming Season, failing which they shall be fined £20.00. Clubs must advise the Secretary in writing, or on the prescribed form, of details of its Headquarters, Officers and any other information required by the Competition.
OFFICERS
3. The Officers of the Competition shall be the President, Life President, Life Vice Presidents, Life Members, Vice-Presidents (maximum 8), Chairman, Vice- Chairman, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, Registrations Secretary, Match Officials Appointments Officer, Match Officials Development Officer, Assistant Fixtures & Registrations Secretary, League Development Officer, Website Officer, Press & Media Officer, Child Protection Officer, League Chartered Standard Officer, Discipline Secretary and League Match Officials Association Representative, to be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. New nominations for Vice President must have their names submitted to the Management Committee at the Meeting held prior to the AGM, before being allowed to go forward for election. (N.B. Auditors are not Officers).
MANAGEMENT, NOMINATION, ELECTION 4.(A) The Competition shall be governed in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association by a Council to be called The Full Council, consisting of one representative from each constituent Full Member Club and a Management Committee comprised of the Officers and 8 members nominated from the League member Clubs, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The 8 elected members from the League Member Clubs do not necessarily have to be a representative on the Full Council. 5 of the 8 members will act as Divisional Representatives.
(B) Retiring Officers shall be eligible to become candidates for re-election without nomination. All other candidates for election as Officers or Members of the Management Committee shall be nominated to the Secretary in writing, signed by the Secretaries of two Member Clubs, not later than 15 May in each year. Names of the candidates for election shall be circulated with the notice of the Annual General Meeting. 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.
(C) The Management Committee shall meet monthly, the Full Council shall meet quarterly to deal with business as it arises. On receiving a requisition signed by two-thirds of the Members of the Management Committee or Full Council, the Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Committee or Full Council. (Also see Rule 19).
(D) Except where otherwise mentioned, all communications shall be addressed to the Secretary who shall conduct the correspondence of the Competition and keep a record of its proceedings.
(E) All communications received from Clubs must be conducted through their nominated Officers.
(F) Within 14 days of election, each Club shall nominate its representative to the Council for the ensuing season.
(G) Except with the sanction of the Council or Management Committee, a Club shall not be allowed to change its elected representative during the season, but may, subject to sanction, appoint a deputy to act in the unavoidable absence of its elected delegate.
(H) LONG SERVICE AWARD An official of the League who has completed 21 years in an official capacity, shall be presented with a Long Service Award at the Annual General Meeting marking the anniversary and completion of such period and shall be elected a Life Member of the League. Life Members shall not be debarred from holding an official position in the League and shall be entitled to attend and vote at all Meetings. A Vice President elected a Life Member of the League shall automatically relinquish his/her role as Vice President.
(I) TRUSTEES The President, Secretary and Treasurer for the time being shall be, and are hereby appointed, Trustees of the property, assets and effects of the Cheshire Football League, and are hereby authorised and empowered to do all necessary acts in connection therewith, upon the instructions of and pursuant to any resolution or resolutions of the Cheshire Football League or its Management Committee. (J) Cups, Club and Ground Vetting, Finance and League Development and Presentation Sub Committees are to be formed at the first Committee meeting following the AGM. These sub committees are to be formed from the Officers of the League and to nominate from its members a Chairman and Secretary.
POWERS OF MANAGEMENT 5.(A) The Management Committee or Full Council may appoint such other subcommittees as they may consider necessary and may delegate such of their powers as they deem necessary to such committees. The decisions of all such committees shall be reported to the Management Committee or Full Council for ratification.
(B) Subject to the permission of The Football Association 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. (See Rule 6E).
(C) Each Member of the Management Committee shall have the right to attend and vote at all Management Committee and Full Council 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). Each Member of the Full Council shall have the right to attend and vote at all Full Council 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. In the event of the voting being equal on any matter, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
(D) The Management Committee or Full Council shall have powers to apply, act upon and enforce the Rules of the Competition and shall also have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the Competition, including any not provided for in the Rules. With the exception of Rules 5(i), 6(h), 10(a), 11 and 19, for all breaches of Rule a formal written charge must be issued.
The respondent shall be given seven days from the date of notice to reply to the charge and given the opportunity to:- (i) Accept or deny the charge (ii) Submit in writing a case of mitigation, or (iii) Put their case before the Management Committee
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 or Full Council. All breaches of the Laws of the Game, Rules and Regulations of The Football Association shall be dealt with in accordance with FA Rules, by the appropriate Association.
With the exception of Clubs playing at Step 7 of the Football Pyramid and the FA Women's Premier League, the maximum fine permitted for any breach of a Competition Rule is £250 and, when setting any fine, the Competition must ensure that the penalty is proportional to the offence, taking into account any mitigating circumstances.
(E) All decisions of the Management Committee or Full Council shall be binding subject to the right of appeal to the Board of Appeal in accordance with Rule 16. Decisions of the Management Committee must be notified in writing to those concerned within 14 days.
(F) 5 Members of the Management Committee or Full Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Management Committee or Full Council and 3 Members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by any sub-committee of the Competition.
(G) The Management Committee or Full Council, as it may deem necessary, shall have power to fill in an acting capacity, any vacancies that may occur amongst their number.
(H) A Club having failed to comply with an order or instruction of the Management Committee or Full Council, 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 or Full Council.
(I) All fines and charges shall be paid within 14 days of the date of posting of the written notification, otherwise a fine of £10.00 per 14 days will be imposed. Cheques, Postal Orders etc., should be Crossed and made payable to the Cheshire Football League and sent to the Honorary Treasurer. Any Club not paying a fine within the 14 days allowed, may have its fixtures suspended until the fine has been settled. Any Club which falls into this category, may then face a charge of failing to fulfil a fixture. Clubs, Officials or individuals committing a breach of this Rule will incur such penalties as the Management Committee or Full Council may impose.
(J) 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. (K) The Management Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may occur in the membership of the Competition between the Annual General, or Special General Meeting called to decide the constitution and the commencement of the Competition season.
(L) The business of the Competition as determined by the Management Committee may be transacted by electronic mail or facsimile.
(M) A Club failing to be represented at any meeting will be fined £20.00 and failing to be represented at 2 consecutive meetings without satisfactory reasons being given, shall be further dealt with as the Management Committee or Full Council may determine. Likewise, any Club Representatives arriving late at any Meeting, shall be automatically fined £20.00, unless that person can satisfy the Management Committee that the reasons for lateness are valid. (N) A Club having failed to comply with an order or instruction of the Management Committee or Full Council within 21 days of an operative date specified in that order, shall not be allowed to play or take part in the business of the League, until the order has been complied with and a reason for the delay has been furnished to the Secretary, who shall submit it to the Management Committee or Full Council (subject to Rule 17).
(O) The League shall have the power to claim the ground of any member club FREE OF CHARGE for the playing of representative matches and Cup Finals. The League will be responsible for the payment of reasonable match expenses.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 6.(A) The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than 30 June in each year. At this meeting, the following business shall be transacted provided that at least 50% of the Members are present and entitled to vote:-
(i) To receive and confirm the Minutes of the preceding AGM. (ii) To consider any business arising therefrom. (iii) To receive and adopt the Annual Report, Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts. (iv) To confirm Election of Clubs to fill vacancies (as recommended by the Management Committee or Full Council). (v) To confirm the Constitution of the Competition for the ensuing season. (vi) Election of Officers and Management Committee. (vii) Appointment of Auditors. (viii) Alteration of Rules, if any (of which notice has been given). (ix) Fix the date for the commencement of the season and kick-off times applicable to the Competitions. (x) Other business of which due notice shall have been given and accepted as being relevant to an Annual General Meeting.
(B) A copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet, Statement of Accounts and Agenda shall be forwarded to each Club at least 14 days prior to the meeting and to The Football Association.
(C) A signed copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts shall be sent to The Football Association within 14 days of its adoption by the Annual General Meeting.
(D) Each Full Member Club shall be empowered to send 2 delegates to an Annual General Meeting. Each Club shall be entitled to 1 vote only. Fourteen days notice shall be given of any meeting.
(E) Clubs who have withdrawn their Membership of the Competition during the season being concluded or who are not continuing Membership shall be entitled to attend but shall vote only on matters relating to the season being concluded. This provision will not apply to Clubs expelled in accordance with Rule 17.
(F) All voting shall be conducted by a show of voting cards unless a ballot be demanded by at least a majority of the delegates qualified to vote or the Chairman so decides.
(G) No individual shall be entitled to vote on behalf of more than one Full Member Club unless the individual is also appointed to vote as a representative of a group of Associate Member Clubs.
(H) Any continuing Member Club failing to be represented at the Annual General Meeting without satisfactory reason being given shall be fined £20.00.
(I) Officers and Management Committee members shall be entitled to attend and vote at an Annual General Meeting.
AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED 7. The Chairman and the 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, A,______of ______(Chairman) and B______of ______(Secretary) of the ______Football Club have been provided with a copy of the Rules and Regulations of the Cheshire Association Football League Competition and do hereby agree for and on behalf of the said Club to, conform to those Rules and Regulations and to accept, abide by and implement the decisions of the Management Committee or Full Council of the Competition, subject to the right of appeal in accordance with Rule 16.
This agreement to be returned to the League Secretary prior to the start of the season.
Any alteration of the Chairman and /or Secretary on the above Agreement must be notified to the County Football Association(s) to which the Club is affiliated and to the Secretary of the Competition. (Note: The spaces above are intended for the inclusion of the signatures and addresses of officers and members).
(A) DRESSING ACCOMMODATION All Clubs shall provide adequate dressing accommodation for visiting teams and the Match Officials and no Club shall be admitted as members of the League unless such accommodation is guaranteed by them when applying for admission.
The question of suitability and adequacy of such accommodation, shall be determined by the Management Committee or Full Council after consultation with the Club and Ground Vetting Sub Committee. Dressing accomodation for visiting teams and Match Officials must be separate, private and secured by the home club, who shall be responsible for ensuring all changing facilities are maintained and secure.
(B) GROUNDS AND FACILITIES Any Club failing to meet all mandatory criteria will be issued with a 12 month Improvement Notice. This notice will be issued on 31 March in each year. Ground and full changing facilities to be available from first week in August to second week of May. The Management Committee, through the Club and Ground Vetting Committee, will not allow entry into the League any Club who does not have total control of their pitch and facilities. The pitch playng area is to be at least 90 metres in length x 60 metres in width. If in the opinion of the Management Committee or Full Council, any Club fails to attain or maintain the standards of grounds and facilities set by the League Management Committee, such Club(s), after a 12 month warning, shall cease membership with the League.
Alcohol will not be permitted outside the Clubhouse or to be brought into grounds for consumption during games.
(C) PLAYERS PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE All teams of this Competition shall have a valid Players Personal Accident Insurance policy, having at least a minimum cover, as specified by the Management Committee. (See page 7). In addition, all Clubs of the Competition shall carry Public Liability Insurance cover at a minimum liability as determined from time to time by the Management Committee (presently £10 million).
No Club shall be permitted to play any League or Cup game until both Public Liability and Players Personal Accident Insurance are in place. Any Club found to be in contravention of any part of this Rule shall be subject to action as the Management Committee shall decide.
All Clubs shall submit to the League Secretary copies of both policies no later than one week before the commencement of the League playing season.
FIRST AID ii) Confirmatory evidence of First Aid Certificates and position held in the Club to be provided to the Chairman of the Club and Ground Vetting Committee no later than one week before the comencement of the League playing season. Each Club must provide a First Aid Kit for all matches.
QUALIFICATION OF PLAYERS 8.(A) (i) Contract players, as defined in Football Association Rules, are permitted in this Competitio with the exception of those players who are registered under Contract with the same Club who have a team operating at Steps 1 to 6 of the National League System. A contract player may only play for the Club that holds his contract. It is the responsibility of each Club to ensure that any Player signing a registration form for that Club has, where necessary, the required International Transfer Certificate.
Clearance is required for any Player aged 12 and over crossing borders including Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
(ii) While serving in any branch of Her Majesty's Regular Forces, a player must first obtain the consent of his Association Secretary before signing a registration form to play for a Club.
(B) A registered playing member of a Club is one who, being in all other respects eligible, has:-
(i) Signed a fully and correctly completed Competition registration form, in ink countersigned by an officer of the Club and the copy retained by the Club, who has been registered with the (Registrations) Secretary via Full Time prior to playing and the player's name has appeared in the Club's player list on Full Time.
(ii) Signed a fully and correctly completed Competition registration form, in ink on a match day prior to playing, countersigned by an Officer of the Club and witnessed by an Officer of the opposing club, and submitted to & confirmed by the (Registrations) Secretary by MIDNIGHT of the day of the match on Full Time. A maximum of 5 players may be registered in this way.
(iii) While serving in any branch of Her Majesty's Regular Forces, a player must first obtain the consent of his Association Secretary before signing a registration form to play for a Club.
(C) The relevant FA SCOR is not adopted by this League.
(D) 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.
(E) Registration forms shall be obtained from the Cheshire League website (www.cheshirefl.com). Each player registered on Full Time will be charged to the Club at a cost of £2 by the League Treasurer.
(F) The Management Committee or Full Council shall decide all registration disputes. In the event of a player signing a registration form or having a registration submitted for more than one Club, priority of registration shall decide for which Club the player shall be registered. The Registrations Secretary shall notify the Club last applying to register the player of the fact of the previous registration.
(G) It shall be deemed misconduct for a player to: -
(i) Play for more than one Club in the Competition in the same season without first being transferred.
(ii) Having signed for one Club in the Competition, sign for another Club in the Competition in that season except for the purpose of a transfer.
(iii) Submit a signed registration form for registration that the player had wilfully neglected to accurately or fully complete.
(H) (i) The Management Committee or Full Council shall have power to accept the registration of any player subject to the provisions of clauses (ii) and (iii) below.
(ii) The Management Committee shall have power to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player, or may fine any player at their discretion, who has been charged and found guilty of registration irregularities (subject to Rule 16).
(iii) The Management Committee shall have power to make application to refuse or cancel the registration of any player charged and found guilty of undesirable conduct (subject to Rule 16) subject to the right of appeal to the FA or the relevant County Football Association. Undesirable conduct shall mean an incident of repeated prove misconduct, which may deter a participant from being involved in this Competition. Application should be made to the parent County of the Club the player is registered or intending to be registered with.
(iv) For a player who has previously had a registration removed in accordance with clause (iii) but has a registration accepted at the expiry of exclusion will be considered to be under a probationary period of 12 months. Whilst under a probationary period, should the player commit a further act of proven misconduct under the jurisdiction of the Competition, (excluding standard dismissals), the Competition would be empowered to consider a further charge of bringing the Competition into disrepute.
(Note: Action under clause (iii) shall not be taken against a player for misconduct until the matter has been dealt with by the appropriate Association, and then only in cases of the player bringing the Competition into disrepute and will in any case be subject to an Appeal to the Football Association). All decisions must include the period of restriction.
For the purpose of this Rule, bringing the Competition into disrepute can only be considered where the player has received in excess of 112 day suspension, or 10 matches in match based discipline, in a period of two years or less from the date of the first offence for any team playing in this Competition.
(I) Subject to FA Rule C2(a), dealing with players without a written contract when a player desires a transfer, the Club the player wishes to transfer from shall submit an email to the Registrations Secretary stating the Club the player wishes to transfer to and their agreement to this. The transfer will be charged to the gaining Club at a cost of £5, invoiced to the Club by the League Treasurer.
The Registration Secretary will then transfer the player on Full Time. In the event of an objection to a transfer the matter shall be referred to the Management Committee or Full Council for a decision.
(J) A player may not be registered for a Club nor transferred to another Club in the Competition after 31 March except by special permission of the Management Committee or Full Council.
(K) A Club shall keep a list of the players it registers (in the form of the original League Registration forms) and a record of the games in which they have played, and shall produce such records upon demand by the Management Committee.
(L) A register containing the names of all players registered for each Club, with the date of registration, shall be kept by the Registrations Secretary (on Full Time) and shall be open to the inspection of any duly appointed Member Club representative at all Management Committee or Full Council meetings or at other times mutually arranged. Registrations are valid for one year only.
In the event of a player without a written contract changing his status to that of a contract player with the same Club, another Club in the Competition or with a Club in another Competition, his registration as a player without a written contract will automatically be cancelled and declared void unless the Club conforms to the exception detailed in Rule 8 (a) (i). In order to play in the League again, either for his original Club or for another Club, it will be necessary for him to be re-registered as required by this Rule.
(M) A player shall not be eligible to play for a team in any special championship, promotion or relegation deciding match (as specified in Rule 12(A)) unless the player has played 3 games for that team in this Competition in the current season.
(N) Clubs having more than one team in the Competition do not have to register players for each team, one registration only is required. Transfer formalities are unnecessary.
(O) (i) Any team playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player or players may 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 or Full Council.
(ii) In addition the team may have 3 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.
(iii) The Management Committee or Full Council in exceptional circumstances may, at its discretion, award any points deducted from a Club under this Rule to the opponents in the match in question, subject to the match not being ordered to be replayed.
The following Clause applies to Competitions involving players in full-time secondary education:-
(P) (i) Priority must be given at all times to school and school organisations activities. (ii) The availability of children must be cleared with the Head Teachers (except for Sunday Leagues). (iii) To play open age football the player must have achieved the age of 16.
(Q) Should a registered player, having been selected for the League team in an Inter League Match, fail to make himself available for the game for whatever reason, then this player will not be allowed to play for his Club in the following Cheshire match, unless the Club have made representation to the Management Committee at least 3 days prior to the Inter League match selected for and the player given clearance. Any contravention of this Rule could result in a Club being charged with playing an ineligible player.
CLUB COLOURS. CLUB NAME 9.(A) Every Club must register the colour of its shirts, shorts and socks with the Secretary by 30 June, who shall decide as to their suitability.
Goalkeepers must wear colours which distinguish them from other players and the Referee. All other players shall wear numbers on their shirts. All numbers used, including substitutes, must be accurately recorded on the Team Sheet. Failure to do so will attract a maximum fine of £5.00 per shirt/number per game.
No player, including the goalkeeper, shall be permitted to wear black or very dark shirts.
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 7 days before the match.
If, in the opinion of the Referee, two Clubs have the same or similar colours including shorts and socks, the away team shall make the change.
Any team not having a change of colours or delaying the kick-off by not having a change shall be fined a sum not exceeding £3.00 plus 50 pence per minute and such fine to be £1.00 per minute for any subsequent default during the month following the first default, or be dealt with as the Management Committee or Full Council may determine.
The Secretary of the Competition may request shirts to be submitted if complaints are received as to lack of distinguishing colours, and the Management Committee or Full Council may refuse to permit any shirts or shorts as they think fit.
(B) Any Club wishing to change its name and/or colours must obtain permission from its affiliated County Association and from the Management Committee.
PLAYING SEASON, CONDITIONS OF PLAY, TIMES OF KICK-OFF, POSTPONEMENTS, SUBSTITUTES 10.(A) The Annual General Meeting shall determine the commencing and concluding dates for the ensuing season which shall be in accordance with Football Association Rules. No Club shall be compelled to play after the concluding date, unless the Management Committee or Full Council agree otherwise.
Original fixtures arranged by the Fixtures Secretary, or at a meeting specially convened for that purpose, to be held no later than the date of the August Meeting, must not be arranged for a date later than 7 days preceding the concluding date determined by the Annual General Meeting.
(B) All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board. 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 or Full Council. If through any fault of the home team a match has to be replayed, the Management Committee or Full Council shall have power to order the venue to be changed.
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. A Club shall take the gate receipts for all its Home League matches.
Football Turf pitches (3G) are allowed in this Competition providing they meet the required performance standards and are listed on the FA's Register of Football Turf pitches.
For clubs playing at Step 7 and below a pitch must be tested (by a FIFA accredited test institute) every three years and the results passed to the FA. The FA will give a decision on the suitability for use and add the pitch to the Register. The Home Club is also responsible for advising participants of footwear requirements when confirming match arrangements in accordance with Rule 10(D).
All matches shall have a duration of 90 minutes unless a shorter time (not less than 80 minutes) is mutually arranged 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.
The times of kick-off shall be fixed by the AGM, the Management Committee or the Full Council. Any Club failing to commence at the appointed time shall be fined a sum not exceeding £3.00 plus 50 pence per minute. Such fine to be £1.00 per minute for any subsequent default during the month or be otherwise dealt with as the Management Committee or Full Council may determine. Should the Home Club be responsible for a late Kick Off, the fines to be doubled.
Designated covered seating areas are a mandatory requirement of the League Competitions. No more than 8 persons from each team, including nominated substitutes, shall be within the designated seating area, (if adequate room is available). A Technical Area shall be provided and clearly marked, 1 person at a time is authorised to stand and convey tactical instructions from this area, a 2nd person may come forward to pass on tactical instructions but must return to his seat immediately after giving these instructions. Where no Technical Area is clearly defined, all persons must remain seated. Referees are instructed to report any contravention of this Rule to the League Secretary. Clubs reported for contravening this Rule, may be fined £5.00 for each offence reported.
Referees must order matches to commence at the appointed time and must report all late starts to the Competition and inform the Club Secretary or Captain of the offending team(s) of his intention to do so. The home team must provide at least two footballs fit for play and the referee shall make a report to the Competition if the footballs are unsuitable. Goal nets must be used.
(C) Except by permission of the Management Committee or Full Council, 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. In the case of a revised fixture date, the Clubs must be given by the Competition, 5 clear day's notice of the match (unless otherwise mutually agreed).
(D) The Secretary of the Home Club must give notice in writing of full particulars of the location of, and access to, the ground and time of kick-off to the Secretary of the opposing Club and Match Officials at least 5 clear days prior to the playing of the match. The Away Club shall seek and acknowledge receipt of such particulars, 3 clear days prior to the match. Any Club failing to comply with this Rule shall be liable to a fine of £10.00.
(E) Every Club shall play its best available qualified team or teams 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 or Full Council, 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 or Full Council may determine, despite the fact that Rule 8 has not been infringed.)
In the event of a Club playing in any match with less than 11 players, they shall be fined £1.00 per minute for each missing player, up to a maximum of £100.00. A minimum of 7 players will constitute a team for a Competition match.
(F) (i) Home and away matches shall be played. In the event of a Club failing to keep its engagement, the Management Committee shall have power to inflict a fine not exceeding £250.00, deduct points from the defaulting Club, award the points from the match in question to the opponents, order the defaulting Club to pay any expenses incurred by the opponents or otherwise deal with them except the award of goals. Notwithstanding the foregoing home and away provision, the Management Committee shall have power to order a match to be played on a neutral ground or on the opponent's ground if they are satisfied that such action is warranted by the circumstances. Return fixtures will not be permitted to take place on the ground where the first fixture was played.
(ii) Any Club with more than one team in the Competition shall always fulfil its fixture, within the Competition, in the following order of precedence:- First Team, Reserve Team, A Team. Clubs in breach of this requirement shall be fined a sum not exceeding £150.00 or otherwise dealt with by the Management Committee.
(iii) Any Club unable to fulfil a fixture or where a fixture has been postponed for any reason must, without delay give notice to the League Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, the Competition Referees Appointments Secretary, the Secretary of the opposing Club and the Match Officials. Any Club failing to comply shall be dealt with by the Management Committee or Full Council who may inflict a fine.
Before the postponement of any match due to ground conditions, it is necessary to have the pitch inspected preferably by the Match Referee, or if this is not practicable, by a local Level 1,2,3,4,or 5 Referee. A Match Official of the described level, must be present, with the Groundsman and Club Representative at the time of inspection. Where possible, the Referee will be an official of the League.
This inspection to take place not later than 1100hrs for a 1500hrs KO and not later than 1030hrs for all afternoon matches with an earlier kick off time to stop the visitors and Match Officials travelling.
Should the inspecting Referee consider the ground unfit, the Home Club Secretary should then inform the Fixture Secretary, the League's Match Officials Appointments Officer, the Secretary of the opposing Club and the Referee and Assistant Referees. The Secretary of the opposing Club and the Match Officials shall be advised not later than 1100hrs on the morning of the match arranged with an afternoon Kick Off and the remainder of the above contacts as near as possible to this time. Any Club failing to comply with this Rule shall be dealt with by the Management Committee or Full Council, who may inflict any penalties that they deem suitable.
(iv) 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 mutually agreed by the two Clubs and approved by the Management Committee or Full Council. Failing such agreement and notification to the League Secretary within 14 days, the Management Committee or Full Council shall have power to order the match to be played on a named date or on or before a given date.
(v) The Management Committee or Full Council shall review all matches abandoned in cases where it is consequent upon the conduct of either or both Teams. Where it is to the advantage of the Competition and does no injustice to either Club, the Management Committee or Full Council shall be empowered to order the score at the time of the abandonment to stand.
In all cases where the Management Committee or Full Council 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 opponent. In cases where a match has been abandoned owing to the conduct of both teams or their Club member(s), the Management Committee or Full Council shall rule all points for the match as void.
No fine(s) can be applied by the Management Committee or Full Council for an abandoned match.
Such action is subject to any disciplinary action taken by the appropriate County Association.
(vi) The Management Committee shall review any match that has taken place where either or both teams were under a suspension imposed upon them by the Association or Affiliated Association. In each case the team that was under suspension would be dealt with in the same manner as if they had participated with ineligible players in accordance with Rule 8(O) above. Where both teams were under suspension the game must be declared null and void.
(G) A Club may at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game, use 3 substitute players in any match in this Competition who may be selected from 5 players.
For Division 2 & 3 and Reserve Divisions 1 & 2 matches, a Club may at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game use 5 substitute players in any match in this Competition who may be selected from 5 players. A player who has been substituted himself becomes a substitute and may replace another player at any time subject to the substitution being carried out in accordance with Law 3 of the Laws of Association Football.
The referee shall be informed of the names of the substitutes not later than 20 minutes before the start of the match.
Each Club must hand copies of a list of fully named players taking part in the game, including the full names and numbers of the nominated substitutes, to the Referee and a representative of their opponents in the presence of the Referee, at least 20 minutes before the advertised Kick Off, on the standard League Team Sheet. Club colours must be clearly stated and the players named must wear the corresponding shirt number in the game.
A Club submitting an incorrectly completed Team Sheet will be fined £5.00. Any Club altering its team selection or numbering after Team Sheets have been exchanged, except with the mutual consent of the competing Clubs, or presenting their Team Sheets late to the Referee, will be fined £5.00.
A player who has been selected, appointed or named as a substitute before the start of the match but does not actually play in the game shall not be considered to have been a player in that game within the meaning of Rule 8 of this Competition.
(H) The half time interval shall be of 10 minutes duration, but it shall not exceed 15 minutes The half time interval may only be altered with the consent of the referee.
(I) The Competition shall require all players and club officials to have signed the FA Respect Codes of Conduct and produce these if so requested by the League Management Committee.
The participating clubs taking part in the fixture shall identify a team captain designated with a captain's armband who has a responsibility to offer support in the management of the on-field discipline of his/her team mates.
(J) Payment to Players Payment of wages to contracted players may be made only in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association.
REPORTING RESULTS 11.(A) The Fixtures and Registration Secretary must receive within 3 days of the date played, (Sunday not included), the result of each Competition match in the prescribed manner. This must include the forename(s) and surname of the team players (in block letters) goal scorers, cautions/sendings off, and hospitality mark awarded to the Home Team. All this information must also be completed on Full Time match report form. The Match Officials Development Officer must receive within 3 days of the date played, (Sundays not included) the Referee markings required by Rule 13 and any other information required by the Competition. Failure to do so will incur a fine of £5.00 in either event and/or the Club being dealt with as the Management Committee or Full Council decide.
(B) All Teams must text the result of all matches, including all Cup Ties eg. FA Vase, County and District Cups, within 30 minutes of the end of the match, by responding to The FA Full Time SMS, under a penalty of £10.00 for each default.
(C) The match result notification, correctly completed, shall be signed by a responsible member of the Club. The Management Committee or Full Council shall have power to take such action as they deem suitable against a Club which submits an incomplete form or incorrect information.
DETERMINING CHAMPIONSHIP 12.(A) Team rankings within the Competition will be decided by points with 3 points to be awarded for a win and 1 point each for a drawn match.
The teams gaining the highest number of points in their respective Divisions at the conclusion shall be adjudged the winners. Matches must not be played for double points.
In circumstances where two or more teams are equal on points team rankings shall be determined by goal difference where the goals scored against by each team shall be deducted from the goals scored by that team and the largest positive difference shall be placed the highest. In the event of the goal difference being equal the highest placed team shall be the team which has scored the most goals.
In the event that two or more teams have the same goal difference and have scored the same number of goals then the highest placed team shall be the team which has won the most matches.
In the event of the two teams still being equal the team which has the better playing record against the other team in their head to head Competition matches during the Season will be the highest placed team.
If the records of two or more teams are still equal and it is necessary for any reason to determine the position of each then the teams affected shall play a deciding match or matches as determined by the Management Committee.
(B) Automatic promotion and relegation shall be applied for the first 2 and last 2 teams in each Division except as provided for hereunder, subject to the provisions of Rule 1(b).
(i) Should one or more teams withdraw from any one Division after the fixtures have commenced, an equal number of teams to those withdrawing in that Division shall not be automatically relegated.
(ii) Vacancies occurring after the conclusion of the season may be filled in any of the following ways: (a) retention of otherwise relegated team(s) (b) additional promotion of the next ranked team(s) from the Division below (c) election (iii) The last 2 teams in Division 3 and the Reserve Division 2 shall retire, but be eligible for re-election except as below and be subject to the conditions of paragraph (B)(i) above. (iv) There shall be no promotion from the Reserve Division 1. (v) Should either or both of the leading teams in any of the Divisions have its senior team in the next highest Division, promotion shall fall, at the discretion of the General Meeting, to the next highest team or teams in the Division concerned.
(C) In the event of a team not completing 75% of its fixtures for the season, all points obtained by or recorded against such defaulting team shall be expunged from the Competition table.
(D) Where a promotion and/or relegation link exists between Competitions, the top Club, providing they meet the appropriate grading criteria, will be eligible to make application to the North West Counties Football League Competition at their Annual General Meeting. Should the Champion Club not wish for promotion or, alternatively, not have the necessary grading criteria, then the 2nd placed Club will be eligible under the same conditions.
At the end of each season and depending on the geographical location of Clubs gaining promotion to or being relegated from the North West Counties Football League (NWCFL) Competition, it may be necessary for the Competition either (a) to accept a Club from the (NWCFL) Competition, or (b) have a Club transferred from/or to a member Competition of the National League System Committee (NLSC).
The bottom 2 Clubs in the NWCFL Competition will be relegated. Each relegated Club will be allocated to a member Competition of the NLSC as recommended as most appropriate by the NLSC. Two Clubs will be promoted to the NWCFL Competition from the member Clubs of the NLSC, providing that each Club is either the Champion Club or Runner-up and has the necessary grading criteria.
In the event of there being no eligible Club wishing promotion or not having the necessary grading criteria from any of the Competitions, this will reduce the number of Clubs to be relegated from the NWCFL Competition.
If only 2 Clubs are eligible or wish for promotion, the bottom 2 Clubs in the NWCFL Competition will be relegated. If only 1 Club is eligible or wishes promotion, only the bottom Club in the NWCFL Competition will be relegated. If no Clubs are eligible, or wish for promotion, no Clubs will be relegated from the NWCFL Competition.
In the event of a NWCFL Competition Club not being placed in the bottom 2 Clubs at the end of the season, wishing to resign from the Competition at the end of the season, or having been excluded according to Rule, only 1 Club will be relegated at the end of the season.
In the event of a NWCFL Competition Club opting to be relegated or being relegated according to Rule, such Club or Clubs will replace the Club or Clubs otherwise due for relegation.
(E) Provisional resignation as per Rule 14, must be recognised within the operation of Rule 12. The Management Committee reserves the right to modify the promotion and relegation numbers in any season, where the members number more than 16 Clubs in either Division. (This is due to the promotion/relegation link in operation between this League and the NWCFL via the NLS. See Appendix B for the Constitution of the NLSC).
(F) The Management Committee or Full Council reserves the right to appoint suitable replacements to any Division, to maintain a requisite number of teams.
REFEREES 13.(A) Registered Referees (and Assistant Referees, where proved by the FA or County FA) for all matches shall be appointed in a manner approved by the Management Committee and by the sanctioning Association(s).
(B) In the event of the non-appearance of the appointed Referee the appointed Senior Assistant Referee shall take charge and a substitute Assistant Referee be appointed by the competing teams. In cases where there are no officially appointed Assistant Referees, the Clubs shall agree upon a Referee. An individual thus agreed upon shall, for that game, have the full powers, status and authority of a registered Referee. Individuals under the age of 16 must not participate either as a Referee or Assistant Referee in any open age competition.
(C) The Management Committee may, if they consider it desirable, or upon application by the two competing Clubs, appoint Assistant Referees, if available, to any match. Where Assistant Referees are not appointed, each Team shall provide a Club Assistant Referee. Failure to do so will result in a fine of £10.00 being imposed on the defaulting Team.
(D) The appointed Referee shall have power to decide as to the fitness of the ground in all matches and the decision shall be final.
(E) Subject to any limits/provisions laid down by the sanctioning Association Match Officials appointed under this Rule shall be paid a match fee of £27.00 (Referee), £18.00 (Assistant Referee) and travel expenses of 27p per mile, except in matches in CFL Division 1 League and Cups where the Referee is appointed by the North West Combined Counties Referee Pool, when Rule 13Q will apply. Fourth Officials or Reserve Referees, where appointed, shall receive the same scale of fee and expenses as Assistant Referees.
The Home Club shall pay the Officials their fees and expenses immediately after the match, in their Dressing Room.
(F) In the event of a match not being played because of circumstances over which the Clubs have no control, the Match Officials, if present, shall be entitled to half fee plus expenses. Where a match is not played owing to one Club being in default, that Club shall be ordered to pay the Officials, if they attend the ground, their full fee and expenses.
(G) A Referee or Assistant Referee not keeping his/her engagement, and failing to give a satisfactory explanation as to their non-appearance, may be reported to the Association with which he or she is registered.
(H) Each Club shall, in a manner prescribed from time to time by The Football Association, award marks to the Referee for each match and the name of the Referee and the marks awarded shall be submitted to the Competition in the prescribed manner. Clubs failing to comply with this Rule shall be liable to be fined in accordance with Rule 11(A).
The Competition shall keep a record of the markings and, on the Form provided by the prescribed date each season, shall submit a summary to The Football Association/County Football Association.
(I) Referees must report any late or non presentation of team sheets or alteration of teams after the presentation of team sheets in accordance with Rule 10(G) to the League Secretary within 2 days of the date the match is played, Sundays not included. Referees should also warn defaulters of the intention to report the infringement. Referees must retain their copy of the team sheets of both Clubs for a minimum of 3 months and forward them to the League Secretary if and when requested.
(J) Referees shall award a mark with regard to the performance of each Neutral Assistant Referee, (not Club Assistant Referees) and forward these marks to the Match Officials Development Officer, on the official League form, within 5 days of the match.
(K) All appointments must be confirmed or returned to the Match Officials Appointments Officer within 3 days of receipt. Referees and Assistant Referees shall be supplied, each season, with a copy of the Competition Rules free of charge.
(L) Referees and Assistant Referees shall have undertaken a Respect briefing offered by the FA/County FA or the League.
(M) Referees must report all late starts, stating the cause, and also report any other irregularities to the League Secretary within 2 days after the match is played. Referees should also inform defaulters that he/she is reporting such infringement.
(N) Reports of misconduct by players, officials or spectators must be made within 3 days to the Secretary of the County Association of which the Club is in membership, stating the exact nature of the offence with full forenames and surname of the player and the name of the Club concerned. If more than one Association is concerned, then report to both. Two copies of such reports should be sent and forwarded under cover. Referees must also instruct Assistant Referees to send separate reports.
(O) In the event of any official not being able to keep his or her appointment, they must communicate immediately with the Match Officials Appointments Officer. If less than 7 days prior to the fixture, please telephone.
(P) Referees and Assistant Referees must be present on the ground at least 60 minutes before the advertised Kick Off time. Any Match Official arriving late must be reported to the League Match Officials Development Officer by him/herself and the Secretary of the Home Club within 72 hours of the game.
(Q) The North West Combined Counties Referee Pool (NWCCRP) will appoint Referees to CFL Division 1 League and Cup matches, with the following arrangements: (i) The Referees Match Fee will be £40.00 inclusive of travel. A further expense can be claimed by the Match Official, if he/she uses any of the Merseyside tunnels or ferries.
(ii) Assistant Referees will continue to be appointed by each Individual League. All three Officials may travel together to an appointment. In that circumstance the Assistant Referee will be paid the fee set by the League he is officiating in.
(iii) The CFL will be responsible for setting the Match fee for Assistant Referees.
(iv) The CFL will be responsible for setting its own fixture list. Fixtures will be made monthly, with the NWCCRP Referees Appointment Officer being notified by the 18th day of the preceding month.
(v) The CFL will be responsible for appointing its own League Referees Secretary, who will maintain the appointments for Assistant Referees.
(vi) The CFL will use the approved NWCCRP match day stationary, for use in itsFirst Division League and Cup matches. Other stationary for use in the CFL will continue to be its own responsibility.
(vii) Any alterations to fixtures MUST be advised to the Referees Appointments Officer as soon as these are known.
(viii) An appropriate entry should be made in The CFL League Handbook, with contact details of the NWCCRP Referees Appointment Officer, together with e-mail address and telephone number, alongside that of The CFL Referees Secretary.
CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP OR WITHDRAWAL OF A CLUB 14.(A) After 31st December in the current Season, a Club intending, or having a provisional intention, to withdraw a team from the Competition on completion of its fixtures and fulfilment of all other obligations to the Competition, must notify the Secretary in writing by 31st March each Season or be liable to a fine not exceeding £250.00 and be subject to its share of any call made under Rule 5(B).
(B) A Club shall not be allowed to withdraw any or all of its teams from the Competition after the Special General Meeting for the following Season. Any Club infringing this Rule shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £250.00 per team and shall also be liable for its share of any call which may be made under Rule 5(B).
(ii) Any Club infringing this Rule and not disbanding before the fixtures have commenced shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £250 per team and shall also be liable for its share of any call which may be made under Rule 5(B).
(iii) Any Club infringing this Rule and disbanding before the fixtures have commenced cannot be fined but will be liable for their financial commitments prior to disbanding.
(C) The Membership for the coming season having been decided at a Special General Meeting held for that purpose not earlier than 30 April nor later than 30 June or at the Annual General Meeting held not later than 30 June.
The Competition shall have the right, irrespective of other provisions in this Rule, to refuse to permit a Club to withdraw its team(s) in order to join another Competition and may hold the Club to its engagements.
(D) In the event of a Member Club, which is an un-incorporated association, withdrawing and/or disbanding, it shall be immediately liable to discharge all its financial and other obligations to the Competition. In the event that any such obligation remains undischarged after a period of twenty-one (21) days, then such obligation shall be met by the then current Club Members, excluding those under the statutory school leaving age. Until a Member's pro rata obligation is discharged in full, the Member shall not be allowed to participate in the Competition, which may apply to the Club's Parent County Association for a suspension order.
If the debt remains unpaid after eighty four days (84) the Competition may apply to the Club's parent County Association for the debt to be recovered in accordance with the FA Football Debt Recovery System. Once the matter has been passed to the Club's parent County Association, the debt can only be cleared by payment to that County Association.
(E) A Club wishing to join a League of higher status than the Cheshire League, may resign provisionally and if unsuccessful, may retain its membership. If successful, the vacancy will be filled by election in accordance with Rule 12 (B) (ii).
PROTESTS AND COMPLAINTS 15.(A)(i) All questions of eligibility, qualifications of players or interpretations of the Rules shall be referred to the Management Committee or Full Council.
(ii) Objections relevant to the dimensions of the pitch, goals, flag posts or other facilities of the venue will not be entertained by the Management Committee or Full Council unless a protest is lodged with the Referee before the commencement of the match. Any Club lodging such protest and not proceeding with it shall be deemed guilty of a breach of this Rule and shall be dealt with by the Management Committee or Full Council.
(B) Except in cases where the Management Committee or Full Council decide that there are special circumstances, protests and complaints (which must contain full particulars of the grounds upon which they are founded) must be lodged in duplicate with the Secretary within 7 days (excluding Sundays) of the match or occurrence to which they refer. A protest or complaint shall not be withdrawn except by permission of the Management Committee or Full Council.
A Member of the Management Committee or Full Council who is a member of any Club involved shall not be present (except as a witness or representative of his Club) when such protest or complaint is being determined.
(C) Any dispute occurring between Clubs in the Competition shall be referred for determination by the Management Committee or Full Council whose decision shall be binding upon all parties subject to Rule 16.
(D) No protest of whatever kind shall be considered by the Management Committee or Full Council unless the complaining Club shall have deposited with the Secretary a sum of £10.00. This may be forfeited in whole or in part in the event of the complaining or protesting Club losing its case.
The Competition shall have power to order the defaulting Club or the Club making a losing or frivolous protest or complaint to pay the expenses of the enquiry or to order that the costs to be shared by the parties.
(E) All parties to a protest or complaint must receive a copy of the submission and must be afforded an opportunity to make a statement at least seven days prior to the process of complaint being heard.
(i) All parties must have received 7 days’ notice of the Hearing should they be instructed to attend.
(ii) Should a Club elect to state its 'case in person then they should forward a deposit £10.00 and indicate such when forwarding the written response.
(F) Within 14 days of a review being refused or not sustained, a right of appeal may be lodged in accordance with Rule 16, to The Football Association. An appeal to the Appeals Board of The Football Association shall be made and be conducted only in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association that relate to appeals to an Appeals Board, as are in force at any time. (See Appendix A).
BOARD OF APPEAL 16. Within 14 days of the posting of written notification of any decision of the Management Committee or the Competition, a Club, Official or Player against whom action is taken may appeal against such decision by lodging particulars in duplicate with the Secretary of The Football Association, including a fee of £50.00, for adjudication of a Board of Appeal.
The grounds of appeal shall be in accordance with FA Rules. The Board of Appeal may order the appeal fee to be forfeited and shall decide by whom the costs of the appeal shall be borne. The decision of the Board of Appeal is final and binding on all parties concerned.
A copy of the appeal must be sent to the League Secretary and the operation of the decision made by the League shall not be suspended pending the result of the appeal, unless the Board of Appeal or the Council of The Football Association, through its Officers, order such suspension. All appeals to be carried out in line with The Football Association Appeals Procedure, at Appx A.
No appeal can be lodged against a decision taken at an Annual or Special Meeting, unless this is on the ground of unconstitutional conduct.
EXCLUSION OF CLUBS OR TEAMS, MISCONDUCT, CLUBS, OFFICIALS, PLAYERS 17.(A) At the Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting called for the purpose, Notice of Motion having been duly circulated on the Agenda, the accredited delegates present shall have the power to exclude any Club or Team from further membership upon a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast. Voting on this point shall be conducted by ballot.
(B) At the Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 19, the accredited delegates present shall have the power to exclude from further participation in the Competition any Club whose conduct has, in their opinion, been undesirable upon a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast. Voting on this point shall be conducted by ballot. A Club whose conduct is the subject of the vote being taken shall be excluded from voting.
(C) Any official or member of a Club proved guilty of either a breach of Rule, other than field offences, or of inducing or attempting to induce a player or players of another Club in the Competition to join them, shall be liable to expulsion or such penalty as a General Meeting or Management Committee or Full Council may decide, and their Club shall also be liable to expulsion in accordance with the provisions of Clauses (A) and (B) of this Rule.
(D) Any Club or Team failing to complete all of its fixtures in any season shall (unless the conditions are beyond their control, or the majority of the accredited delegates present at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting decide otherwise), be debarred from membership the following season.
TROPHY:- LEGAL OWNERS, CONDITIONS OF TAKING OVER, AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED, AWARDS. 18.(A) A Competition Cup or Trophy shall be vested in the Association sanctioning the Competition as Trustees. If a Competition be discontinued for any cause, the Cup or Trophy shall be returned to the Donor, if the conditions attached to it so provide, or otherwise dealt with as the Association may decide. The following agreement shall be signed on behalf of the winners of the Cup or Trophy:-
"We A______and B______, the Chairman and Secretary of ______FC, members of and representing the Club, having been declared winners of ______Cup or Trophy, and it having been delivered to us by the Competition, do hereby on behalf of the Club jointly and severally agree to return the Cup or Trophy to the Competition Secretary on or before the April Council Meeting each year. If the Cup or Trophy is lost or damaged whilst under our care we agree to refund to the Competition the amount of its current value or the cost of its thorough repair."
(B) TROPHIES At the end of each season, 16 trophies shall be awarded to the Champion Club, and in addition, such Club shall be entitled to hold the "League Championship Cup".
A "Runners-up Cup" and 16 trophies shall be awarded to the Club finishing nearest to the Champion Club in the League Table, goal difference to count if the Clubs concerned have equal points.
The Championship Cup may never be won outright, and in the event of the Cheshire League ceasing to function, the Cup must be returned to the donors.
The holders must, on receiving same, give a written undertaking for the safe custody of the Cups until their return at the end of any season, in the form provided by the Rules of The Football Association. Holders of the League Championship and Runners-up Cups are responsible for the cost of engraving the name of their Club and the Season for which they hold the trophies.
The Cups must be returned to the Secretary properly engraved on or before the date prescribed for the March Meeting. Clubs in default will be fined the sum of £10.00 on each Championship Cup.
(C) All trophies placed by their donors into custody of the Cheshire League from whatever source, must be fully insured to their full replacement value by the said League, with the premium shared equally by the winners of each trophy in each season.
(D) To qualify for the individual trophies awarded by the League, a player must have played a minimum of one third of the League Games and a full list of recipients is required by the League. Additional trophies may be granted subject to the same player qualification of one third of the League Games, the cost of which to be borne by the Club.
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS 19. Upon receiving a requisition signed by two-thirds of the Clubs in membership, the Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting. The Management Committee may call a Special General Meeting at any time.
At least 7 days notice shall be given of either meeting under this Rule, together with an agenda of the business to be transacted at such meeting. Each Full Member Club shall be empowered to send two delegates to all Special General Meetings.
Each Club shall be entitled to one vote only, as will members of the Management Committee. Not less than 7 days' notice shall be given of any Meeting. Any continuing Member Club failing to be represented at a Special General Meeting without satisfactory reason being given shall be fined £20.00.
Officers and Management Committee members shall be entitled to attend and vote at all Special General Meetings. All amendment of rules can only be implemented once approved by the appropriate sanctioning authority.
ALTERATION TO RULES 20. Alterations for which consent has been given by the sanctioning Association shall be made to these Rules only at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting specially convened for the purpose called in accordance with Rule 19. Any alteration made during the playing season to the Rule relating to the qualification of players shall not take effect until the following season.
Notice of proposed alterations to be considered at the Annual General Meeting shall be submitted to the Secretary by 9 April in each year. The proposals, together with any proposals by the Management Committee, shall be circulated to the Clubs by 23 April and any amendments thereto shall be submitted to the Secretary by 10 May. The proposals and proposed amendments thereto shall be circulated to Clubs with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.
A proposal to change a Rule shall be carried if a majority of those present and entitled to vote and voting are in favour.
A copy of the proposed alterations to Rules to be considered at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall be submitted to the sanctioning Football Association 28 days prior to the date of the meeting. Any alterations or additions decided upon at any meeting shall not become operative until the approval of the Association issuing sanction shall have been obtained.
FINANCE 21.(A) The Management Committee shall determine with which bank or other financial institution the funds of the Competition will be lodged.
(B) All expenditure in excess of £100.00 shall be approved by the Management Committee. Cheques shall be signed by at least two Officers nominated by the Management Committee.
(C) The financial year of the Competition will end on 31 December.
(D) The books, or a certified balance sheet, of a Competition shall be prepared and shall be audited annually by some suitable person(s) who shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
INSURANCE 22. All Clubs must have public liability insurance cover of at least 10 million pounds (£10,000,000).
All Clubs shall be members of a Players' personal accident scheme. The policy cover shall be at least equal to the minimum recommended cover determined from time to time by the sanctioning Association. In instances where The Football Association is the sanctioning Association, the minimum recommended cover will be the cover required by the Affiliated Association to which a Club affiliates.
DISSOLUTON 23 (A) Dissolution of the Competition shall be by resolution approved at a Special General Meeting by a majority of three quarters (3/4) of the members present and shall take effect from the date of the relevant Special General Meeting.
(B) In the event of the dissolution of the Competition, the members of the Management Committee are responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Competition.
(C) The Management Committee shall deal with any surplus assets as follows:
(i) Any surplus assets, save for a Trophy or any other presentation, remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Competition shall be transferred only to another Competition or Affiliated Association or The Football Association Benevolent Fund or to such other charitable or benevolent object in the locality of the Competition as determined by resolution at or before the time of winding up and approved in writing by the sanctioning Association.
(ii) If a Competition is discontinued for any reason a Trophy or any other presentation shall be returned to the Donor if the conditions attached to it so provide or, if not, dealt with as the sanctioning Association may decide.
APPENDIX ‘A’ - REGULATIONS FOR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION APPEALS Commencement of Appeal 1.1 An appeal shall be commenced by lodging a notice of appeal (“the Notice of Appeal”) with the Association. 1.2 The Notice of Appeal shall be lodged within 14 days of the date of notification of the decision appealed against. In the case of an appeal from a decision of a Disciplinary Commission, the date of notification of the decision shall be the date of the written decision or, if applicable, the date of the written reasons for the decision. In relation to any other decision, the relevant date shall be the date on which it was first announced. 1.3 The Notice of Appeal must: (1) identify the specific decision(s) being appealed; (2) set out the ground(s) of appeal and the reasons why it would be substantially unfair not to alter the original decision; (3) set out a statement of the facts upon which the appeal is based; (4) be accompanied by any deposit prescribed by the relevant Rules or Regulations. Where an appeal is lodged by fax, the deposit must be received not later than the third day following the day of despatch of the fax (including both the day of despatch and receipt; (5) where appropriate, apply for leave to present new evidence under 2.6 below. 1.4 The grounds of appeal shall be that the body whose decision is appealed against: (1) misinterpreted or failed to comply with the rules or regulations relevant to its decision; and/or (2) came to a decision to which no reasonable such body could have come; and/or (3) imposed a penalty, award, order or sanction which is excessive. 1.5 Once an appeal has been commenced, it shall not be withdrawn except by leave of the Appeal Board, with such order for costs as the Appeal Board may consider appropriate.
Appeals Proceedings 2.1 An Appeal Board shall proceed as set out below. 2.2 Reference to a party or parties means: (1) the appellant (the “Appellant”); and (2) The Association in the case of an appeal against a decision of the Disciplinary Commission, of the Affiliated Association or Competition whose decision is appealed against (the “Respondent”). 2.3 The Respondent shall nominate an individual or individuals to represent it before the Appeal Board. 2.4 The Respondent shall serve a written reply to the Notice of Appeal (the “Reply”) on an Appellant and the Appeal Board within 21 days of lodging the Notice of Appeal. Where appropriate, the Reply must include any application for leave to present new evidence under 2.6 below. 2.5 The parties shall be entitled to make oral submissions to the Appeal Board but an appeal shall be by way of a review on documents only, without oral evidence, except where the Appeal Board gives leave to present new evidence under 2.6 below. 2.6 The Appeal Board shall hear new evidence only where it has given leave that it may be presented. An application for leave to present new evidence must be made in the Notice of Appeal or the Reply, setting out the nature and the relevance of the new evidence, and why it was not presented at the original hearing. Save in exceptional circumstances, the Appeal Board shall not grant leave to present new evidence unless satisfied with the reason given as to why it was not, or could not have been, presented at the original hearing and that such evidence is relevant. The Appeal Board’s decision shall be final. 2.7 The Chairman of an Appeal Board may upon the application of a party or otherwise, give any instructions considered necessary for the proper conduct of the proceedings, including but not limited to: (1) extending or abridging any time limit; (2) amending or dispensing with any procedural steps set out in these Regulations; (3) instructing that a transcript be made of the proceedings; (4) ordering parties to attend a preliminary hearing; (5) ordering a party to provide written submissions The decision of the Chairman of the Appeal Board shall be final. 2.8 The Appeal Board may adjourn a hearing for such a period and upon such terms (including an order as to costs) as it considers appropriate. 2.9 The Appellant shall prepare a set of documents which shall be provided to the Appeal Board and Respondent at least seven days before the hearing and which shall comprise the following (or their equivalent): (1) the Charge; (2) the Answer; (3) any documents or other evidence referred to at the original hearing relevant to the appeal; (4) any transcript of the original hearing; (5) the notification of decision appealed against and where they have given the reason for the decision; (6) any new evidence; (7) The Notice of Appeal; (8) The Reply. Where the Disciplinary Commission or other body appealed against has not stated the reasons for its decision, either: (i) the Appellant shall request written reasons from that body which shall be provided to the Appeal Board or (ii) the Appeal Board shall require that a member of the body that made the decision shall attend (in which case, questions may be put by the Appeal Board at a hearing to satisfy itself as to the reasons for the decision. Cross-examination by the Appellant or Respondent shall not be permitted. Representations may be made by the parties to the Appeal Board who may then put questions to the member of the body that made the decision).
2.10 Appeal hearings shall be conducted how, when and where the Appeal Board considers appropriate. Reasonable notice shall be given by the Appeal Board of the date, time and venue of appeal. When an application to present new evidence has been made, the party making the application shall address the Appeal Board in support of the application and the other party may respond; the Appeal Board shall then determine whether or not it will receive the new evidence. The following procedures shall be followed at an appeal hearing unless the Appeal Board thinks it appropriate to amend them: (1) The Appellant to address the Appeal Board, summarising its case; (2) Any new evidence to be presented by the Appellant; (3) The Respondent to address the Appeal Board, summarising its case; (4) Any new evidence to be presented by the Respondent; (5) Each party to be able to put questions to any witness giving new evidence; (6) The Appeal Board may put questions to the parties and any witness giving new evidence at any stage; (7) The Respondent to make closing submissions; (8) The Appellant to make closing submissions. 2.11 The Appeal Board shall proceed in the absence of any party, unless it is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for the failure of the party to attend, and shall do so in such manner as it considers appropriate. 2.12 The Appeal Board may, in the event of a party failing to comply with an order, requirement or instruction of the Appeal Board, take any action it considers appropriate, including an award of costs against the offending party.
Appeal Board Decisions 3.1 A decision, order, requirement or instruction of the Appeal Board shall (save where to be made under the Rules by the Chairman of the Appeal Board alone) be determined by a majority. Each member of the Appeal Board shall have one vote, save that the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote in the event of deadlock. 3.2 A decision of the Appeal Board shall be final and binding and there shall be no right of further challenge. 3.3 The Appeal Board shall have power to: (1) allow or dismiss the appeal; (2) exercise any power which the body against whose decision the appeal was made could have exercised, whether the effect is to increase or decrease any penalty, award, order or sanction originally imposed; (3) remit the matter for re-hearing; (4) order that any deposit be forfeited or returned as it considers appropriate; (5) make such further or other order as it considers appropriate, generally or for the purpose of giving effect to its decision. Costs 3.4 The Appeal Board shall have the power to make such order as to the costs of the original hearing and the appeal as it considers appropriate.
Announcement of Decision 3.5 The Appeal Board shall announce its decision to the parties as soon as practicable in such a manner as it considers appropriate; and unless it directs otherwise, its decision shall come into effect immediately.
Written Decision 3.6 As soon as practicable after the hearing, the Appeal Board shall publish a written statement of its decision, which shall state: (1) the names of the parties, the decision(s) appealed against and the grounds of appeal; (2) whether or not the appeal is allowed; and (3) the order(s) of the Appeal Board. The written statement shall be signed and dated by the Chairman of the Appeal Board and be the conclusive record of the decision. 3.7 The Appeal Board shall, upon the request of the Appellant (such request to be received at The Association within 5 days of the date of the announcement of the decision), give written reasons for the decision.
APPENDIX ‘B’ - REGULATIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE SYSTEM
1. Definitions In the interpretation of these Regulations: any words and expressions, unless otherwise defined herein, shall be words and expressions as defined as follows:-
“AC” means the Alliance Committee appointed by FA Council.
“Association” means The Football Association Limited.
“Club” means a football club for the time being in a League in membership of the NLS.
“League” means any competition sanctioned by the Association and/or an Affiliated Association in membership of the NLS.
“LC” means the Leagues Committee appointed by FA Council.
“NLS” means the National League System of competitions controlled by the Association where promotion and relegation links exist between participating Leagues.
“Playing Season” means the period between the date on which the first league fixture in the League is played each year until the date on which the last league fixture in the League is played. For Clubs participating in Play Off Matches this does include the period when Play Off Matches are played.
“Play Off Matches” means matches played between Clubs in a Play Off Position on a format to be determined by each League provided that the format is the same across each Step.
“Play Off Position” means the position of a Club at the end of each Playing Season which is provided for in Standardised Rule 13 as qualifying the Club to take part in a Play Off Match to qualify for promotion to the next Step for the next Playing Season.
“Regulations” means these regulations.
“Rules” means the FA Standardised Rules or FA Standard Code of Rules under which a League is administered.
“Step” means the level at which a Club participates in the National League System.
1. The National League System (“NLS”) shall be operated in accordance with the Regulations.
The aims and objectives of the NLS are to provide:
2. Clubs with a level of competitive football appropriate to their playing ability, stadium/ground facilities and geographical location.
2. A framework for discussion on matters of policy and common interest to Leagues and Clubs.
2.3 The seasonal movement of Clubs.
All Leagues are bound by the Regulations. A Club is bound by the Regulations from the date it has qualified for placement into the NLS until such time as it leaves the NLS for whatever reason.
3. Position of a League in the National League System 3.1 The current structure of the NLS is set out below: Step 1 Football Conference Step 2 Conference North Confrerence South Step 3 NPL Premier Southern Premier Isthmian Premier Step 4 NPL Div 1North NPL Div 1 South Southern Div 1 Cen Southern Div 1 S&W Isthmian Div 1 North Isthmian Div 1 South Step 5/6 Step 5/6 Leagues Step 7 Step 7 Leagues
The Leagues currently at Steps 5, 6 and 7 are set out at the end of the Regulations.
3. Any league wishing to become part of the NLS must apply to The Association by 31st December in the relevant year in such form and/or providing such information as shall be required by the LC from time to time. The decision as to whether or not a league should be admitted to the NLS shall be made by the LC which will then decide on the Step at which the League will play.
3. Any League wishing to propose an adjustment to its position within the NLS must apply in writing to the LC by 31st December in any year for such proposal to be determined by the LC in order, if approved, to have effect in the following Playing Season.
4. Rules and Regulations for Promotion and Relegation
The LC shall provide for the seasonal promotion, relegation or lateral movement of Clubs. A League must be committed to promoting and relegating Clubs at the conclusion of each Playing Season.
5. Detailed Promotion and Relegation Issues
5. The criteria for entry to the NLS and the criteria for ground/stadium facilities and the criteria for participation in Play Off Matches shall be determined by the LC. All criteria so determined shall be published by The Association from time to time.
5. At the conclusion of each Playing Season, the following procedures will apply to promotion/relegation subject to the application of the Rules:
Step 1 and Step 2
The following does not apply to promotion from Step 1.
The Clubs finishing in the bottom four places at Step 1 at the end of the Playing Season will be relegated to a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 2 for the following Playing Season. They will be replaced by the Clubs finishing in 1st position in each of the divisions at Step 2 together with a further two Clubs determined by a series of Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in 1st position but does not meet the criteria for participation at the next Step, the Club finishing in 2nd position shall be promoted and the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the criteria for participation in Play Off Matches the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. The Play Off Matches shall be played so that in each Step 2 division the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed and the other two Clubs play each other. The aggregate winners will play each other and the winner of that match will be promoted. If there are only three eligible Clubs then the highest placed shall receive a bye to a second match where it will play the winner of the other Play Off Match and the winner of that match will be promoted. Clubs finishing below position 7 will not be considered for Play Off Matches.
Step 2 and Step 3
The Clubs in the bottom three places in each of the two divisions at Step 2 at the end of the Playing Season will be relegated to a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 3 for the following Playing Season. They will be replaced by the Clubs finishing in 1st position in each of the divisions at Step 3 together with a further three Clubs determined by a series of Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in 1st position but does not meet the criteria for participation at the next Step, the Club finishing in 2nd position shall be promoted and the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the criteria for participation in Play Off Matches the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. The Play Off Matches shall be played so that the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed and the other two Clubs play each other. At Step 2 the aggregate winners will play each other and the winner of that match will be promoted and at Step 3 the winners of each first match will play each other and the winner of that match will be promoted. If there are only three eligible Clubs then the highest placed shall receive a bye to a second match where it will play the winner of the other Play Off Match and the winner of that match will be promoted. Clubs finishing below position 7 will not be considered for Play Off Matches.
The promoted Clubs will be placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 2.
Step 3 and Step 4
The Clubs in the bottom four places in each of the three divisions at Step 3 at the end of the Playing Season will be relegated to a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 4 for the following Playing Season. They will be replaced by the Club finishing in 1st position in each of the divisions at Step 4 together with a further six Clubs to be determined by a series of Play Off Matches. Where a Club finishes in 1st position but does not meet the criteria for participation at the next Step, the Club finishing in 2nd position shall be promoted and the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches.
Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the criteria for participation in Play Off Matches the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the Play Off Matches. The Play Off Matches shall be played so that the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed and the other two Clubs play each other. The winners of each match will play each other and the winner of that match will be promoted. If there are only three eligible Clubs then the highest placed shall receive a bye to a second match where it will play the winner of the other Play Off Match and the winner of that match will be promoted. Clubs finishing below position 7 will not be considered for Play Off Matches.
The promoted Clubs will be placed in a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 3.
Step 4 and Step 5
At the end of the Playing Season the Clubs in the bottom two places in each of the four divisions at Step 4 administered by the Northern Premier and Southern Leagues, together with the Clubs in the bottom three places in each of the two divisions administered by the Isthmian League will be relegated and placed in the most geographically appropriate League at Step 5. Irrespective of any provision contained within the Rules the Clubs finishing in bottom position in each of the six Step 4 divisions will be relegated and will not be reprieved. These Clubs will be replaced by the fourteen most suitable Clubs from the Leagues at Step 5 as determined by the LC. The suitability shall be determined as the Club finishing in 1st position in each Step 5 League which meets the entry criteria and wishes to be considered for promotion. In the event of the 1st placed Club not being eligible, the Clubs finishing in 2nd or 3rd position shall be subject to the same criteria. In usual circumstances, no more than one Club will be promoted from any one League. The Clubs to be promoted from Step 5 will be allocated to the most geographically appropriate division at Step 4.
If vacancies remain, consideration will be given to reprieving those Clubs other than bottom placed clubs relegated from Step 4 who will be ranked according to the average number of points gained per games played and the Club with the highest average shall be reprieved first. In the event of Clubs having an identical record the Club to be reprieved shall be determined by the LC.
Any Club seeking promotion from Step 5 to Step 4 must make application to the Association on the prescribed form, copied to their existing League, by 30th November in the relevant year. The application must be accompanied by the appropriate application fee, as determined by the LC, which is non refundable. Applicant Clubs must achieve a minimum E Grade by 31st March in the Playing Season when promotion is sought.
Step 5 to Step 6 and Step 6 to Step 7
The promotion and relegation of Clubs between Steps 5, 6 and 7 shall be dealt with as follows.
Movement of Clubs between Steps 5, 6 and 7, where a League operates at each Step, shall be included in their constitutional rules and regulations. Irrespective of any provision contained within the Rules, the Clubs finishing in bottom position in each of the fourteen Step 5 divisions will be relegated to Step 6 and will not be reprieved, as determined by the LC.
Clubs seeking promotion to Step 5 from a League at Step 6 which is not linked to Step 5, must make application using the prescribed form direct to the Association, copied to their existing League, by 31st December in the relevant year. Each application must be accompanied by the agreed grading fee, as determined by the LC, which is non refundable.
Clubs seeking promotion to Step 6 from a League at Step 7 which is not linked to Step 6, must make application using the prescribed form direct to the Association, copied to their existing League, by 31st December in the relevant year. In order to be considered for promotion Clubs must finish in 1st position in their Step 7 league. If the Club finishing in 1st position does not wish to be promoted or fails to meet the entry criteria then the club finishing in 2nd position will be eligible for promotion. If the club in 2nd position does not seek promotion or fails to meet the entry criteria then clubs down to 5th position may be considered for promotion provided that they meet the appropriate entry criteria. Clubs finishing below 5th position will not be considered for promotion and only one club will be considered from each league. Each application must be accompanied by the agreed grading fee, as determined by the LC, which is non refundable.
5.3 Where a vacancy occurs within the NLS the following procedures will apply:-
5.3.1 Where a vacancy occurs in a particular division prior to the end of a Playing Season, the Club creating the vacancy is taken to be the Club in the bottom position in that division.
5.3.2 Where a vacancy occurs at Steps 2 and 3 following the completion of a Playing Season the best ranked Club in a relegation position across the particular Step is reprieved. The ranking to be determined by the average points gained per game played and comparable league position. The Club with the highest average shall be reprieved first. In the event of Clubs having an identical record the Club to be reprieved shall be determined by the LC.
Where a vacancy arises and clubs at Step 4 are to be reprieved, the four clubs in 21st position in the Northern Premier and Southern Leagues and the two clubs in 22nd position in the Isthmian League would be ranked by the average points per game played. In the event of all of the above six clubs being reprieved and there are further vacancies available the next two places would be allocated to the clubs in 23rd position in the Isthmian League ranked on the average points per game played.
5.3.3 Where a vacancy occurs after the date of a League AGM then a League is not able to replace the Club(s) concerned for the following Playing Season.
5. Only internal changes to the constitution of a League are allowed following the holding of a League’s Annual General Meeting. 5. Clubs are not allowed to enter into a ground share agreement in order to gain promotion or to retain membership at a particular Step where the Club has failed to attain or maintain the relevant Grade.
5. Ground grading requirements will be in accordance with the Rules.
In order to be considered for promotion, the following requirements will apply.
Step 1 - Clubs must comply fully with the requirements of Grade A.
Step 2 - Clubs competing at Step 2 must comply fully with the requirements of Grade B. To be considered for promotion to Step 1 or to be included in the Play Off Matches, Clubs must meet the requirements of Grade B together with any additional requirements by 31st March in the year in which they seek promotion. Clubs must also attain Grade A by 31st March in the year following promotion.
Step 3 must comply fully with the requirements of Grade C. To be considered for promotion to Step 2 or to be included in the Play Off Matches, Clubs must meet the requirements of Grade C and attain Grade B by 31st March in the year following promotion.
Step 4 - Clubs competing at Step 4 must comply fully with the requirements of Grade D. To be considered for promotion to Step 3 or to be included in the Play Off Matches, Clubs must meet the requirements of Grade D and attain Grade C by 31st March in the year following promotion.
Step 5 - Clubs competing at Step 5 must comply fully with the requirements of Grade F. To be considered for promotion to Step 4, Clubs must meet the requirements of Grade E by 31st March in the year in which they seek promotion, and attain Grade D by 31st March in the year following promotion. Step 6 - Clubs competing at Step 6 must comply fully with the requirements of Grade G. To be considered for promotion to Step 5 Clubs must meet the requirements of Grade G and attain Grade F by 31st March in the year following promotion.
Step 7 - Clubs competing at Step 7 must comply fully with the minimum requirements in force. To be considered for promotion to Step 6 Clubs must meet the requirements of Grade H and attain Grade G by 31st March in the year following promotion. Clubs can be promoted from Step 7 to 6 without floodlights provided that all other requirements of Grade H are met by 31st March in the Playing Season in which the Club wishes to gain promotion and that the Club has the following in place:- Planning permission for floodlights Funding applications submitted if required Quotations/estimates for the work to be carried out A development/business plan That by 30th September following promotion the floodlights are installed and in working order. Failure to install floodlights in working order by 30th September following promotion will result in a sanction being imposed at the discretion of the League of which the Club is a member. If by 31st March in the year following promotion the floodlights are still not installed then the Club will be a relegated Club and be dealt with accordingly.
5. If a Club is relegated for not achieving the required Grade for the Step at which it is playing it will not be eligible for promotion again until it has attained the required Grade for the Step to which it wishes to be promoted. The Club must have that Grade at 31st March in the year in which it seeks promotion.
6. 6. The Movement of Clubs within the National League System other than by Promotion or Relegation
6. Movement of a Club from participation in one League to another is not permitted other than by promotion and relegation or otherwise as set out in League Rules save with the approval of the LC.
It may be necessary from time to time to move Clubs laterally at the same Step. The LC shall determine any lateral movement of Clubs at the same Step by (a) promotion or relegation and (b) to enhance or maintain the strength of individual Leagues/Divisions. Prior to making a decision to move a Club or Clubs laterally, the LC shall consult with the Clubs and Leagues involved. Any decision shall be final and binding subject only to Arbitration in accordance with FA Rule K.
In coming to its decision the LC will have regard to any representations made by any party, the distance to be travelled by any Club to be moved compared to the distance travelled in the Playing Season prior to movement; the financial impact on the Club to be moved, the frequency with which the Club has been moved in the past; the number of Clubs both in the division to which the Club is to be moved and in the division from which the Club is moved, and any other matter that it considers to be relevant.
6. Any Club proposing to move from one League to another must make application in writing to The Association on or before 31st March in each year to be effective for the following Playing Season. In the event of such application being successful the League from which the Club is moving shall not levy a financial penalty on that Club.
6. If a Club (whether a Members’ Club or a Company) is wound up, liquidated, or is removed from its League or withdraws from football competition (‘the Former Club’), and a new Club (‘the New Club’) is established which wishes to be placed within the NLS, then unless otherwise determined by the LC, it will be allowed to make an application only to join a League/division at Step 5 of the NLS unless the Former Club was in either Step 4 or Step 5 when the event which caused it to cease its membership occurred in which case it must re-join the NLS at a minimum of two Steps below the level at which it was at the time the event occurred, or withdrew from football competition, whichever is lower. Where the Former Club was a member of The FA Premier League or Football League then the LC shall at its absolute discretion determine in which League the New Club shall be placed for the following Playing Season and will set out at its complete discretion the requirements to be met by the New Club.
In order for consideration to be given to the placement in the NLS of the New Club in the following Playing Season, an initial application must be received by the LC by 1st March or within twenty-one days of the Former Club being wound up, liquidated, resigning or being removed from its League or withdrawing from football competition, if such date is later than 1st March.
The full application accompanied by all necessary documents including evidence of security of tenure having been granted to the New Club and affiliation to a County Football Association must be received by 31st March or within twenty-one days of the Former Club being wound up, liquidated, resigning or being removed from its League or withdrawing from football competition, if such date is later than 1st March. The application shall be copied to the League of which membership is being requested. The application will be determined by the LC.
In considering any application, the LC will set out at its sole discretion the requirements to be met by the New Club.
In the event of more than one application being received within twenty-one days of the Former Club being wound up, liquidated, resigning or being removed from its League or withdrawing from football competition, the LC will consider at its discretion which application will be considered in accordance with this Regulation.
6. If a Club (whether a Members’ Club or a Company) ceases to be a member of its league and that Club (that is not a New Club as defined at 6.3 above) wishes to be placed within the NLS for the immediately following Playing Season, then unless otherwise determined by the LC, it may be allowed to make an application to join a League/division below the most recent League/division of which the Club was a member.
In order for consideration to be given to the placement in the NLS by the Club in the immediately following Playing Season, an initial application must be received by the LC in accordance with the procedures set out at 6.3 above. The application shall be copied to the League of which membership is being requested. The application will be determined by the LC at its absolute discretion.
In considering any application, the LC will set out at its sole discretion the requirements to be met by the Club in determining whether to approve the application.
6. If two or more Clubs (“the Merging Clubs”) are proposing a transaction or series of transactions that result in the merging or consolidation (“the Proposed Merger”) of those Clubs into one Club (“the Merged Club”) then a formal application to do so must be received by the LC and the league(s) of which the Merging Clubs are members by 31st December to be valid for the following Playing Season.
A Deed of Agreement, which shall be legally binding on all parties must be submitted to The Association by 31st March in the year immediately following receipt of the application. The LC shall determine at its absolute discretion where the Merged Club is to be included in the NLS for the following Playing Season subject to the provisions of item 6.5.5 below.
In arriving at its decision the LC may apply the following minimum criteria:
6.5. The requirements of Standardised Rule 2.9 for the current Playing Season must be met by each of the Merging Clubs. If one or more of the Merging Clubs is subject to an insolvency event then Standardised Rule 2.9.2 shall be applied to such club(s), otherwise Standardised Rule 2.9.1 shall be applied; 6.5. The proposed playing name of the Merged Club must be acceptable to the LC; and
6.5. The Merged Club must have security of tenure to a ground that meets the relevant ground grading requirements;
6.5. Any other criteria that the LC may from time to time deem to be appropriate; 6.5. The Merged Club will ordinarily be placed at the lower of the Steps at which the Merging Clubs ended the Playing Season in which the application is made. For the purposes of this Regulation, if one of the Merging Clubs has finished that Playing Season in a relegation place, then they will be deemed to have ended the Playing Season at the Step to which they would have been relegated without the Proposed Merger proceeding.
Any decision regarding whether a proposed transaction or series of transactions falls to be considered under this Regulation shall be determined by the LC at its absolute discretion
7. Placement of a Club into a League
7. Usually a club can only enter the NLS at Step 7. However, in exceptional circumstances a League may seek approval from the LC to receive a club not currently in membership of a League within the NLS provided that there is: (a) a vacancy within its constitution (b) the club meets the entry criteria and (c) promotion and relegation issues have been satisfied. Such request must be received by no later than 1st March.
7. Reserve teams, including a team from a club or Club which is not considered by the LC to be sufficiently separate from another club or Club, will not be permitted to compete above Step 6 in the NLS. There must be a minimum of two Steps between a first and reserve team. This does not apply at Steps 6 & 7. No two teams from the same Club can play at the same Step. Reserve teams currently at Step 5 can remain unless relegated, once relegated they will not be permitted to be promoted back to Step 5.
7. Teams from Higher Education or Further Education establishments are not permitted to compete above Step 5. This does not prevent any such establishment forming a Club which complies with all entry criteria and which is separate from the establishment itself.
7. Where a Club moves from one League to another, for whatever reason, the League from which it is being moved must provide the League to which the Club is being moved with a certificate confirming that the Club being moved does not owe any money or other property of any nature to the League from which it is being moved. The Club being moved cannot compete in its new League until such certificate has been provided and the onus will be on the Club being moved to ensure that it has cleared all indebtedness to its previous League.
7. In or about early April each year the LC will consider whether any lateral movements may be necessary at each Step; if so the Clubs likely to be affected shall be notified and given the opportunity to present a case if that Club does not wish to be moved laterally. The final decision shall rest with a sub-committee of the LC with members of Step 5 Leagues if appropriate and any appeal shall be to the LC using members who have not been involved in the original decision. The decision of that appeal shall be final and binding subject only to Arbitration under FA Rule K.
8. 8. Procedures for the Determination of any Matter, Dispute or Difference by the Leagues Committee
8. The LC may adopt such procedures for the determination of any matter, dispute or difference as it considers appropriate and expedient, having regard to the aims and objectives set out at Regulation 1. The LC may require the attendance at a meeting or the written observations of any League or Club, as it considers appropriate to assist its determination.
8. Any dispute or difference between a League and a Club relating to promotion and relegation issues and/or other eligibility criteria must be referred for determination to the LC; such determination shall be final and binding.
8. Any other decision of the LC shall be subject to a right of appeal to an Appeal Board. The decision of that Appeal Board shall be final and binding on all parties.
All referrals of appeals shall be conducted in accordance with the Regulations for Football Association Appeals. Such must be accompanied by a deposit as follows:
Step 1 Clubs - £250 Step 2 Clubs - £200 Step 3 Clubs - £150 Step 4 Clubs - £100 All other applications - £50
8. The LC may, at its discretion, delegate the resolution of any matter, dispute or difference arising under these Regulations to any body it considers to be appropriate (including a sub-committee or commission which may include members of council not on the LC or a body constituted by a County Football Association).
9. Arbitration
The fact of participation in the NLS and signifying agreement to be bound by the Regulations shall constitute an agreement between each League and Club to refer to Arbitration any challenge in law arising out of, or in relation to, the Regulations in accordance with the provisions of FA Rule K.
10. Precedence
In the case of conflict between the Regulations for the Operation of the National League System and the Rules, the Regulations take precedence.
LEAGUES/DIVISIONS AT STEPS 5, 6 & 7 OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE SYSTEM (as from season 2014/2015) Step 5 Combined Counties League Premier Div Eastern Counties League Premier Div Essex Senior League Hellenic League Premier Div Midland League Premier Div North West Counties League Premier Div Northern Counties East League Premier Div Northern League Div 1 Southern Counties East League Spartan South Midlands League Premier Div Sussex County League Div 1 United Counties League Premier Div Wessex League Premier Div Western League Premier Div Step 6 Combined Counties League Div 1 East Midlands Counties League Eastern Counties League Div 1 Hellenic League Div 1 East Hellenic League Div 1 West Kent Invicta League Midland League Div 1 North West Counties League Div 1 Northern Counties East Div 1 Northern League Div 2 South West Peninsula League Premier Div Spartan South Midlands League Div 1 Sussex County League Div 2 United Counties League Div 1 Wessex League Div 1 West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Div Western League Div 1 Step 7 Anglian Combination Premier Div Cambridgeshire County League Premier Div Central Midlands League Div North Central Midlands League Div South Cheshire League Div 1 Dorset Premier League Essex Olympian League Premier Div Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Div Gloucestershire County League Premier Div Hampshire Premier League Senior Div Herts Senior County League Premier Div Humber Premier League Premier Div Leicestershire Senior League Premier Div Liverpool County Premier League Premier Div Manchester Football League Premier Div Middlesex County League Premier Div Midland League Div 2 Northern Football Alliance Premier Div Nottinghamshire Senior League Senior Div Peterborough & District League Premier Div Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Div South West Peninsula League Div 1 East South West Peninsula League Div 1 West Somerset County League Premier Div Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Div Suffolk & Ipswich League Senior Div Wearside League West Cheshire League Div 1 West Lancashire League Premier Div West Midlands (Regional) League Div 1 West Yorkshire League Premier Div Wiltshire Football League Premier Div
Step 7A Northamptonshire Combination Premier Div Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Div Reading Football League Senior Div Teesside League Div 1 York Football League Premier Div
Step 7B Bedfordshire County League Premier Div Kent County League Premier Div Spartan South Midlands League Div 2 Surrey Elite Intermediate League Intermediate Div West Riding County Amateur League Premier Div
APPENDIX ‘C’ - APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE NORTH WEST COUNTIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The North West Counties Football League has produced a document titled Criteria for Stadium Facilities and Procedure for Admission to Membership of The North West Counties Football League and a copy should be obtained by all Clubs wishing to apply for promotion to the North West Counties League.
Detailed below are excerpts from the document relating to Applications and Promotion. “Rule 26 of the NWCFL provides that up to a maximum of two Clubs may be promoted to the NWCFL from either the Liverpool County Football Combination, the Manchester Football League, the Cheshire Football League, the Midland League, the West Lancashire Football League or the West Cheshire Football League, providing that each Club is either, in order of priority, the Champion Club or failing their suitability, the Runner-Up Club, subject to the Club meeting the criteria for membership. Where more than two Clubs qualify, the promoted clubs will be decided by the NLSC.”
Procedure for Application 1. By 24 January Clubs to inform their current League of its intention to seek promotion. 2. By 1 February Leagues to inform the North West Counties Football League of applications received. 3. By 7 February North West Counties Football League to issue application forms to Clubs. 4. By 14 February Application forms to be returned 5. By 28 February North West Counties Football League to have completed initial Ground Grading Inspections. 6. By 1 April All work to be completed and final Ground Grading Visit to be completed. 7. By 5 April North West Counties Football League to inform all Leagues of those Clubs meeting Ground Grading Criteria.
Note: All dates are final dates, but Clubs are strongly advised to make their applications both to their League and for any planning permission required, as early as possible to provide the necessary time for the completion of any ground improvements required.
CHESHIRE LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUPS JB Parker Division 1 Challenge Cup J A Walton Challenge Cup Reserve Divisions Challenge Cup
1. MANAGEMENT. The entire control and management of the above competitions shall be vested in the Cheshire League Council or Management Committee, and the competitions shall be confined solely to members of the Cheshire Football League. All Clubs to pay an entrance fee of £30.
2. ARRANGEMENT OF GAMES. All games shall be played on the ground of the first named Club, prior to the semi-finals. Where the home Club cannot take gate receipts, the game shall be played on their opponents ground. Final tie shall be played on a neutral ground as arranged by the League Committee. Semi-final ties will be played on the ground of the Club drawn first and must be played before 20 April each year unless, the League Council or Management Committee rule otherwise.
3. PLAYERS’ QUALIFICATIONS (A) All players shall be bona fide members of a Club as defined in Rule 8(B), but no player shall play in any of the League Competitions for more than 1 Club during the current season. All players must have a 7 day registration qualification for the First Round. For subsequent rounds prior to the Final, players should have a 7 day playing qualification and for the Final, a 28 day playing qualification. In the event of abandoned, postponed or replayed ties, only those players who were eligible to play in the original game shall be allowed to play (except if under suspension for this game).
(B) Any player having played for his Club’s First Team in either the J B Parker or J A Walton League Challenge Cups shall not be eligible to play for his Club’s Reserve Team in the Reserve Division League Challenge Cup in the same season.
(C) A Club may, at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the permission granted by The Football Association, nominate 5 substitutes and use either 3 substitutes (J B Parker Division 1 Challenge Cup) or 5 substitutes (J A Walton and Reserve Division Challenge Cups) in this Competition as per League Rule 10G . The Referee shall be informed of the name of the substitutes before the start of the match. Substitutes not so named will not be allowed to take part in the match.
4. DURATION OF GAMES. All matches must be played under the rules of THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, and shall be of 90 minutes duration. In all games, should the score be level after 90 minutes, extra time will be played. Should the score still be level after extra time, the tie will be settled by a penalty shoot out as laid down by The Football Association.
5. DIVISION OF GATES AND PERCENTAGES. In final ties, the League shall take 33% of the gross gate. After expenses, the remainder shall be equally divided between the competing clubs.
6. COLOURS. Clubs having similar colours, League Rule 9 will apply in all games prior to the final tie. In the final tie, where Clubs have similar colours, both Clubs will change.
7. TROPHIES. The League Challenge Cup shall be awarded to the winners. 17 medals or plaques shall be awarded to the winners and runners-up. Holders of the League Challenge Cup are responsible for the cost of engraving the name of their Club and the season for which they hold the trophy.
The Cup must be returned to the League Secretary, properly engraved, by the First Full Council Meeting each year. Defaulters to be fined £10 per trophy. Extra medals or plaques may be ordered, subject to the approval of the League Council or Management Committee. The cost to be borne by the Club.
8. REFEREES AND ASSISTANT REFEREES. Fees and expenses in all rounds, Semi-Finals and Final tie will be as per League Rule 13. In addition, Match Officials in the Final tie will receive similar trophies to those awarded to the participating teams.
9. SECOND DIVISION and RESERVE DIVISION TROPHIES. Separate Competitions for Second Division, Third Division and Reserve Division Clubs will be competed for annually. All rules as per 1st Division Cup Competition.
10. In Final ties, the League Executive will appoint one Vice President to supervise arrangements of the venue. The League Treasurer or an appointed deputy will also be in attendance to deal with all finance.
11. The rules which apply to the League Championship matches shall be adopted and will control the Cup Competition. Any Club failing to fulfil a cup fixture or being proven guilty of playing an ineligible player may be expelled from the Competition and fined a maximum £100 or dealt with as the Management Committee may desire.
CHESHIRE LEAGUE PRESIDENT’S CUP
1. MANAGEMENT. The entire control and management of the above Competition shall be vested in the League Council or Management Committee. The Competition shall be confined to teams who are members of either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Reserve Divisions, who are eliminated from the League Challenge Cups in the preliminary and first rounds. All competing clubs to pay an Entrance Fee of £15.00.
2. ARRANGEMENT OF GAMES. All games shall be played on the ground of the 1st team drawn out in each tie up to and including the semi-finals and must be played on the dates as directed by the League Council or Management Committee. The Final to be played on a neutral ground as directed.
3. PLAYERS QUALIFICATIONS. All players shall be bona-fide members of a Club as defined in Rule 8(b). No player shall play for more than 1 Club or team during the current season. All players must have a 28 day playing qualification prior to the final tie and for all other rounds have signed and played for the Club or team 7 days prior to the date arranged for the tie. In the event of postponed, abandoned or rearranged games, only those players that were eligible to play in the original game (except if under suspension for that game) will be eligible to play.
Reserve Division team members who have taken part in this competition will not be allowed to play for their first team in this competition, likewise players who have played for their first team in this Competition will not be allowed to play for the Club’s reserve team in this Competition. Clubs with a team in either the Division 1 or Division 2 League Challenge Cups and also a team in the Reserve Division Challenge Cup, but having 1 such team eliminated from their Divisional Cup in either the preliminary or first round, will not be allowed to play players in this competition who have taken part in a team in the alternative Divisional League Cup match(es) except due to exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the Management Committee.
All teams will be allowed to play 3 substitutes from 5 nominated (NB not 5 from 5) providing that their names have been given to the Referee prior to the Kick Off. Players whose names have not been given will not be allowed to play.
4. DURATION OF MATCHES. All matches must be played under the rules of The Football Association and shall be of 90 minutes duration. In all games, should the scores be level at the end of 90 minutes, extra time will be played. Should the score still be level after extra time, the tie will be settled by a penalty shoot out as laid down by The Football Association. 5. COLOURS. Should teams drawn together have similar colours or colours that clash, then the last drawn team will change their colours. In the final tie, any such clash will mean that both teams may be required to change.
6. The Cheshire League Challenge Cup Rules (7), (8), (10) and (11) will also apply to this Competition.
CHESHIRE LEAGUE MEMORIAL CUP
1. MANAGEMENT. The entire control and management of the above Competition shall be vested in the League Council or Management Committee and the Cup shall be played for between CFL Division 1 Champions and the J B Parker Division 1 Challenge Cup Winners. If this is the same Club, then the CFL Division 1 Runners Up will compete.
2. ARRANGEMENT OF GAMES. There is only 1 game and it will be played on the Saturday preceding the start of the CFL season each year. The match will be played on the ground of the current Cheshire League Division 1 Champions, or such other ground as the Management Committee shall determine.
3. PLAYERS QUALIFICATIONS. All players shall be bona-fide members of a Club as defined in Rule 8(b). A Club, may at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the permission granted by The Football Association, nominate 5 substitutes and use 3 substitutes in this Competition.
The Referee shall be informed of the name of the substitutes before the start of the match. Substitutes not so named will not be allowed to take part in the match.
4. DURATION OF MATCHES. All matches must be played under the rules of The Football Association and shall be of 90 minutes duration. If the scores are level at the end of 90 minutes, the tie will be settled by a penalty shoot out as laid down by the International Board Decision contained in the Laws of the Game.
5. DIVISION OF GATE & PERCENTAGES The League shall take 33% of the gross gate. After expenses, the remainder shall be equally divided by the competing clubs.
6. COLOURS The CFL Division 1 Champions will play in their home colours.
7. TROPHIES The CFL Memorial Cup shall be awarded to the winners and the winners name be recorded on the CFL roll of honour. The Cup will not be engraved with the winners, rather the names of those who have served in the Cheshire League, and thus in whose memory it is played. No individual trophies will be presented. The Cup must be returned to the League Secretary by the May Constitutional meeting each year. Defaulters to be fined £10.00.
8. REFEREES & ASSISTANT REFEREES Match Officials will be appointed by the Cheshire League and receive match fees and expenses as per League Rule 13e paragraph 2.