RULES INDEX
1 Title and Constitution
......................................................................
2 Entry Fee, Subscription, Deposit .....................................................
3 Officers & Management
..................................................................
4 Annual and Special Meetings ..........................................................
5 Agreement to be
Signed...................................................................
6 Qualification of Players ...................................................................
7 Club Colours
...................................................................................
8 Playing
Season.................................................................................
9 Reporting
Results.............................................................................
10 Determining Championship.............................................................
11
Referees............................................................................................
12 Retirement & Re-election
................................................................
13 Protest & Appeals
............................................................................
14 Board of Appeals .............................................................................
15 Trophies
...........................................................................................
16 Special General Meetings
................................................................
17 Alteration to Rules
...........................................................................
18
Finance.............................................................................................
19 Appendix I .......................................................................................
20 Appendix II
......................................................................................
21 Appendix
RULES
LEAGUE ORGANISATION
TITLE
NOMENCLATURE
1. (A) This Competition shall be designated The Lancashire
Amateur
Football League and shall consist of not more than 50 clubs
who shall
be full member clubs.
All such member clubs must be affiliated to a
is itself affiliated to the Football Association, and their
names and
particulars shall be returned annually by the appointed
date on the form
‘D’ to the appropriate County Football Association. The
area covered by
the Competition membership shall be
This Competition shall apply annually for sanction to the
Football Association and the constituent teams of member
clubs may be
grouped in divisions, each not exceeding 16 in number.
Member clubs shall not enter any of their teams playing in
the
Competition in any other competitions (with the exception
of F.A. and
Management Committee of the Competition.
(B) At the Annual General Meeting or a Special General
Meeting
called for the purpose, a majority of the delegates present
shall have
power to decide or adjust the compilation of the divisions
at their
discretion. When necessary this rule shall take precedence
over Rule 12.
ENTRY FEE, SUBSCRIPTION, DEPOSIT
2. (A) All applications by clubs for admission to this
competition or
the entry of an additional team(s) must be made in writing
to the
secretary and must be accompanied by an entry fee of £50
per team
which shall be returned in the event of non-election. At
the discretion of
a majority of 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.
(B) The annual subscription shall be as laid down in
Appendix II,
payable on or before the 1st. August each year.
(C) No longer applicable.
(D) A club may not participate in this competition until
the entry
fee, annual subscriptions and deposit have been paid.
(E) Clubs must advise annually the League Secretary in
writing by
1st. August of its County Football Association affiliation
number for the
forthcoming season, failing which they shall be fined £50.
Clubs must advise the Secretary in writing, or in
prescribed form, of
details of its headquarters, officers and any other
information requested by
the Competition.
OFFICERS
3. The Officers of the Competition shall be the President,
Chairman, Vice-
Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary,
Registration Secretary,
Referees’ Secretary and Assistant Referees’ Secretary to be
elected annually
at the Annual General Meeting. (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 Management
Committee comprising the officers and 7 members who shall
be elected
at the Annual General Meeting. All participants shall abide
by the
Football Association regulations for safeguarding children,
as determined
by the Association from time to time.
(B) Retiring officers shall be eligible to become
candidates for
reelection 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 8th. 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 as often as
necessary to
deal with the business as it arises. On receiving a
requisition signed by
two-thirds of the Management Committee the Secretary shall
convene a
meeting of the committee.
(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.
POWERS OF MANAGEMENT
5. (A) The Management Committee 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 for
ratification. The Management Committee shall have power to
deal only
with matters within the Competition and not for any matters
of
misconduct that are under the jurisdiction of the Football
Association or
affiliated Association.
(B) Subject to the permission of the Lancashire County
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 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 subcommittee).
In the event of the voting being equal on any matter, the
Chairman shall
have a second or casting vote.
(D)The Management Committee shall have power 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. Except where
these rules provide for the imposition of a set penalty on
any club, official (limited
to Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer) or player alleged to
be in breach of a
Competition rule, they must be formally charged in writing
and given the
opportunity to present their case before the Management
Committee. Financial
penalties can only be imposed if included within the set
penalties for breaches of
Competition rules. All breaches of the Laws of the Game,
rules and regulations of
The Football Association shall be dealt with in accordance
with F.A. rules.
(E) All decisions of the Management Committee shall be
binding subject to the
right of appeal to the Board of Appeal in accordance with
rule16. Decisions of the
Management Committee must be notified in writing to those
concerned within 7
days.
(F) 7 members of the Management Committee shall constitute
a quorum for the
transaction of business of the Management Committee and 3
members shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by any
sub-committee of the
Competition.
(G) The Management Committee, as it may deem necessary,
shall have the
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 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.
(I) All fines and charges shall be paid within 14 days of
the date of posting of
the written notification. Clubs, officers or individuals
committing a breach of this
rule will incur such penalties as the Management Committee
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) No participant under the age of 18 may be fined.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
6. (A) The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later
than the 30th.
June in each year. At this meeting the following business
shall be
transacted provided that at least 30 members are present
and entitled to
vote.
(i) To receive and confirm the
minutes of the preceding Annual
General Meeting.
(ii) To consider any business arising therefrom.
(iii) To receive and adopt the Annual Report, Balance Sheet
and
Statement of Account.
(iv) Election of Clubs to fill vacancies (as recommended by
the
Management Committee).
(v) Constitution of the Competition for 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 and conclusion of
playing season.
(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
fourteen days prior to
the meeting, and to the Lancashire County Football
Association.
(C) A signed copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet and
Statement
of Accounts shall be forwarded to the Lancashire County
Football
Association within fourteen days of its adoption by the
Annual General
Meeting.
(D) Each full member club shall be entitled to send two
delegates to
an Annual General Meeting. Each club shall be entitled to
one vote only.
Not less than seven 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
in
membership shall be entitled to attend but shall vote only
on matters
relating to the season being concluded.
(F) All voting shall be conducted by a show of voting cards
unless a
ballot be demanded by at least 20 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.
(H) Any continuing member clubs failing to be represented
at the
Annual General Meeting without satisfactory reason being
given shall be
fined £30.
(I) Officers and Management Committee members shall be
entitled to
attend and vote at the 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, of (chairman) and
of (secretary) of the
Football Club have been provided with a copy
of the rules and regulations of The Lancashire Amateur
Football League
Competition and do hereby agree for and on behalf of the
said club to,
if elected or accepted into membership, to conform to those
rules and
regulations and to accept and abide by and implement the
decisions of the
Management Committee of the Competition, subject to
the right of appeal in accordance with Rule 16. Any
alteration of the
Chairman and/or Secretary on the above agreement must be
notified to the
County Football Association to which the club is affiliated
and to the
Secretary of the Competition.
QUALIFICATION OF PLAYERS
8. (A) Contract Players as defined in Football Association
Rules are not
permitted in this Competition.
(B) A registered playing member of a club is one who, being
in all
other respects eligible, has signed a fully and correctly
completed
Competition registration form (LAL 3) in ink, countersigned
by an officer
of the club, and who has been registered with the
Registration
Secretary 48 hours prior to playing. The player shall not
be eligible to play
until the completed registration counterfoil has been
received by the club.
(C) A player is not eligible to play in the competition who
receives
any form of payment for playing, other than for expenses as
per clause 1,
2 and 3 of Article 2 of the FIFA Regulations Governing the
Status and
transfer of players.
(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 officers 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 a 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) A fee of 50 pence shall be paid for each player
registered at 1st.
February each year.
(F) The Management Committee 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
Registration
Secretary shall notify the club last applying to register
the player of the
fact of the previous registration.
(G) It shall be a breach of rule 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 accurately or fully to complete.
(H) (i) The Management Committee
shall have power to accept
the registration of any player.
(ii) The Management Committee shall have power to refuse,
cancel or suspend the registration of any player or may
fine any player, except
those under 18 years of age, 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 and
subject to the
right of appeal to the FA or the relevant County Football
Association.
conduct, 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 with. (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.) For the purpose of
this rule,
bringing the competition into disrepute can only be
considered where the
player has received in excess of 112 days’ suspension, or
10 matches in
match-based discipline, in a period of two years or less
from the date of
the first offence.
(I) Subject to the Football Association rules dealing with
players
without a written contract when a player desires a
transfer, the club the player
wishes to transfer to shall submit a transfer form to the
Registration Secretary.
Such transfer shall be referred by the Registration
Secretary to the club for
which the player is registered. Should this club object to
the transfer it
should state its objections in writing to the Registration
Secretary and to
the player concerned within seven days of receipt of the
transfer form.
Upon receipt of the club’s consent, or upon its failure to
give written
objection within seven days, the Registration Secretary
may, on behalf of
the Management Committee, transfer the player who shall be
deemed
eligible to play for the new club from such date. In the
event of an
objection to a transfer the matter shall be referred to the
Management
Committee for a decision.
(J) A player may not be registered for a club nor
transferred to
another club in the Competition after 1st. March in each
season except by
special permission of the Management Committee.
(K) A club shall keep a list of the players it registers
and a record
of the games in which they have played, and shall produce
such records
upon demand by the Management Committee.
(L) A register containing the names of all players
registered for
each club (on forms LAL 3 or 3a), with the date of
registration, shall be
kept by the Registrations Secretary and shall be open to
the inspection of
any duly appointed member club representative at all
Management
Committee meetings or at other times mutually arranged.
Registrations are valid for one season 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. 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 12a) unless the player has played 3 games for that
team in this
Competition in the current season.
(N) Not applicable
(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.
(ii) In addition the team may have points deducted from its
total at the discretion of the Management Committee and may
be dealt
with in any further manner which is thought fit.
(iii) The Management Committee may, at its discretion,
award
the points available in the match in question to the
opponents, subject to
the match not being ordered to be replayed.
(P) (i) Priority must be given at
all times to school and school
organisations’ activities.
(ii) The availability of children must be cleared with head
teachers (except for Sunday leagues).
(iii) To play open-age football the player must have
achieved
the age of 16.
CLUB COLOURS, CLUB NAME
9. (A) Every club must register the colour of its shirts
and shorts by
1st. August with the Secretary, who shall decide as to
their suitability.
Goalkeepers must wear colours which distinguish them from
other
players and the referee.
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 2 days before the match.
If, in the opinion of the referee, two teams have the same
or similar
colours, the home team shall make the change. Any team not
having a
change of colours of delaying the kick-off by not having a
change shall be
fined £20. 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 may refuse to permit any
shirts or shorts
as they think fit. Shirts in first team games must be
numbered.
(B) Any club wishing to change its name and/or colours must
seek
permission from its affiliated
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. Original fixtures arranged by Fixtures
Secretary, or
at a meeting specially convened for that purpose, to be
held no later than
10th. April, must not be arranged for a date later than
seven days
preceding the concluding date determined by the Annual
General
Meeting.
(B) (i) All matches shall be
played in accordance with the Laws of
the Game as determined by the International Football
Association Board.
(ii) 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.
(iii) If through any fault of the home team a match has to
be
replayed the Management Committee shall have power to order
the venue
to be changed.
(iv) 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.
(v) All matches shall have a duration of 90 minutes unless
a
shorter time (not less than 60 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
Committee. Any club failing to commence at the appointed
time shall be
fined a sum not exceeding £20 or be otherwise dealt with as
the
Management Committee may determine.
(vi) Referees must order matches to commence at the
appointed time and must report all late starts to the
Competition.
(vii) 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 all
matches must be played on the dates originally fixed but
priority shall be
given to the Football Association and all relevant
competitions. All other matches must be considered
secondary. Clubs may
mutually agree to bring forward a match with the consent of
the Fixtures
Secretary.
(D) The Secretary of the home club must give notice of full
particulars of the location of, and access to, the ground
and time of kickoff
to the match officers and the secretary of the opposing
club at least 48
hours prior to the playing of the match. Any club failing
to comply with
this rule shall be liable to a fine of £30.
(E) Every club shall play its best available qualified team
or teams in
all matches in the Competition. In the event of a club
playing in any match
with fewer than 11 players they may be fined for each
missing player. A
minimum of 7 players will constitute a team for a
Competition match.
(F) Home and away matches shall be played. In the event of
a club
failing to keep its engagement, the Management Committee
shall be
empowered to impose penalties on the defaulting club in
accordance with
Appendix
club will be liable to pay any expenses incurred by their
opponents. Not
withstanding 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.
Any club with more than one team in the Competition shall
always fulfil
its fixtures, within the Competition, in the following
order of precedence
: first team, reserve team, A team, etc. Clubs in breach of
this requirement
shall be fined £30 or otherwise dealt with by the
Management Committee.
With effect from the expiry of the original scheduled
league fixtures as
circulated at the beginning of the season, all re-arranged
games must be
played on the re-arranged dates. If ground unavailable or
unfit then the
game must be switched to the opponents ground if available.
Failure to
play the game on the re-scheduled date will result in the
defaulting
club failing to keep its engagement as per Rule 10(F)
paragraph 1.
Notice of postponement of any match must be given without
delay by the
postponing club (or notice of a club being unable to fulfil
any match must
be given a minimum of 48 hours prior to the match by the
club) to the
Fixtures Secretary, Competition Referees’ Secretary, the
secretary of the
opposing club and the match officers.
Any club failing to comply shall be dealt with by the
Management
Committee who may inflict any penalty it may deem suitable.
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 arranged by the Fixtures Secretary.
The Management Committee shall review all abandoned matches
and in
a case where it is to the advantage of the Competition and
does no
injustice to either club shall be empowered to order the
score at the time
of the abandonment to stand. In all cases where the
Management
Committee are satisfied that a match was abandoned owing to
the conduct
of one team or its club’s member(s) they shall be empowered
to award the
points for the match to the opponents and/or take what
other action they
may deem necessary. In cases where a match is abandoned
owing to the
conduct of both teams or their clubs’ members, the
Management
Committee shall take such action as they consider
appropriate. No fines
can be applied for an abandoned match. Any action is
subject to any
disciplinary action taken by the appropriate
(G) A club may at its discretion and in accordance with the
Laws of
the Game use up to three substitute players in any match in
this
Competition who are to be selected from up to five players
who should all
be named on the official match sheet to be handed to the
referee not later
than 5 minutes before the commencement of the match. A
player who has
been named as a substitute before the start of the match
but who does not
actually play in the match shall not be considered to have
been a player in
that match within the meaning of Rule 8 of this
competition.
(H) The half time interval shall not exceed fifteen
minutes. The half
time interval may only be altered with the consent of the
referee.
(I) Before postponing a 1st. XI fixture due to an unfit
pitch, the
home club must consult a league referee to inspect the
ground before the
game can be postponed. The only exception is when the
ground is closed
by the “landlord.”
REPORTING RESULTS
11. (A) The Discipline Secretary must receive within 7 days
of the date
played 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). The referee’s marks required by Rule 13
should be sent to
the Referees’ Assistant Secretary. Failure to do so will
incur a fine of £10
and/or the club being dealt with as the Management
Committee decide.
(B) The home club shall telephone the result of each match
to the
person appointed at the commencement of the season within
one hour of
the completion of the game.
(C) The match result notification, correctly completed,
shall be
signed by a responsible member of the club. The Management
Committee
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 one point
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 the event of two or more teams being equal on points
team rankings
shall be decided by goal difference. In the event of a tie
the Management
Committee shall determine the outcome.
(B) Automatic promotion and relegation shall be applied for
the
first two and the last two in each division except as
provided for
hereunder, subject to the provisions of Rule 1(b).
(C) In the event of a team not completing all of its
fixtures for the
season all the points obtained by or recorded against such
defaulting team
shall be expunged from the Competition table.
REFEREES
13. (A) Registered referees and assistant referees for all
matches shall
be appointed (and confirmed by clubs) 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 appointed by the competing teams. In cases where
there are no
officially appointed assistant referees, the clubs shall
agree upon a referee.
A referee thus agreed upon shall, for that game, have the
full powers, status
and authority of a registered referee. The non-arrival of
an officially
appointed referee shall not be grounds for not playing any
fixture.
(C) The Management Committee may, if they consider it
desirable,
or upon applications from 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 for first team
games will result in a fine being imposed on the defaulting
team
according to the schedule of fines.
(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) Match officials appointed under this rule shall be
entitled to
charge standard class public transport expenses or private
car expenses
and any other permitted expenses actually incurred together
with the
match fees as outlined in Appendix I. The home club shall
pay the
officials their fees and expenses immediately after the
match.
(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 full fee plus expenses.
However, in the event
of a late postponement because of unfitness of pitch, any
officials present
will be entitled only 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 not keeping his or her engagement and failing
to give
a satisfactory explanation of their non-appearance may be
reported to the
association with which he or she is registered.
(H) Each club shall submit to the Assistant Referees’
Secretary
within 5 days of each game, marks awarded to the referee
for each match.
The name of the referee and the marks awarded shall be
submitted to the
competition on the prescribed form (LAL6). Marks should be
in accord
with the F.A. guidelines from 1-10. Clubs failing to comply
with this rule
shall be liable to be fined or dealt with as the Management
Committee
shall determine. The Competition shall keep a record of the
marks and, on
the form provided by the prescribed date each season, shall
submit a
summary to the Football Association County Association.
(J) The referee shall submit a report form, supplied by the
Competition (LAL4), giving the result of the match, the
number of
players in each team and the time of kick-off to the
discipline secretary
within two days of the match. The home team shall have the
obligation of
handing to the referee prior to the commencement of each
game the
completed referee’s report form (LAL4).
(K) Referees and assistant referees shall be supplied, each
season, with a
copy of the competition rules free of charge. Where
reference is made to
match officials with the pronoun “he”, this will also refer
to female officials.
CONTINUATION OF MEMBERSHIP OR
WITHDRAWAL OF A CLUB
14. (A) After 31st. December in the current season a club
intending 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 the 31st. March following or be
liable to a fine not
exceeding £100.00.
(B) A club shall not be allowed to withdraw any or all of
its teams
from the Competition after the arrangement of fixtures for
the following
season. Any club infringing this rule shall be liable to a
fine not exceeding
£50.00 per team and shall also be liable for its share of
any call which may
be made under Rule 5(B).
(C) 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
PROTESTS
15. (A) (i) All questions of
eligibility, qualifications of players or
interpretations of the rules shall be referred to the
Management Committee.
(ii) Objections relevant to the dimensions of the pitch,
goals,
flag posts or other facilities of venue will not be
entertained by the
Management Committee unless a protest is lodged with the
referee before
the commencement of the match. Any club lodging such a
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.
(B) Except in cases where the Management Committee 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 5 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. A member of the Management Committee
who
is a member of any club involved shall not be present
(except as a witness
or representative of his/her club) when such protest or
complaint is being
dealt with.
(C) Any dispute occurring between clubs in the Competition
shall
be referred for determination by the Management Committee
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 unless the complaining club shall have
deposited with the Secretary a sum of £50.00. This may be
forfeited in
whole or partin the event of the
complaining or protesting club losing its
case. The Competition shall have the 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 be afforded
an
opportunity to make a statement when the protest or
complaint is being
heard and must have received 7 days’ notice prior to the
hearing, together
with a copy of the submission. When dealing with a protest
or complaint
the Management Committee shall take into consideration the
possession
by the protesting or complaining club of any information
which, if
properly used, might have avoided the protest or complaint.
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
County Football Association, including a fee of £35.00, 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.
EXCLUSION OF CLUBS OR TEAMS. MISCONDUCT OF
CLUBS, OFFICIALS OR 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, upon
a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast, from further
participation in the
Competition any club whose conduct has, in their opinion,
been
undesirable.
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
misconduct, 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 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
accredited delegates present at the Annual General Meeting
or a Special
General Meeting decide otherwise by a majority of
two-thirds of the
votes cast) 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.
On receiving a trophy at or about the time of the
presentation dinner the
club shall receive the following letter and duly sign for
and observe its
contents:
Dear….
LEAGUE TROPHIES
Your club was presented with the……………………….trophy/ trophies
at the Presentation Dinner and the League now requires the
Chairman and
Secretary of your club to acknowledge the acceptance of the
following
undertakings by signing and returning the attached
duplicate of this letter.
In signing this letter you jointly and severally undertake
to:
• Ensure the safekeeping of these on behalf of the League
and
to recompense the League for any loss or damage
• Attend to any engraving requirements prior to return
• Ensure the cleanliness of returned trophies
• Arrange for the return of the trophies to the League at
any
of the January meetings of clubs or to a member of the
League Council before the end of next January.
Failure to return trophies by the due date will result in
your club’s being fined £30.
Yours sincerely,
League Secretary
Signed by:
Chairman…………………………… Name………………………..
Secretary …………………………... Name………………………...
On behalf of ……………………………(club)
Date…………………..
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
anytime.
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.
Not less then 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 may be fined £30.00.
Officers and
Management Committee members shall be entitled to attend
and vote at all
Special General Meetings. All amendments to rules can only
be applied once
approved by the sanctioning authority.
ALTERATION TO RULES
20. Alterations shall be made to these Rules only at the
Annual General
Meeting or 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.
Notices of proposed alterations to be considered at the
Annual General
Meeting shall be submitted to the Secretary by March 31st.
in each year. The
proposals, together with any proposals by the Management
Committee, shall
be circulated to clubs by May 30th. and any amendments
thereto shall be
submitted to the Secretary by June 7th. 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 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 7 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.
RULES BINDING ON CLUBS
21. Each member club shall be deemed to have given its
assent to the
foregoing rules and instructions (to club secretaries and
referees) and those
contained in the appendices hereunder and to have agreed to
abide by the
decisions of the Management Committee subject to Rule 16.
Each member
club must abide by any issued Football Association Code of
Conduct.
FINANCE
22. (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 £200.00 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 April
30th.
(D) The books, or a certified balance sheet, of the
Competition shall
be prepared and shall be audited annually by some suitable
person(s) who
shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
APPENDIX I
CHALLENGE CUPS COMPETITION RULES
1. To be competed for by all teams in the League, with the
proviso that
the League Management Committee shall have the authority to
cancel any
such competition at any stage, should problems in
completing fixtures or
any other serious problem so indicate. (A Veterans’ Cup
Competition will
also be arranged, for those that wish to enter, where this
is deemed
desirable by the Management Committee, and the rules below
shall apply,
except wherein the difference in rule is communicated to
the participating
clubs before the competition’s commencement).
2. Competitions shall be on a knockout basis. In some cases
the
knockout stage may be preceded by a ‘League’ stage should
the
Management Committee so decide.
3. All team members to he registered as per League rules.
4. The draw for all competitions to be determined and
notified to
clubs by the Fixtures Secretary. First drawn of each pair
to play at home.
5. All games to be played on scheduled date. If ground
unavailable or
unfit, game must he switched to opponents’ ground or
neutral ground, if
available. Failure to play game on scheduled date will
result in forfeit of
game, unless decided otherwise by the Fixtures Committee.
The decision
of the Fixtures Committee in such matters shall be final.
6. Colour clashes - home team to change, except for
semi-finals and
finals, wherein teams agree or both teams to change.
7. All matches of 90 minutes’ duration (result to stand if
abandoned
after 60 minutes). In the event of a draw after 90 minutes
in knockout
games, extra time of up to 15 minutes each way to be
played. If scores are
level after extra time, the match will be decided by the
taking of penalties
(5 taken alternately by different players from each side
then, if still level,
further players to take penalties until one side ahead
after equal attempts).
8. Finals to be played on neutral grounds if available.
9. Kick-off times for all games - Saturday
Nov, Dec), midweek
10. Referees for each game to be allocated (and assistants
for semifinal
and final ties) and communicated to clubs by the Referees’
Secretary: if no referee appointed the usual League rules
to apply. All cup
fixtures to be confirmed with opponents and referee. Home
club to ensure
that the referee’s report form be filled in and given to
him, and that his
match fee
and expenses be paid.
11. Results to be telephoned to Rod Sharrock
(01704 212888)
immediately after the game by the home team (as per rule
for League
games).
12. No player may play in a cup competition for a side
below the level
of 1st. eleven who has played in 3 or more of the club’s
previous 6 games
at any higher level than that of the competing team. Any
club in breach of
this rule will be disqualified from the current
competition.
13. The entrance fee for the competitions shall be £20 per
team,
payable to the League Treasurer before the commencement of
the season.
14. Referees’ and assistants’ fees to be paid by the home
club. If played
on neutral ground expenses to be shared by both clubs. For
the final,
expenses to be met by the League. Referees’ assistants
shall be entitled to
£13 plus expenses.
15. Both teams for the semi-final and final shall provide a
match ball,
from which the referee will make a choice. In the final
both teams to
supply appropriate first aid equipment.
16. The League Management Committee shall have the right to
exclude
from the current or
any future competition any side deemed to have acted
against the rules or
the spirit of the League’s cup competitions.
APPENDIX II
A. For season 2009/2010 the constitution shall be as laid
down in Rule 1.
B. Results of
postponements, must he telephoned within one hour of the
completion of
the game to Rod Sharrock on 01704
212888. Results of all games in
telephoned as above.
C. Season 2009/2010 to commence on Saturday, August 22nd.
2009,
and end on 8th. May 2010. Kick-off times: August-October
and February-
May
D. (i) Promotion and relegation
in the premier division and divisions
1 and 2 shall be 2 up and 2 down, with the exception that
any club
winning promotion to the premier division and division 1
whose ground
and facilities are not considered adequate by the
Management Committee,
may not be promoted.
(ii) No more than two clubs may be relegated.
(iii) Promotion and relegation in the remaining divisions
shall also
be two up and two down, except that
(a) no 2nd. XI may be promoted higher than division 1;
(b) no 2nd. XI may play in the same division as its own
1st. XI, or 3rd. XI
in the same division as the club’s 2nd. XI;
(c) therefore, if any conflict between the promotion of a
2nd. or 3rd. XI
and the relegation of a 1st. or 2nd. XI, the latter to have
primacy;
(d) if a 2nd. XI is not permitted to be promoted, only one
team from the
higher division will be relegated;
(e) new clubs in principle would come into division 2, even
if some 1st.
XIs had previously been relegated from it.
(e)If clubs drop out of the Competition, divisional
composition to be
adjusted according to Football Association guidelines.
E. The date of the end of the season 2009/2010 shall be as
laid down
by the Football Association. League matches to be completed
by 8th. May
2010, except by permission of the Management Committee.
F. THE LEAGUE AGGREGATE TROPHY shall be awarded to the
club whose 1st. and 2nd. teams obtained the highest number
of points in
League games. Should clubs have an equal number of points,
then the
award shall be made on goal difference.
G. Norman Archer Trophy will be awarded to the club with 3
or more
teams with the highest match/points ratio for all teams.
H. John Mackereth Trophy for
sportsmanship will be awarded to the
club which the Management Committee will decide on
administration,
discipline and sportsmanship criteria deserves this award.
J. Harold Heap Trophy is awarded for secretarial services.
K. The Referee’s match fee for season 2009/10 shall be
£20.00 plus
travelling expenses at 25p. per mile. The fee for assistant
referees
(appointed by the Referees’ Secretary), for premier
division matches,
shall be £13.00 plus travelling expenses at 25p. per mile.
L. For season 2009/10 the annual subscription to the League
(as per
rule 2 (a)), will be £100.00 per club with the addition of
£50.00 per
additional team entered in the League.
M. Clubs must only seek entry into the Lancashire Football
Association Amateur Cup and NOT the Shield. Clubs whose
first or sole
membership is to another
Association’s Amateur Cup and no other competition within
that
Association.
APPENDIX
SCHEDULE OF FINES
(The code number in the first column corresponds to the
“Offence
number” on fine notices)
1. Club not represented at Meeting
Each offence £30
2. Late submission of player’s registration forms (3 &
3A)
Late submission of LAL/3A £10; during season £5 per player
not
registered
3. Late Payment of League dues
Each offence £20
4. Failure to reply to League correspondence within the
time specified
Each offence £20
5. Late submission of LAL/17
First offence £15. Second and subsequent offences £25.
Persistent
offenders will be dealt with under Code 22
6. Late payment of outstanding balance
If not paid by time specified £15; if after a further 14
days the
balance is still unpaid then a further fine of £20 and the
Club will
be stopped from playing any games within the Competition
until
such time as any outstanding balance has been paid
7. Referees’ marks award form not completed or late
First offence £20. Second and subsequent offences £25.
Persistent
offenders will be dealt with under Code 22.
8. Referee’s match report form not supplied or completed
incorrectly
(including not using
signing the teamsheet, not
recording team colours and not using the
official current LAL4) Each offence £10
9. Referee not advised of match or advised late
Each offence £20
10. Results not phoned-in (including match postponements)
or phoned-in late
NB Clubs must phone in results of their LFA Amateur Cup
games
whether played away or home First offence £15. Second and
subsequent offences £25. Persistent offenders will be dealt
with
under Code 22.
11. Match not played – penalties & fines to be imposed
on
defaulting Clubs as per Rule 10(F)
BOTH CLUBS INVOLVED IN A “MATCH NOT PLAYED” FOR
ANY REASON OTHER THAN AN UNFIT PITCH MUST
SUBMIT
POSTPONEMENT OR BE SUBJECT TO FINES UNDER
CODE 4 ABOVE
Fines: 1st. teams – premier division £50, other divisions
£30
2nd. teams £25. Other teams £20.
In the event of the defaulting club not advising their
opponents of
their inability to keep the engagement then the fine will
be
increased by 50%.
Points: The defaulting club shall have 4 points deducted.
In
circumstances where it is deemed appropriate 3 points will
be
awarded to the opponents.
12. Match not played in order of seniority
Each offence £20
13. Late kick-off
For all teams, there will be a fine of £10 for up to 15
minutes late
and for more than 15 minutes late the fine will be £20.
14. Inadequate ground markings
Each offence £15
15. Team colours
Team colours not in accordance with Rule 9 (colours to be
recorded
on LAL/4 team sheet). Each offence £15.
16. No corner flags
Each offence £15
17. No roping off of pitch (premier division only)
Each offence £15
18. No first aid kit
The home team MUST provide a satisfactory first aid kit
Each offence £15
19. Number not on shirts or incorrect (as per team sheet)
Each offence £5
20. Assistant referee not provided for 1st XI games (Rule
13c)
Each offence £15
21. After-match drink not supplied
Each offence £15
22. Other fines & penalties
The Management Committee will levy additional fines or
penalties
on persistent offenders