League rules, 2008/2009

1) The association of clubs shall be known as the Jackson Anderson Accountants Spennymoor Sunday League. All clubs must have county affiliation.

2) Each club shall pay an annual subscription fee of £10, cup fees of £5 per cup and a guarantee fee of £25. In addition to these fees, each club shall pay subscription of £10 at each monthly meeting (this to include publicity fees, website costs and ball draw).

3) General Rules
a) Matches to be of 45 minutes each way, or not less than 35 minutes each way if agreed by both teams & the referee before kick-off.
b) Kick-off times to be 10.30am for Sunday games. Any night games to be at the discretion of the management committee. Referees are instructed to wait a maximum of 15 minutes. If, after that time, the game is cancelled, the offending team will be treated as per rules 15c & 15d.
c) Only three substitutes from a nominated five will be permitted in any match and must be nominated to the referee before the kick-off.
d) Each club shall provide a suitable person to run the line in order to assist the referee.
e) All pitches must comply with senior football measurements and be marked out correctly. Corner flags and goal nets must be used. The home club must provide a suitable match ball and a suitable reserve ball. An orange football must be provided for use in bad weather.
f) All clubs must adhere to all fixtures arranged by the Management Committee. Requests for postponements must be in writing and received by the league secretary 56 days prior to the game, one cancellation per club allowed with 28 days notice, any other cancellation must adhere to the 56 day rule.  This will be strictly adhered to.
g) Postponements can only be granted by referees and ground staff, or by the League in extreme circumstances. In the case of ground staff, the League must be notified by the Friday evening. After that, the allocated referee will decide. In the event of the home team’s ground being unplayable, the league may find an alternative venue and any cost will be passed on to the home club.

4) Registration of players
A bona-fide player is one who has signed an official league form rf1 or rf2 and has been registered by the Registration Secretary. The form must clearly show the players full name and address. The player only becomes eligible to play in the League when his own Secretary is in receipt of the registration return counterfoil from the Registration Secretary. This must be received by club secretaries prior to the start of the season fixtures.
A fee of £1.00 must accompany bulk registration forms to cover administration costs.
No players are registered after March 31st.
Each club is only allowed to have 25 number players registered at any one time. All signing-on forms to be accompanied with a stamped addressed envelope. In the event of a player signing for more than one club, the first sanctioned by the Registration Secretary will be the only one valid.

5) Transfers
No player will be allowed to play for more than one club in the league unless he has been officially transferred. Form tf1 must be correctly filled in and handed to the Registration Secretary. First transfers can be sanctioned by the Registration Secretary, but no player shall be transferred more than once in any one season without the express permission of the Committee. When a player is transferred for a second time, and this transfer is back to his original club, this transfer will be classed as a new registration for the purpose of cup qualification as per rule 7a. Before a player is eligible to play, his club Secretary must be in receipt of the counterfoil. A fee of £2.00 must accompany all transfer forms to cover administration costs.

6) Results and team sheets
a) It shall be the responsibility of the home club to telephone in the result of any game to the Registration Secretary before 2pm on Sundays and before 9pm for midweek games, this includes postponed games. (Call or text 07773925748).
b) The home club shall be responsible for supplying a team sheet, which must be fully and correctly filled in by both team secretaries before the start of each fixture. The team sheet must comprise of the full names of all players taking part in the game. Opposing secretaries to complete each other’s substitutes section and state if substitutes were used or not. The name of the referee and marks allocated to the referee for that game must also be filled in. The fully completed team sheet must then be submitted to the Registration Secretary within 72 hours of the event.
c) Any team marking a referee below 60 out of 100 must forward a letter of explanation to the Registration Secretary within 72 hours of the event.
d) Any team having an unregistered/unqualified player on the team sheet will be dealt with as per rules 15a and 15b.
e) Secretaries to nominate a Man-of-the-match for the opposing team and the same on the team sheet.

7) Cup games
a) Eligibility of players: Any player taking part in a cup game must be a bona-fide player of the club (as per rule No. 4) and not have played for any other club in the same competition. Players competing in cup competitions must have taken part (including substitutes) in at least two League games for the club (i.e. on the field of play). For semi-final and finals, each player must have played in at least five games (in all competitions) for the respective club.
b) Each round will be drawn from the hat. The first team named for each tie will be the home team.
c) Venues for semi-finals and finals are to be at the discretion of the Management Committee.
d) In all ties, if after 90 minutes it is a draw, extra time of 15 minutes each way will be played (unless the referee decides that the conditions make it impossible). After the extra time period, the tie must then be decided on penalties. (No games to be replayed).
e) Only one team must be played for in any one competition.
f) Cup finalists must be present at least 30 minutes before kick-off.

8) Any team returning a league trophy in a damaged condition will pay the total cost of the repair or replacement of the trophy. Trophies to be returned at the March League Meeting clubs failing to do so will be fined £20 per trophy.

9) Home club secretaries must inform the opposition and the allocated referee by either telephone or in writing, giving full details of directions to the ground and the home colours. This information is to be given at least four days prior to the game being played. In the event of a colour clash, the away team must change strips.

10) a) Any team not represented at the AGM will not be allowed into the League. Apologies will not be accepted for this meeting.
b) All teams must pay all monies outstanding to the League prior to the AGM or they will not be allowed into the League.

11) Referees will receive match fees of £17.00 plus 30p per mile travelling expenses if match postponed £8.50 plus expenses of 30p a mile. The home club is responsible for reimbursing the referee.

12) Management Committee
The clubs shall elect a Management Committee at the AGM to serve for the coming season. The committee shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Fixture Secretary, Registration Secretary and representatives from separate clubs. They will carry out the duties necessary to ensure the efficient running of the League.

13) Duties of the Management Committee
The Management Committee is to decide on all aspects affecting the efficiency of the League. This includes: To meet as required, to impose and collect fines for infringements, to impose other penalties within the rules, to request attendance of any player or co-opt additional members to re-organise should any member cease in office.

14) Full League Meetings
To be held monthly on the first Wednesday of each month at 8pm at venues to be decided by the Management Committee. Any club failing to send a representative to a meeting will be fined the sum of £20.00. Apologies will not be accepted. When an issue requires a vote, only one vote will be accepted per club, with the chairman having the casting vote. Clubs can only be represented by one of its members.

15) Offences carrying fines and penalties
a) Playing an unregistered player in a League game (if the offending team wins, the match is replayed). Any club found guilty will be fined a sum not exceeding £100.00 and deducted 3 points, at the discretion of the Management Committee, and will have any points gained deducted from their total.
b) Playing an unregistered player in a cup game - forfeit the tie. Any club found guilty will be fined a sum not exceeding £100.00, at the discretion of the Management Committee.
c) Failing to fulfil League fixture - as a) above, plus 3 points may be deducted, at the discretion of the Management Committee.
d) Failing to fulfil a cup fixture - as b) above.
e) Field incorrectly or poorly marked out, no goal nets, corner flags etc - fine £10.00.
f) Incorrectly filled in team sheet, late match details, late team sheets, fine £5.00. Fine to double if re-occurrence, with the exception of a late team sheet, when the fine will double for every 72 hours that the team sheet is delayed.
g) Late kick-offs - fine £10.00. Fine to double for every re-occurrence.
h) Any team offending on any rule for a third time will appear in front of the Management Committee to explain, and will be dealt with at the discretion of the committee.
i) Failure to comply with rule 6(a) - fine £5.00. Fine to double for every re-occurrence.
j) Failure to complete full league programme - offending teams will be dealt with under DFA rule No. 2 (unfinished leagues).
k) Late kick-off in cup final - fine £20.00.
l) Failure to comply with rule 4 - fine £2.00 and form is null and void.
m) Failure to comply with rule 6(c) - fine £5.00.
n) Any club found guilty of contributing to any of the above offences without reasonable excuse shall be dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee and where necessary the fine and penalties stated will be imposed.
o) The League has the right to refuse or cancel players’ registration, providing they have a good reason, but only member clubs at an AGM can expel a club.

16) Protests
Protests must be received by the League Secretary within seven days of the event or notification of fines etc, and must be accompanied by a fee of £5.00. This fee may be refunded at the discretion of the Management Committee. This rule will be strictly adhered to.

17) Any matters not covered in these rules shall be strictly in accordance with the recognised general rules of Durham FA.

18) All teams must be fully insured. Proof of insurance must be shown or fixtures will be suspended and the appropriate rules imposed.

19) In the case of a referee not being available for a match, the two club secretaries may agree to a referee on the day of the game. In the event of no agreement being made, the game will be postponed. In this event, the home club must inform the Fixture Secretary immediately.

20) All Durham FA suspensions must be reported at a League Meeting and noted in the minutes.

21) In the 2008-2009 season, mid-week games will be played at the discretion of the Fixture Secretary. No club will be allowed to refuse to play mid-week fixtures. Any club not fulfilling a mid-week fixture will be dealt with as per rules 15c & 15d.

22) Promotion and relegation will be two up and two down, unless the Management Committee decides to expand or restructure the League. In the event of two teams finishing with an equal number of points, the championship or relegation will be decided by goal difference.

23) Clubs to enter no more than three outside cups.

24) In order to assist officials with identification, all strips must be numbered 1 to 16 or 1 to 17 if the number 13 is not used. Existing clubs must comply with this when they next change their strips.

25) All new teams accepted into the league must have changing facilities adjacent to their pitch.