advicetotffcplayers
An important message to Temple Fortune players: Please make every effort to read the following information and carefully follow the important advice given. That way you will keep your football cheaper!


CLUB MEMBERSHIP AND 'PYW'
Most important for the Club is taking on members which brings in vital income primarily before the start of the season. Because running the Club is expensive, the ethos at TFFC is for you to 'PAY YOUR WAY' (PYW), meaning that the Club needs all the income it can get. Membership fees, match subscription fees and admin charges/fines for yellow and red cards MUST be paid without delay. Without all this, an expenditure projected to be around £14,000 will not be covered. So remmeber, always pay your way.

TFFC ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Needless to say, communication and information is all-important between management and players. Most communication will be done by email but for general information, the Club does have a Facebook page which players are invited to join, and also a Twitter page which is used infrequently for major 'breaking news'.

WHATSAPP GROUPS
WhatsApp has become extremely useful for more casual communication – there is a TFFC WhatsApp group for MGBSFL players (First Team and Second Team) and one for MMFL players (Old Boys Team), which, as a forum for players to enjoy, carries entertaining banter and often info which players may need to know – such as a postponement or change of venue etc. If you wish to join one of the groups, contact Stevie Allen (First Team), Adam Hirschberger (Second Team) or Simon Black (Old Boys Team) for details.

TEAM SELECTION
The Rules of the Club state that ''selection shall be based on merit, and the decisions of the Team Selectors shall be accepted without dispute by all concerned, subject to the Rules and Regulations of the Club' (extracted). We know full well that generally speaking – as is the case with any team at any club at any level – there are more players in the squad wanting to play each week than can be taken to any particular fixture. Team selection is a very difficult task for the managers and everybody must appreciate this. We ask for all players to be patient and understanding.

MATCH NOTIFICATION
If selected, players will normally be notified of match details by the Wednesday or Thursday prior to the fixture. Those with computers may be notified by email and are asked to confirm by return that they have received the message. Always acknowledge the receipt of match details if a message has been left when you’re out.

Please confirm the arrangements so that the Team Manager or his assistant know for sure that you will be there, rather than guessing. It is not the Club’s policy to contact those players who are NOT selected for a team, mainly due to the number of calls which would be required on a weekly basis to cover the whole squad. If you haven’t heard by late in the week, you are advised to contact the Team Manager or his assistant.

Players are expected to respond to email messages promptly – not doing this is seen as discourteous and a Club fine could be imposed if any offence is considered to be in breach of the Code of Conduct.

PUNCTUALITY
On matchday, always arrive at the meeting place or directly at the ground, ON TIME. Unless directed otherwise (ie. asked to arrive earlier), each player should be present at the venue at least 30 minutes
prior to kick-off.

At Silver Jubilee Park, arriving at 8.46am for a 9.15am start is LATE. At other venues, arriving at 9.31am at the ground for a 10.00 start is LATE. And arriving at 9.46am at the ground for a 10.15 start is LATE. Unpunctuality leads to anxiety and aggravation, apart from leaving no time to prepare for the match – for example, adequate warming-up. Lateness is inconsiderate and annoying.

It must be pointed out that players may be fined for turning up late even if a fine is avoided. Depending on how late the game starts and the amount of the fine imposed by the league, the fine for causing a late kick-off is either £10 or £15.

MATCH SUBSCRIPTION FEE
Along with membership fees, weekly match subscription fees bring in vital income to help the Club cover an enormous expenditre expected to reach around £14,000 this season. Be certain to pay the match subscription fee prior to kick-off with the correct money or via your bank card for iZettle payments. The match subscription fee is now £12 per player per match. If paying in cash, please avoid small change and large bank notes!

A Club fine could be imposed if any non-payment is considered to be in breach of the Code of Conduct; the Team Secretary or Manager is entitled to drop any player who falls behind with paying his subs.

CORRECT KIT
In most seasons the Club has always provided full playing kit for its teams. It is essential that you wear the correct team colours in all matches, otherwise the team could be fined. Just one wrongly coloured pair of shorts, for instance, will be reported by the referee on his report sheet (which has a specific section covering improper kit.) DO NOT take any item of TFFC kit home, this is strictly forbidden and anyone seen wearing kit from the previous week will be fined £20.

A Club fine could be imposed if any offence is considered to be in breach of the Code of Conduct.

VALUABLES
Never, never leave valuables in the dressing room. This includes expensive items of clothing such as Reebok trainers or leather jackets. There have been several cases in the past of changing room break-ins. Locked dressing rooms do not necessarily guarantee the safety of your possessions, especially at ‘away’ venues. Often it is best practice to bring your bags to the pitchside.

Apart from bringing your subs to the dressing room, you are advised to leave all other valuables at home. You have been warned!

PLAYING EQUIPMENT – PRE-MATCH
Help to carry items of playing equipment to the pitch, ie. balls, first-aid kit, corner flags, etc. Any assistance would be appreciated.

FOOTWEAR AT SILVER JUBILEE PARK
Moulded boots must ALWAYS be worn on the playing surface – before, during and after the match. Please do not walk across the pitch, or inside the surrounds of the pitch, without wearing your moulded boots. Flat-soled shoes, trainers, plimsols and flip-flops are strictly forbidden on the pitch at any time. Multi-studded astro boots are also banned – they are NOT moulded boots.

RUBBISH AT SILVER JUBILEE PARK
Please remove your water bottles from the dug-outs or pitch sides before leaving after the match. The same goes for sock tape or any other rubbish. There is a green wheelie-bin durectly behind the dug-outs which should be used.

WARMING-UP
Needless to say, this item goes hand in hand with punctuality. You are strongly advised to give yourself plenty of time to warm up properly prior to kick-off. Cold muscles can cause damaging sprains and strains, especially early on in a match.

Good preparation is essential so ensure that you arrive early enough to pay your subs, change without rushing and, most importantly, have adequate time to WARM-UP.

SHINPADS
Ensure that you wear shinpads during every match. Referees will not let you play without them, a FIFA directive which will be enforced.

BASELAYER AND PROTECTIVE GARMENTS
If you need to wear baselayer shirts or protective cycling or thermal pants, make sure that they match the colour of the team’s shirts and shorts. Referees will instruct you to remove baselayer shirts or cycling/thermal shorts if they are the wrong colour. This is now officially part of the Laws of the Game and, like shinpads, referees will enforce this FIFA directive.

The First Team will be wearing yellow short-sleeved shirts so long-sleeved baselayer shirts MUST be YELLOW or AMBER. The First Team and Old Boys Team protective cycling or thermal pants MUST be RED.

Don’t treat this flippantly because some referees really will make you remove wrong baselayer shirts (under short-sleeved shirts) or coloured cycling or thermal pants. If you are unable to get navy (or red) protective pants, you are advised to speak to the referee before the match, explaining the problem. He is more likely to permit them than if you simply wear them regardless and hope he doesn't notice after the match has started! However, if he asks you to remove the wrongly coloured protective garments, you MUST comply, or be asked to leave the pitch which is within the referee's juristiction.

CLUB WELFARE
The role of the Welfare Officer (Kerry Higham) is to be a point of contact for issues relating to the well-being of Club Members, with the aim of fostering positive experiences and relationships within the Club. This includes financial concerns, mental health issues, reporting another Member's behaviour, a change of personal circumstances, or the Personal Accident Insurance scheme. Kerry will be a confident, empathetic, sympathetic and supportive listener. Check out the Club Welfare page.

PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE
As part of the affiliation to the London Football Association, the Club is now obliged to offer Personal Accident Insurance, as well as public liability insurance via the London FA. Details of the policy document and schedule can be found here and should be read thoroughly.

Should you wish to increase your own individual cover, please feel free to contact Sportsguard directly to discuss your personal needs with them. More details: Website • telehone number: 01604 644277

MISCONDUCT
Remember that referees will not tolerate misconduct on the field, particularly dissent and foul language. Carefully read the Code of Conduct and ensure that your conduct and sportsmanship remains excellent during each match. A caution will cost you £14 (or £17 for dissent whether resulting in a Sin Bin or not) whilst the current fine for a sending off is generally £55 unless a more serious offence in addition to a suspension of between 1 to 6 matches (depending on the severity of the offence).

NEVER pull down a player through on goal or handle the ball deliberately to prevent a goal... it will lead to a red card, a £35 fine and a suspension! You may prevent a goal but YOU will have to pay the fine and suffer the suspension, so the Club's advice is that it is not worth it!

Dissent – the cancer of Maccabi football – will not be tolerated and carries an automatic £17 fine. Nowadays a player can be sin-binned for 10 minutes for dissent, which obviously handicaps the team. Just one word to the referee which is interpreted as dissent, such as "rubbish!", will incur a £17 fine. There are no excuses for showing dissent – if you have a go at the ref, you pay the resulting fine. It’s as simple as that! The advice to players is KEEP IT ZIPPED!

NEVER give a wrong or false name when being booked or sent off or you’ll get a lengthy ban and £55 fine!

Take the time to carefully read the Code of Conduct information (see next item), which lists the expected punishments for players involved in misconduct during the season.



CODE OF CONDUCT
The Club has a Code of Conduct which lists what is expected from all Members, in addition to the penalties any offender will receive for incurring yellow cards or red cards. Players are urged to carefully read and be aware of this Code, if only to ensure that fines do not have to be imposed on them. There are numerous specified Club offences carrying fines ranging from £5 to £20. In the Yellow Cards and Red Card sections there are several others covering all cautionable and sending-off offences.

The fine for any caution for unsporting behaviour (which is the most frequent reason for a yellow card during a match) is £14, whilst dissent – including being Sin-Binned – carries a £17 fine.

A suspension will start SEVEN days after the red card offence in most cases.

PAYMENT OF FINES
If you get booked, sent off or collect a Club fine, you must send the appropriate payment promptly to the General Secretary once notified within 14 days. For some red card offences – yellow cards are excluded (there are no appeals for cautions) – players may appeal in writing within 7 days of the fine imposition.

Delay in paying a fine for misconduct – a breach of the Conditions of Membership – will incur a late-payment surcharge of £10 or an indefinite suspension being imposed until the fine is paid in full. Agan, the message is 'PAY YOUR WAY'.

PLAYING EQUIPMENT – POST-MATCH
After the match, please help to return playing equipment to the dressing room. Ensure that you look after any item left in your possession. Players often immediately leave the pitch without any regard for the playing equipment provided for them. Leaving a ball, for example, on the pitch, in the dressing room or in your car boot does not benefit anyone and can incur a fine from the League.

Collecting a corner flag if you are the nearest player when the full time whistle sounds would be appreciated. Always return equipment in your care for the next game. If you’re not available, make sure you pass any item to another player who will be playing in the next match. The Club fine for a missing first aid kit or match ball is £5.

SOILED KIT
After the match, place your soiled shirt, shorts and socks into the kit bag for a delegated player to wash ready for the next match. The full playing kit must be kept together as one. DO NOT TAKE ANY ITEM OF PLAYING KIT HOME. A Club fine could be imposed if any offence is considered to be in breach of the Code of Conduct.

KIT WASHING
The playing kit must always be WARM washed – we stress WARM washed – never hot washed. You must NEVER iron or tumbledry any item. It must be pointed out that heat will damage the shirts in particular and will make the coloured dyes in the socks run. Replacing one shirt costs approximately £25 so please make sure you take care when washing the kit.

ADVERSE WEATHER
Never assume that a match will be postponed for bad weather, how ever poor the conditions may be. Sometimes matches are played in absolutely awful weather and your team-mates will not appreciate it if you haven't bothered to turn up. If in doubt, find out.

There may be occasions, particularly at ‘away’ fixtures requiring early travel, when matches are called off after players have left their homes; such instances are unfortunately unavoidable and we apologise in advance should anything like this happen during the season. Sometimes, we are not helped by opposing teams who fail to inform us early enough if there is a postponement.

UNAVAILABILITY
If you cannot play because of unavailability including injury, always inform the Team Secretary or his Assistant well in advance if at all possible. Have the decency to let him know of any problems when they arise. For instance, if you have a groin strain following the previous Sunday’s fixture, inform the Team Secretary as soon as possible and give an update during the week, in case he has to find a replacement.

A call out of the blue on Saturday night that you’re not fit is most unhelpful and causes immediate and obvious problems. The same can be said for weddings and stonesettings, etc. Have the decency to let the Team Secretary know as soon as possible after you have found out the relevant details.

PERSONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
With Covid-19 still around, although not as bad as it was, players may wish to consider wearing face masks for personal safety reasons, and also using hand sanitisers and disinfectant sprays as a safeguard at all training sessions and matches.

MOVING HOME
Please telephone or email the General Secretary or Administration Officer if you are moving home and give details of your new address and telephone number. Although pretty much obvious, it needs to be said that if you don’t notify a change of phone number then there’s a strong possibility that you will not be contacted! And that doesn’t exactly help either you or the team.

So please ensure that the General Secretary or Administration Officer of Temple Fortune FC is on your list of ‘persons/organisations to contact’ when moving home.

FIXTURES AND RESULTS
You can keep tabs on your team's fixtures, results, appearances and goalscorers via the team pages located on the left side of the home page of the TFFC website. You'll see the FIRST TEAM, SECOND TEAM and OLD BOYS TEAM, all linked separately.

APPEARANCES
If you're one to study the number of games played by yourself or team-mates, you'll be pleased to know that appearances are updated regularly. Simply visit the team pages via the home page and look out for the Appearances link.

CLUB LITERATURE
During the season, the Club will distribute various items such as the TFFC Guide, newsletter and other information via emails or WhatsApp.

Please ensure that you carefully read and understand anything from the Club that comes your way, and kindly respond to requests from the Club regarding certain important events by the deadline specified. Such events are arranged for the benefit of Club Members and include the Player of the Year ballots, the Annual General Meeting and the end-of-season Club Awards Presentation Event (CAPE).

CLUB WEBSITE
The Club has a large and comprehensive website which is updated periodically to include amended statistics and information. If you haven't seen our site before, or haven't logged on for a while, please take the time to look around. There's enough information to interest anyone associated with this long-running Club. It's all on www.tffc.co.uk – info galore and a lot lot more!

COMMUNICATION, QUERIES AND HELP
Should you have any queries or footballing problems, please feel free to contact any member of the Management Committee who have been elected to serve the Club and help you. Here are the contact details of the main Officers: Nigel Kyte – temple.fortune.fc@gmail.com, Simon Linden – simonlindentffc@gmail.com, Kerry Higham – tffc1968@gmail.com.

For team selection matters, including unavailability, injury, travel issues etc, contact the appropriate Team Manager, whose number will be in your team's WhatsApp group.

For more general TFFC-related issues, such as Club information, the website or social media, contact Nigel Kyte (main Club contact), via the Club email on temple.fortune.fc@gmail.com or WhatsApp/text/calling on 07773 230 477.

LEAVING THE CLUB
An inevitable part of running a football club is the fact that some players will leave during the course of the season. As much as we do not like seeing players depart, we understand that it is impossible to keep everybody happy all the time. Every season a small number of players decide to leave for a variety of reasons, the most common being the lack of opportunities to play. Injury too, comes into the equation on occasions, causing a player to leave.

We have a page entitled 'Leaving the Club' that outlines the procedure to follow if you decide to leave the Club.