rulesandregulations
1. FORMATION OF THE CLUB
a. This official organisation shall be known as the “Temple Fortune Football Club” (hereby referred to as 'the Club') and shall run a team or teams representing the Club in competitive Sunday League football.
b. The Club shall be affiliated to a County Football Association and shall abide by the rules and regulations of this Association.
c. The Club shall be governed and represented to all intents and purposes by a board consisting of its Founders and such a board shall be known as the “Executive Committee”. The fundamental role of the Executive Committee shall be to safeguard, maintain and remain the guardians of the basic structure of the Club, in relation to the name, history, identity (including colours) and management, in order to ensure that none of these organisational essentials are altered by any other parties or outside influences, and to protect the Club's best interests at all times.
d. The Executive Committee shall have the power to veto any decisions by the Management Committee in order to adhere to above fundamental objectives, if deemed necessary and by acting in the Club's best interests, and any decisions by the Executive Committee shall be final and binding.
e. Any member of the Executive Committee who leaves the Club at any time shall cease to remain a member, but shall be entitled to return to the Committee as a Founder on rejoining the Club. A non-Founder shall not become a member of the Executive Committee.
f. The Executive Committee shall appoint a board of elected Club Members and such a board shall be known as the “Management Committee”, which shall be responsible for its general administrative welfare. The Management Committee shall consist of not less than four Club Members and not more than ten, and shall include at least two members of the Executive Committee.
g. The Management Committee shall consist of the following Offices: the Chairman, the Treasurer, the General Secretary, and the Team Secretary or Team Secretaries. The Management Committee may, at its discretion, open, or close, the following additional Offices: the Vice-Chairman, the Functions Officer or Secretary, the General Manager, the Players’ Representative, the Club Captain, the Administration Officer or Secretary or Secretaries, and any assisting Team Secretary or Secretaries.
h. The Club shall run a team or teams which shall be represented by not less than fourteen (14) playing Club Members and not more than twenty-five (25) per team.
2. CLUB MEMBERSHIP
a. The Management Committee reserves the right to decide as to whom shall be signed or released as Club Members or players at any time.
b. In addition to the Rules and Regulations of the Club, a set of additional rules entitled the 'Conditions of Membership' and/or the 'Code of Conduct', shall apply to all Club Members and any other player representing the Club as applicable. These additional rules shall be specified on the Conditions of Membership Declaration Form and distributed to potential newcomers to the Club. A Club Member or any other player representing the Club shall abide by all the Rules and Regulations, the Conditions of Membership and/or the Code of Conduct of the Temple Fortune Football Club, in breach of which he may be disciplined in compliance with Rule 9(a).
c. Club Membership shall be deemed completed in compliance with the following requirements: [i] The Conditions of Membership Declaration Form shall be duly completed and signed by the potential Club Member, and returned to the General Secretary; [ii] the appropriate Membership Fee shall be paid to the General Secretary or Treasurer; [iii] the official Club Membership Card and/or Receipt shall be completed and signed (or named if sent by email) by the General Secretary or Treasurer, and passed to the potential Club Member.
d. The General Secretary or Administration Officer shall keep a list of membership and registration which any Club Member shall be entitled to inspect.
e. A Club Member who desires to leave the Club at any time shall put his request in writing to the General Secretary (email accepted). Should the request be accepted, the Club shall conduct any transfer arrangements, if applicable, according to League rules. A Membership Fee refund, if requested, may be made in compliance with Rule 5(d).
3. REGISTRATION
a. A Club Member who intends to represent the Club as a player in competitive football shall be registered to the League, following the payment of his Membership Fee, except if Rule 3(c) applies. A non-registered player shall not be permitted to represent the Club in competitive football.
b. The Club shall pay a Club Member’s Registration Fee, except if Rule 3(c) applies, and shall conduct all registration matters on behalf of a player under normal circumstances.
c. Prior to fulfilling the Club Membership requirements, a player who wishes to join the Club may be given a ‘trial’ match or period during which he shall not be requested to pay the Membership Fee, in compliance with the following requirements: [i] He shall be registered and shall pay the Registration Fee himself; [ii] should the Club decide to retain him as a player after the completion of a trial match or period, he shall be signed as a Club Member and the Registration Fee shall be deducted from the Membership Fee to be paid; [iii] should the Club not decide to sign him, or should he decide not to join the Club, he may arrange a transfer if desired and the matter shall be deemed closed.
d. A Club Member who is transferred, having complied with Rule 2(e), shall have his registration cancelled and may have the Registration Fee deducted from the sum of the Membership Fee to be refunded, if applicable.
4. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
a. The Club shall elect or re-elect Officers to stand on the Management Committee each season. Officers shall be Full or Honorary Members of the Club. The election shall be conducted at the Annual General Meeting.
b. Nominations for Officers to stand in the election shall be made in writing to the Chairman before the first day of May, and at least one month prior to the Annual General Meeting.
c. No nominated Club Member shall stand for election or re-election unless approved by a majority decision of the Executive Committee if such a decision is deemed to be necessary, which shall be at the discretion of the Committee. Such a decision shall be final and binding.
d. An approved nominated Club Member standing for election or re-election who remains unopposed at the Annual General Meeting shall be elected or re-elected automatically. In cases where two or more approved nominated Club Members stand for one Office, the election shall be determined by vote at the Annual General Meeting. Only Full or Honorary Club Members shall be entitled to vote. In the event of a tied vote, the vote shall be repeated, and if still tied, the Chairman shall have the casting vote. These rules also apply to a mid-season election conducted at an Extraordinary General Meeting or a Management Committee Meeting.
e. An Office which is not filled by an approved nominated Club Member at the Annual General Meeting shall remain open at the discretion of the Management Committee until such a time that an approved nominated Club Member shall be elected to stand. Such an election shall be conducted at either an Extraordinary General Meeting or a Management Committee Meeting. Should the Management Committee decide that the Office need not be filled, then it shall be closed until such a time that the Committee decide otherwise.
f. An Office which becomes vacant for any reason and at any time between one Annual General Meeting and the next, may be filled by an approved nominated Club Member who shall be elected either at an Extraordinary General Meeting or a Management Committee Meeting. Should the Management Committee decide that the Office need not be filled, then it shall be closed until such a time that the Committee decide otherwise.
5. MEMBERSHIP FEE AND MATCH SUBSCRIPTION FEE
a. A Club Member shall pay an annual Membership Fee before the start of each season, or at any time that he joins the Club thereafter. Such a Fee shall be determined by the Management Committee and voted in, subject to alteration, at either the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
b. A Club Member who joins the Club after the last day of January during a season shall pay a reduced Membership Fee to be determined by the General Secretary or Treasurer.
c. No Membership Fee shall be refunded after the last day of February during a season. Prior to the last day of February, a Club Member may submit a justifiable request for a refund in writing, on condition that he has complied with Rule 2(e).
d. A Club Member who leaves the Club during the course of a season and who has had his claim for a refund approved after careful consideration by the General Secretary or Treasurer, shall receive all or part of the Membership Fee paid as follows: [i] The Membership Fee shall be reduced by one-sixth per calendar month completed; [ii] the Membership Fee may be further reduced by deducting the Registration Fee, administration costs, outstanding subscriptions or fines or surcharges, or disciplinary costs if applicable.
e. A Club Member who leaves the Club during the course of a season due to any form of misconduct, or a serious or persistent breach of the Rules and Regulations, or Conditions of Membership, shall not receive a refund under any circumstances.
f. A Club Member or any other player shall pay a Match Subscription Fee on each occasion that he represents the Club as a player in any match. Such a Fee shall be determined by the Management Committee and voted in, subject to alteration, at either the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
g. The Match Subscription Fee may be reduced at the discretion of the General Secretary for financial reasons by special arrangement between the Cub and a player. The Match Subscription Fee may also be reduced at the discretion of the Team Secretary, or other supervising Officer, for a friendly match or double-header fixture.
h. A substitute player who is required to play in any match shall pay half the normal Match Subscription Fee. A non-playing substitute player shall not be required to pay a Match Subscription Fee.
i. Payment of the Match Subscription Fee shall be made to the Treasurer, or Team Secretary, or other supervising Officer present on the day of the match. A player who fails to pay may be fined and/or suspended.
6. TEAM SELECTION
a. Team selection shall be supervised by the Team Selection Sub-Committee, consisting primarily of one Team Secretary per team, and/or the Team Manager(s) if appointed, who may be assisted by any other Club Member appointed by the Management Committee.
b. 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. Should any unresolved dispute arise between the Team Selectors, it shall be referred to the Chairman of the Management Committee for arbitration, and in such cases the Chairman’s decision shall be final and binding.
c. A Club Member or any other player who is selected to represent the Club as a player in any match shall arrive punctually at the venue or pre-arranged meeting place without failure. A Club Member who fails to appear without justifiable explanation may be fined and/or suspended.
d. A Club Member shall notify the General Secretary or appropriate Team Secretary should he be unable to represent the Club as a player, for any reason, in a particular match or consecutive matches.
e. The Team Selectors shall appoint a substitute or substitutes for any match whenever possible. Players selected as substitutes will be nominated either during the week preceding a particular match, or on the day of the match itself. All Team Selection rules shall apply in full to substitutes.
7. TRAINING
a. The Club may arrange training facilities for the benefit of Club Members, and players shall be expected to attend regularly. The Team Selectors shall be entitled to refrain from selecting a player to represent the Club in any match due to absence from training.
b. A Training Fee may be charged to contribute towards the cost of a training venue, at the discretion of the Management Committee. Such a Fee shall be paid to the Treasurer, or Team Secretary, or other supervising Officer either at each training session, or in a lump sum to be determined by the Management Committee. A Training Fee which exceeds the Fee for Club Members shall be charged to any non-member who has attended a training session, at the discretion of the Management Committee.
8. CLUB EQUIPMENT
a. The Club shall provide playing equipment for use at any match when required, consisting of footballs, first-aid supplies, corner flags, playing kits and kit bags, bucket and sponges, and any other item purchased for use by the Club. The Club shall also provide perpetual trophies at the close of any season, which may be presented to Club Members to retain for a suitable period of time.
b. A Club Member shall look after any item of Club equipment placed in his possession with considerable care and responsibility at all times. A Club Member who mislays or returns in poor condition any item of equipment, including playing kit and perpetual trophies, shall pay in full for its replacement or renovation.
c. A Club Member in possession of any item of Club equipment who has not been selected or becomes unavailable for the next match shall return the equipment without failure to the Team Secretary, Team Manager if appointed, or any other player due to participate in the match in question, during the week preceding the match, or on the day of the match prior to the kick-off with the consent of the Team Secretary, or Team Manager if appointed. A Club Member who fails to return any item of Club equipment in his possession may be fined and/or suspended.
d. A Club Member in possession of a perpetual trophy or trophies shall return the same suitably cleaned to the Chairman or General Secretary, or any other appointed recipient, by the first day of May in any season.
9. DISCIPLINE AND APPEALS
a. A Club Member or any other player shall be sporting both on and off the field of play at all times, and shall refrain from participating in any form of misconduct whilst representing the Club at matches, training sessions, meetings or any other event arranged by or attended by the Club. The Management Committee shall at any time have the power to fine and/or suspend, or expel a Club Member or any other player whose conduct has been objectionable, or in breach of the Rules and Regulations or Conditions of Membership of the Club, or who has brought the name or reputation of the Club into disrepute.
b. The Executive Committee shall have the power, by majority decision, to remove from duty at any time a serving Officer on the Management Committee whose conduct has been objectionable, or in breach of the Rules and Regulations or Conditions of Membership of the Club, or who has brought the name or reputation of the Club into disrepute. In such a case, Rule 4(f) shall apply.
c. A Club Member, or any other player selected to represent the Club in any match, who has been directly responsible for the imposition of a fine on the Club by the League, for whatever reason, or who has failed to comply with any matchday requirement, shall pay the fine, in addition to costs or surcharges if applicable, himself.
d. A Club Member, or any other player selected to represent the Club in any match, who has been cautioned or sent off the field of play shall pay the resulting fine or administration fees, including costs or surcharges, himself, except in cases when Rule 9(e) shall apply.
e. Where an appeal is permitted under County Football Association rules, a Club Member shall be entitled to conduct an appeal against a sending off or official charge of misconduct on his own behalf on the understanding that he shall comply with the following requirements: [i] He shall promptly deal with any requirement or correspondence as instructed, including supplying a written version of the incident forming the basis of the appeal or a letter of mitigation; [ii] he shall attend any subsequent Personal Hearing arranged by the County Football Association without failure, with or without an accompanying representative of the Management Committee; [iii] he shall pay the resulting fine, including costs or surcharges if applicable, himself should the appeal prove to be unsuccessful.
f. The Club may conduct an appeal against a sending off or official charge of misconduct on behalf of a Club Member in cases where the Management Committee decide that there are valid grounds for such an appeal to be submitted. The Club Member shall promptly deal with any requirement or correspondence as instructed, including supplying a written version of the incident forming the basis of the appeal or a letter of mitigation, and shall attend any subsequent Personal Hearing arranged by the County Football Association without failure. Should the Club Member comply in full, the Club may pay the resulting fine, including costs if applicable, in full or part should the appeal prove to be unsuccessful. The Club may, without notice, withdraw support for a Club Member who fails to comply with any requirement in any way or for any reason. If support is withdrawn, he shall pay the resulting fine and costs himself should the appeal prove to be unsuccessful.
g. A Club Member, upon receiving notification of disciplinary measures, may submit an appeal against a fine and/or suspension imposed by or on behalf of the Management Committee. Such an appeal shall be submitted in writing to the General Secretary within seven days of receiving the notification, in breach of which the appeal shall not be considered.
h. An appeal submitted in compliance with the requirements of Rule 9(g) shall be discussed either at the next Management Committee Meeting, or, in the case of urgency, before a Club Disciplinary Board specially convened by the Chairman or General Secretary. The appealing Club Member may be suspended from playing or participating in any Club event or activity until the appeal has been discussed by Management Committee or Club Disciplinary Board.
i. A Club Disciplinary Board shall consist of three Management Committee Officers, one of whom shall be appointed to Chair the precedings. The Club Member shall attend without fail any subsequent hearing conducted by the Management Committee or Club Disciplinary Board, should his presence be deemed necessary, otherwise the case shall be conducted in his absence. The decisions of the Management Committee or Club Disciplinary Board shall be final and binding, subject to approval of the Executive Committee.
j. A Club Member or any other player who has received notification of a fine, including notification of an unsuccessful appeal, shall pay the fine in full to the General Secretary within fourteen (14) days, afterwhich he may be suspended or dealt with in compliance with Rule 9(a).
10. CLUB MEETINGS
a. The Management Committee shall meet prior to the start of any season, also approximately half-way through any season, and at any time by request of the Chairman or a member of the Executive Committee. Notice of not less than seven (7) days shall be given to Officers for a Management Committee Meeting. The quorum of Officers required to validate such a Meeting shall be two-thirds, and shall include at least one member of the Executive Committee.
b. The Chairman shall, at his discretion and at any time, request a Club General Meeting for the purpose of discussing any matter with Club Members not requiring an official vote, or an Extraordinary General Meeting for the purpose of dealing with any electoral or resolutional matter requiring an official vote, to be convened should circumstances warrant arranging either Meeting. Notice of not less than seven (7) days shall be given to Club Members for a Club General Meeting, and not less than four (4) days notice shall be given for an Extraordinary General Meeting. The quorum of Officers required to validate an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be two-thirds, and shall include at least one member of the Executive Committee. No quorum shall be required for a Club General Meeting.
c. A Club Member may attend all Meetings convened on behalf of the Management Committee, with the exception of a Management Committee Meeting unless by invitation. A Club Member may participate in any official vote at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting. A Club Member who attends a Management Committee Meeting or a Club General Meeting shall attend as an observer only.
d. The Annual General Meeting shall be held at the close of the season and no earlier than the first day of June. Notice of not less than fourteen (14) days shall be given to Club Members for the Annual General Meeting. The quorum of Officers required to validate such a Meeting shall be two-thirds, and shall include at least one member of the Executive Committee.
e. At any Meeting of the Club, all business and any other matter shall be conducted through the Chair in an orderly manner at all times. Resolutions shall be made through the Chair and shall be seconded. The Chairman shall conduct voting, and in the event of a tied vote, the vote shall be repeated, and if still tied, the Chairman shall have the casting vote. The Executive Committee may appoint the Vice-Chairman, or another Officer of the Management Committee, to conduct any Meeting in the absence of the Chairman, and the Officer taking the Chair shall undertake the responsibilities covered by these Rules.
f. The Executive Committee shall, at its discretion and at any time, have the power to take action or make decisions on any matter needing immediate attention, due to there being insufficient time or inconvenient circumstances to permit the convention or validation of a Management Committee Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting, or Annual General Meeting where there is an insufficient quorum. Any action taken or decision made shall be reported to the Management Committee as soon as possible thereafter, or in the case of the Annual General Meeting as formal Minutes. The agreement of all eligible Founders shall be required to validate such decisions in compliance with this rule.
11. ALTERATION AND INTERPRETATION OF RULES
a. Alterations to these Rules shall be conducted at the Annual General Meeting, or at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Resolutions for amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Chairman by the first day of May in any season and at least one month prior to the Annual General Meeting. No resolution shall be accepted as valid unless approved by a majority decision of the Executive Committee if such a decision is deemed to be necessary, which shall be at the discretion of the Committee. Such a decision shall be final and binding.
b. All questions regarding interpretations of these Rules & Regulations, the Conditions of Membership and/or the Code of Conduct, or of any point not provided for by these Rules, shall be referred to the Executive Committee whose decision shall be final and binding on all concerned.