NOMENCLATURE AND CONSTITUTION

1.(A) This Competition shall be designated the Trowbridge and District Junior Football League and shall consist of not more than 44 Clubs who shall be Full Member Clubs.

All such Member Clubs must be affiliated to an affiliated County Football Association and their names and particulars shall be returned annually by the appointed date on the Form “D” to the Wiltshire County Football Association. The area covered by the Competition Membership shall be that within a 15 miles radius from the Trowbridge Town Hall.

This Competition shall apply annually for sanction to the Wiltshire County Football Association and the constituent teams of Member Clubs may be grouped in divisions, each not exceeding 20 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 County F.A. Competitions) except with the written consent of the Management Committee of the Competition.

ENTRY FEE, SUBSCRIPTION, DEPOSIT

2. (A) 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 as shown in the Schedule of Charges which shall be returned in the event of non-election.

At the discretion of a majority of the accredited voting members present applications, of which due notice has been given, may be received at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. The Entry Fee shall apply.

When Rule 12(B) is applied and a team seeks a transfer or is compulsorily transferred to another division no Entry Fee shall be payable.

(B) The Annual Subscription per team shall be as shown in the Schedule of Charges, payable on or before the 15th August in each year.

(C) Each Club shall within 30 days of election pay a Deposit as shown in the Schedule of Charges which shall be returnable to Clubs on leaving the Competition provided they have fulfilled their fixtures and complied with all orders of the Management Committee.

(D) A Club shall not participate in this Competition until the Entry Fee, Annual Subscription, Deposit and Personal Accident Insurance have been paid, and shall be fined as shown in the Schedule of Charges for each unplayed match.

All Clubs in the Competition shall belong to a personal accident insurance scheme to give their players a minimum weekly benefit equivalent to the minimum weekly benefit payable from the Wilts FA administered Personal Accident Scheme. Clubs shall produce a copy of their Policy Certificate to the League Secretary by 15th August annually, before they can play their first game in the League or in any affiliated cup competition.

(E) Clubs must advise the League Secretary in writing by 1st July annually of their County Football Association affiliation number for the forthcoming Season, failing which they shall be fined as shown in the Schedule of Charges. Clubs must advise the Secretary in writing, or on the prescribed form, of details of its Headquarters, Officers and any other information required by the Competition.

OFFICERS

3. The Officers of the Competition shall be the President, Vice-Presidents, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Registration Secretary, Referees Secretary, Fixtures Secretary and Development Officers to be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

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 comprised of the Officers and twelve members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(B) Retiring Officers shall be eligible to become candidates for re-election without nomination. All other candidates for election as Officers or Members of the Management Committee shall be nominated to the Secretary in writing, signed by the Secretaries of two Member Clubs, not later than 31st 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.

On completion of 20 years’ service an officer or member of the Management Committee shall be awarded a souvenir in recognition of services rendered to the Competition. The recipient shall also be made a Life Vice-President the Competition, be entitled to attend all meetings and to vote thereat.

(C) The Management Committee shall meet monthly or as often as is necessary to deal with business as it arises. On receiving a requisition signed by two-thirds of the Members of the Management Committee the Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Committee. Any member of the Management Committee failing to attend three consecutive meetings without satisfactory explanation shall be removed from 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 sub-committees 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.

(B) Subject to the permission of the Wiltshire 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 6(E)).

(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 sub-committee).

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 powers to apply, act upon and enforce the Rules of the Competition and shall also have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the Competition, including any not provided for in the Rules. Except where these Rules provide for the imposition of a set penalty any Club, Official or Player alleged to be in breach of a Competition Rule must be formally charged in writing and given the opportunity to present their case before the Management Committee. 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 Rule 16. Decisions of the Management Committee must be notified in writing to those concerned within seven days.

(F) Five Members of the Management Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Management Committee and three 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 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, Officials 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.

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 twenty 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 Accounts.

(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 Wiltshire County Football Association.

(C) A signed copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts shall be sent to the Wiltshire County Football Association(s) within fourteen days of its adoption by the Annual General Meeting.

(D) Each Full Member Club shall be empowered 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 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 one third of the delegates qualified to vote or the Chairman so decides.

(G) No individual shall be entitled to vote on behalf of more than one Full Member Club unless the individual is also appointed to vote as a representative of a group of Associate Member Clubs.

(H) Any continuing Member Club failing to be represented at the Annual General Meeting without satisfactory reason being given shall be fined as shown in the Schedule of Charges.

(I) Officers and Management Committee members shall be entitled to attend and vote at an Annual General Meeting.

AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED

7. The Chairman and the Secretary of each Club shall complete and sign the following agreement which shall be deposited with the Competition together with the Application for Membership for the coming season, or upon indicating that the Club intends to compete.

"We, A,_____ _____________of _________________________(Chairman) and B________________________of _________________________(Secretary) of the _________________________________Football Club have been provided with a copy of the Rules and Regulations of the ______________________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, 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(s) to which the Club is affiliated and to the Secretary of the Competition.

(Note: The spaces above are intended for the inclusion of the signatures and addresses of officers)

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:-

(i) Signed a fully and correctly completed Competition registration form in ink, countersigned by an Officer of the Club, and who has been registered with the Registrations Secretary three days prior to playing and whose completed registration counterfoil has been received by the Club prior to playing.

NO REGISTRATION BUSINESS WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH PERSONAL CALLERS

In order to be eligible to play in the first match of the season, teams must ensure that at least eleven properly completed Registration Forms are received by the Registration Secretary at least five days before the start of the League season. Failure to do so may result in a fine as shown in the Schedule of Charges, and the points for that match being awarded to the opponents. Teams will not be allowed to participate in the League unless they have at least eleven players registered.

(C) A team shall not include more than two players who have taken part in thirteen or more Senior or Intermediate Competition matches during the current season. For the purpose of this Competition a Senior Competition is one in which each of the competing teams is either the first team of a Senior Club registered as such with its County Football Association, or a team (other than a youth team) attached to a Club employing players under a written contract. An Intermediate Competition is one designated as such by its County Football Association.

(D) A player having taken part in matches for any Club affiliated to any County Football Association shall not be allowed to join, be transferred to, or sign for a Club in the Competition without first proving to the officials of the intended Club that the player has discharged all reasonable financial liabilities to the previous Club or Clubs, and a Club official may not accept such player's signature without first ascertaining whether such claims have been discharged to the satisfaction of the Club, or Clubs, for which the player last played.

(E) A fee as shown in the Schedule of Charges shall be paid for each player registered. Registration forms shall be obtained from the Registrations Secretary on prepayment of the fee per form as shown in the Schedule of Charges. All registration and transfer fees shall be paid by cheque or postal order and not by cash. A stamped addressed envelope must be included for the return of the registration counterfoils.

(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 Registrations Secretary shall notify the Club last applying to register the player of the fact of the previous registration.

(G) It shall be deemed 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 to accurately or fully complete.

(H) (i) The Management Committee shall have power to accept the registration of any player. The Management Committee shall have power to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player or may fine any player at their discretion proved guilty of registration irregularities. (Subject to Rule 16).

(ii) The Management Committee shall have power to refuse or cancel the registration of any player found guilty of undesirable conduct and to disqualify the player in question from participating in all games in the Competition. (Subject to Rule 16).

(Note: Action under Clause (H) (ii) shall not be taken against a player for misconduct on the field of play until the matter has been dealt with by the appropriate Association, and then only in cases of the player bringing the Competition into disrepute.)

(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 Registrations Secretary accompanied by a fee as shown in the Schedule of Charges plus a stamped addressed envelope.

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 Registrations 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 seven days after receipt of such transfer counterfoil, or on the date specified by the Registrations Secretary. 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 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, with the date of registration, shall be kept by the Registration 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.

(M) A player shall not be eligible to play for a team in any special championship, promotion or relegation deciding match (as specified in Rule 12(A)) unless the player has played twelve games for that team in this Competition in the current season.

(N) Not more than two players who have played for a team in a higher Division thirteen times or more shall in that season be eligible to play in a lower Division except by permission of the Management Committee.

(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 two points deducted from its total at the discretion of the Management Committee and may be dealt with in any further manner which is thought to be fit.

(iii) The Management Committee in exceptional circumstances may, at its discretion, award any points deducted from a Club under this Rule to the opponents in the match in question, subject to the match not being ordered to be replayed. In the event of the Management Committee ordering a match to be replayed, only those players registered on the date of the original match shall be eligible to play.

(P) The following Clauses apply to players in full-time secondary education:

(i) Priority must be given at all times to school and school organisations activities.

(ii) The availability of children must be cleared with the Head Teachers (except for Sunday Leagues).

(iii) Children under 14 shall not play in a team involving players who are more than 2 years older.

CLUB COLOURS, CLUB NAME

9. (A) Every Club must register the colour of its shirts and shorts with the Secretary by 1st July 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. All shirts and jerseys must be clearly numbered. 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 seven days before the match.

If, in the opinion of the referee, two Clubs have the same or similar colours, the away team shall make the change. Any team not having a change of colours or delaying the kick-off by not having a change shall be fined as shown in the Schedule of Charges. 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.

(B) Any Club wishing to change its name and/or colours must seek permission from its affiliated County Association and from the Management Committee.

PLAYING SEASON, CONDITIONS OF PLAY, TIMES OF KICK-OFF, POSTPONEMENTS, SUBSTITUTES

10. (A) The Annual General Meeting shall determine the commencing and concluding dates for the ensuing season which shall be in accordance with Football Association Rules. No Club shall be compelled to play after the concluding date. Original fixtures arranged by the Fixtures Secretary must not be arranged for a date later than seven days preceding the concluding date determined by the Annual General Meeting.

(B) All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board. Clubs must take all reasonable precautions to keep their grounds in a playable condition. All matches shall be played on pitches deemed suitable by the Management Committee. 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.

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. All matches shall have a duration of 90 minutes unless a shorter time (not less than 80 minutes) is mutually arranged by the two captains in consultation with the referee prior to the commencement of the match, and in any event shall be of equal halves.

The times of kick-off shall be fixed by the Management Committee. Any Club failing to commence at the appointed time may be fined a sum not exceeding that shown in the Schedule of Charges,or be otherwise dealt with as the Management Committee may determine. Referees must order matches to commence at the appointed time and must report all late starts to the Competition.

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 County Association Cup Competitions. All other matches must be considered secondary. Clubs may mutually agree to bring forward a match with the consent of the Fixtures Secretary. Revised fixtures will be issued by the Management Committee and will be strictly adhered to as original fixtures unless the Fixtures Secretary is informed by the Club Secretary in writing within seven days of the date of issue of the revised fixture that it cannot be accepted.

(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 kick-off to the match officials and the Secretary of the opposing Club at least three clear days prior to the day of the match. The away Club shall seek and acknowledge receipt of such particulars. Any Club failing to comply with this Rule shall be liable to a fine as shown in the Schedule of Charges.

(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 less than eleven players they shall be fined as shown in the Schedule of Charges for each missing player. A minimum of seven 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 have power to inflict a fine, deduct points from the defaulting Club, award the points to the opponents, order the defaulting Club to pay any expenses incurred by the opponents or otherwise deal with them except the award of goals. 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 fixture, within the Competition, in the following order of precedence:- First Team, Reserve Team, A Team. Clubs in breach of this requirement shall be fined a sum not exceeding that shown in the Schedule of Charges, or otherwise dealt with by the Management Committee.

Notice of postponement of any match must be given without delay by the postponing Club to the Fixtures Secretary, the Competition Referees Secretary, the Secretary of the opposing Club and the match officials. Any Club failing to comply shall be dealt with by the Management Committee who may inflict any penalty it may deem suitable. The Secretary of the Club postponing must also submit to the League Secretary an explanation in writing within three days of the date of the match in question.

In the event of a match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which neither Club has control, it shall be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two Clubs and approved by the Management Committee. Failing such agreement and notification to the Fixtures Secretary within three days the Management Committee shall have power to order the match to be played on a named date or on or before a given date.

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 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 Club members, the Management Committee shall take such action as they consider appropriate. Such action is subject to any disciplinary action taken by the appropriate County Association.

(G) A Club may at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game use up to 3 substitute players in any match in this Competition who may be selected from up to 5 nominated players. The referee shall be informed of the names of the substitutes not later than 15 minutes before the start of the match.

A player who has been selected, appointed or named as a substitute before the start of the match but does not actually play in the game shall not be considered to have been a player in that game within the meaning of Rule 8 of this Competition.

(H) The half time interval shall be of at least 5 minutes duration, but it shall not exceed fifteen minutes The half time interval may only be altered with the consent of the referee.

REPORTING RESULTS

11. (A) The Registration Secretary must receive within 3 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) and also the Referee markings required by Rule 13, or any other information required by the Competition. Failure to do so will incur a fine as shown in the Schedule of Charges 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 League Results Service by 6.30pm on the day of the match in respect of Saturday matches, and by 10pm on the day of the match in respect of mid-week matches, with the result, goalscorers of both teams, and any items of special interest, or in default be fined as shown in the Schedule of Charges.

The Away Club Secretary or appointed representative shall, immediately after the completion of the game, enter the full forenames and surnames of the away team’s goalscorers (if any) on the official card provided, and hand this card to the Home Club’s Secretary or appointed representative, or in default be fined as shown in the Schedule of Charges.

(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 three 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 points and the goal difference being equal, the highest number of goals scored shall decide team rankings. In the event of points, goal difference and the total number of goals scored being equal, a deciding match shall be played under conditions determined by the Management