NWYAFL - North West Youth Alliance Football League

1. Nomenclature And Constitution

A) This Competition shall be designated the North West Youth Alliance (NWYA) Football League and shall consist of not more than 60 teams who shall be Full Members. For the purposes of these rules League and Cup competitions organised by the NWYA shall be known as “The Competition”.

All such Member teams 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 Lancashire County Football Association. The Management Committee shall specify the area covered by The Competition Membership from time to time.

This Competition shall apply annually for sanction to the Lancashire Football Association and the constituent Member teams may be grouped in divisions.

All teams playing in The Competition shall be treated as separate for all purposes covered by these rules (for example, player registration and transfer, and voting) including when more than one team is entered by a Club. Thus all teams must have names different from all other teams in the competition. (“A” and “B” team names are permissible.

Member teams shall not enter into 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.

The Competition will provide 11-a-side football for players who have attained the age of 15 but are under the age of 18 as at midnight 31^st August in a playing season.

2. Entry Fee, Subscription, Deposit

A) Applications by Clubs for admission of their team to this Competition or the entry of an additional team must be made in writing to the Secretary or his nominee, and must be accompanied by an Entry Fee of £50 per team which shall be returned in the event of non-election, or deducted from the first year’s subscription after 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.

B) The Annual Subscription shall be £160 per Team payable 14 days after the AGM. An administration charge of £10 is payable for each full or part week late in payment.

C) Each team shall, by the AGM, pay a Deposit (also known as a “bond”) of £50 that shall be returnable to teams on leaving The Competition provided they have fulfilled their fixtures and complied with all orders of the Management Committee.

D) A team shall not participate in this Competition until the Entry Fee, Annual Subscription and Deposit have been paid.

E) Teams must advise annually to the Secretary in writing by the AGM of its County Football Association affiliation number for the forthcoming Season, failing which they shall be fined £50 and all fixtures suspended until the League Secretary receives the required information.

Teams 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. Failure to do so will result in a fine of £25 and the suspension of fixtures until the League Secretary receives the required information.

F) All Fees, Charges and Fines must be paid by crossed cheque, postal order or equivalent, payable to “NWYA Football League”. Cash is not acceptable as a means of payment.

3. Officers

A) The Officers of The Competition shall be the President, Vice-President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Registration Secretary, Referees Secretary, Fixture Secretary, Discipline Secretary, Referees Liaison Officer, Press Officer and Welfare Officer to be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. (N.B. Auditors are not Officers).

4. Management, Nomination, Election

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 two team Representatives 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 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 teams , not later than 31st March 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 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.

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 teams must be conducted through the team Representative Officer.

F) Persons who have given distinguished service to the League may be invited to become Life Vice Presidents; these will be nominated by the Management Committee for ratification by the member teams at the AGM.

5. Powers Of Management

A) The Management Committee may appoint sub-committees and delegate such of their powers as they deem necessary. The decisions of all sub- 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 team (including any team 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 team 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 team, Club Official (limited to Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer) 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. 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 by the appropriate Association.

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 14 days.

F) Four 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 team 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) Notices regarding all breaches of Rules, including those imposing fines and charges, will be sent to the (one or more) registered email addresses of the team concerned. These notices must be acknowledged by email within 48 hours to the address from which they are sent, and any other address specified in the notice, or by letter or phone call to the Discipline Secretary in the same timescale. (Payment of fines or charges will also constitute acknowledgement.) A fixed administration charge of £10 will be imposed for failure to acknowledge.

All fines and charges shall be sent and received to the address specified in the notice within 14 days of the date of notification. A fixed administration charge of £10 will be imposed for late payment of fines and charges. Beyond the 14 days, a team will be prevented from playing fixtures in The Competition until such monies are paid. Any unplayed fixtures will be treated as an unfulfilled fixture as per rule.

Teams , 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.

L) No participant under the age of 18 can be fined.

6. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

A) The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the last day in June in each year. At this meeting the following business shall be transacted provided that at least one half of 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 teams 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 team 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 sent to the Lancashire County Football Association within fourteen days of its adoption by the Annual General Meeting.

D) Each Full Member team shall be empowered to send two delegates to an Annual General Meeting. Each team shall be entitled to one vote only. Not less than seven days’ notice shall be given of any Meeting.

E) Teams 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. This provision will not apply to teams expelled in accordance with Rule 17.

F) All voting shall be conducted by a show of voting cards unless a ballot be demanded by at least half 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 team

H) Any team failing to attend meetings (a Manager’s Meeting or the AGM) shall be fined £10 for the first non-attendance and £20 for any subsequent non-attendance in any season. Late arrivals shall be fined £5.

The AGM is considered part of the previous season.

Apologies will not be accepted as an attendance.

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

7. Agreement To Be Signed

A) 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, indicating that its team intends to compete.

B) "We, A, ___________________________(Chairman) and B, ___________________________(Secretary)
of ___________________________ (Football Club) have been provided with a copy of the Rules and Regulations of the North West Youth Alliance Football League and do hereby agree for and on behalf of the said team , 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 to which the Club is affiliated and to the Secretary of The Competition.

8. Qualification Of Players

A) Contract players, as defined in Football Association Rules, are not permitted in this Competition.

No player registered with a F.A. Premier League or Football League Academy will be permitted to play in this Competition. A Player registered with a Centre of Excellence may only play in this Competition subject to the Regulations of the Programme for Excellence.

B) A registered playing member of a team is one who, being in all other respects eligible, has signed a fully and correctly completed Competition Registration form in ink, countersigned by an Officer of the team , and who has been registered with the Registration Secretary 48 hours prior to playing and whose registration acceptance has been received from the Registration Secretary by the team prior to playing either in writing or by email.

Registration forms shall be obtained from the Registration Secretary or downloaded from the League website, payment for which is included in the League Fee.

Registration requests may sent by post, or by fully legible scanned copy of the registration form by email (where email is used, the original form MUST be retained by the club and passed to the Registrations Secretary at the earliest opportunity).

All teams are required to register a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 30 players .

All teams must register the minimum 16 players at the Manager’s Meeting, prior to the commencement of the season. Failure to register the required number will result in a fine of £50 and the suspension of fixtures.

The qualification dates for The Competition shall be as follows:

A player must have attained the age of 15 but be under the age of 18 at midnight on 31st August in the playing season. (The above qualification dates are subject to the provisions contained in FA Rule C.4(a)(v)).

All players registrations shall cease at the A.G.M. Players are then free to sign for ONE team in The Competition, providing they meet all requirements (e.g. age) and are clear of all financial commitments to the County F.A., the League and all previous teams .

A player may not be registered and play for more than two teams in this league in any season, unless one of the teams has had its record expunged.

All teams in The Competition are treated as separate for registrations purposes. i.e., where a Club enters two teams into The Competition a player can only play for the team he is registered with. Any player moving from one team to another within a Club MUST be transferred.

C) Not Applicable

D) A player having taken part in matches for any team affiliated to any other County Football Association shall not be allowed to join, be transferred to, or sign for a team in The Competition without first proving to the officials of the intended team that the player has discharged all reasonable financial liabilities to the previous Club or Clubs, and a team 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) Not Applicable

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 team, priority of registration shall decide for which team the player shall be registered. The Registration Secretary shall notify the team last applying to register the player of the fact of the previous registration.

G) It shall be deemed misconduct for a player to:-

i. Play for more than one team in The Competition in the same season without first being transferred.

ii. Having signed for one team in The Competition, sign for another team 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) The Management Committee shall have power to:

i. accept the registration of any player.

ii. refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player who has been charged and found guilty of registration irregularities. (Subject to Rule 16).

iii. make application to refuse or cancel the registration of any player charged and found guilty of undesirable conduct (subject to Rule 16) subject to the right of appeal to the FA or the relevant County Football Association.

Undesirable conduct shall mean an incident of repeated 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 Registration Form and a Transfer Approval form (completed by the team the player is leaving) to the Registration Secretary accompanied by a fee of £10. (Forms all available from the website) Such transfer shall be referred by the Registration Secretary to the Club for which the player is registered. Should the team from which he is transferring 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 team'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 team from such date or TWO days after receipt of such transfer.

The player will not be eligible to play until the registration has been confirmed to the team either in writing or by E-mail by the Registration 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 team nor transferred to another team in The Competition after the last day of March except by special permission of the Management Committee.

K) A team 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.

All teams must have names different from all other teams in the competition. (“A” and “B” team names are permissible) In such cases, players will be registered for one team only.

L) A register containing the names of all players registered for each team , with the date of registration, shall be kept by the Registration Secretary and shall be open to the inspection of any duly appointed Member team representative at all Management Committee meetings or at other times mutually arranged. A copy may be made continuously available via the League website, and updated from time to time.

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 12(A)) unless the player has played ONE game for that team in The Competition in the current season.

N) Not Applicable

O) Playing of Unregistered Players.

Note: If a team believes an ineligible player has played against them, they must report the matter to the Registration Secretary within 7 days of the match, providing full details of why they believe the player to be ineligible.

i. Any team playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player or players shall 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 shall have THREE 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 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.

9. Team Colours, Team Name

A) Every team must register the colour of its shirts, shorts and socks with the Secretary (by 14 days after the AGM) 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.
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 or 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 must be numbered.

Captains shall wear distinctive armbands. Failure to do so will be reported by the referee, and the offending team fined a minimum of £10.

B) Any team wishing to change its name and/or colours must obtain permission from its affiliated County Football Association and from the Management Committee.

10. Playing Season, Conditions of Play, Times Of Kick-Off, Postponements, Substitutes

Any team failing to comply with any part of this Rule shall be fined £5 for each of the first two offences (unless specified otherwise) increasing by £5 per offence for subsequent breaches. Other sanctions may include points deduction, replay of matches, suspension of teams, and expulsion from The Competition by SGM (Rule 17), at the discretion of the Management Committee.

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 team shall be compelled to play after the concluding date.

Weekend fixtures are normally played on Sunday afternoons. Fixtures will be scheduled by the Management Committee on other days (including evening matches where appropriate) when necessary.
The fixtures will be sent to each team by E-mail and each team must confirm receipt of the fixtures to the Fixture Secretary within 24 hours. Each team shall nominate at least three persons to receive all E-mail communications, including fixtures, and provide the league with each person’s E-mail address.

Re-arranged fixtures will be notified by telephone at not less than 96 hours notice. The fixture will then be sent to each team by E-mail and the confirmation process outlined above will be employed.

B) All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board.

Teams 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 team concerned to play its fixtures on another ground.

All matches shall have durations of 90 minutes unless a shorter time (not less than 70 minutes) is mutually arranged by the two teams in consultation with the referee prior to the commencement of the match, and in any event shall be of equal halves.

The Competition does not allow the playing of a double-header.

The times of kick-off shall be fixed by the A.G.M. or the Management Committee. Any team failing to commence at the appointed time shall be fined and may be otherwise dealt with as the Management Committee may determine.

The home team must provide at least two size 5 footballs fit for play.

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 Football Association Youth Cup Competitions where a Club’s team represents it’s own Club by name. All other matches must be considered secondary. To accommodate such a match, teams may mutually agree to bring forward a match in The Competition with the consent of the Fixtures Secretary and appointed Match officials.

D) The Secretary of the home team must give notice in writing 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 team at least 72 hours prior to the playing of the match. The away team shall seek and acknowledge receipt of such particulars.

Fixtures may only be played at venues approved by the Management Committee. (see Rule 10B)

E) Every team shall play its best available qualified team or teams in all matches in The Competition.

In the event of a team playing in any match with less than ELEVEN players they shall be fined £10 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 team failing to keep its engagement, the Management Committee shall have power to inflict a fine, deduct points from the defaulting team , award the points to the opponents, order the defaulting team to pay any expenses incurred by the opponents or otherwise deal with them except the award of goals. Notwithstanding 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 team unable to fulfil a fixture must, without delay, give notice to the Fixtures Secretary, The Competition Referees Appointments Secretary or nominees, the Secretary of the opposing team and the match officials. Any team failing to comply shall be dealt with by the Management Committee who may inflict any penalty it may deem suitable. “Give notice” means ensure that all the other parties are aware, which includes acknowledgement by all parties that the information is received and understood. Verbal communication is preferred.

In the event of a match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which neither team has control, it shall be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two teams and approved by the Management Committee. Failing such agreement and notification to the Fixtures Secretary within TWO 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 matches abandoned in cases where it is consequent upon the conduct of either or both Teams. Where it is to the advantage of The Competition and does no injustice to either team , the Management Committee 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 team member(s) they shall be empowered to award the points for the match to the opponents and take what other action they may deem necessary. In cases where a match has been abandoned owing to the conduct of both teams or their team member(s), the Management Committee shall rule all points for the match as void. No fine(s) can be applied by the Management Committee for an abandoned match.

G) A team may at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game use THREE substitute players in any match in the Competition who may be selected from FIVE players.

The referee shall be informed of the names of the substitutes not later than FIFTEEN 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 TEN minutes duration, but it shall not exceed fifteen minutes. The half time interval may only be altered with the consent of the referee.

I) Any team wishing to apply for a postponement must have a suitable reason and must apply to the League Secretary in writing, not less than 14 days before their proposed postponement.

If the postponement is granted, all interested parties will be notified by E-mail or telephone. If the postponement request is refused only the applicant will be informed.

Any team wishing to postpone a rearranged fixture must request the postponement giving not less than three days prior to the fixture. A rearranged fixture is one which has been previously scheduled and postponed, AND has been scheduled at less than 14 days notice.

Teams with 2 or more players selected for Inter-League, FULL County or Country duty may apply for a postponement to the Secretary by e-mail or telephone at no less than 96 hours notice.

J) With the exception of third-party owned grounds, no fixture shall be postponed due to the weather or unfit ground conditions, without inspection of the field in question by an independent referee or appointed match official. No team official may postpone any fixture for this reason. Written confirmation must be provided on the form provided by the Management Committee within 72 hours of the scheduled kickoff, to the league Secretary. Any fixture postponed in breach of this rule will be considered an unfulfilled fixture by the home team, and dealt with according to rule.

Where a fixture is postponed due to unfit ground conditions or similar reason more than 72 hours before the scheduled kickoff time, and if the teams have not previously played each other in the season, the fixture shall be automatically reversed to the opponent’s normal facilities, subject to its availability.

Referees must report any occurrence or breach of the following, as appropriate:

K) Teams must ensure that no player enters the field of play wearing any article that, in the opinion of the Referee, may injure the player himself or any other player. For example a watch, finger rings, earrings, necklaces, or any other jewellery.

L) Each team must provide a First Aid Kit at each game.

M) All serious injuries MUST be reported on the Referees Team Sheet and Match Report.

N) The home team must confirm the team colours intended for use in the match to the opposing team (contact details from the handbook), at least 72 hours prior to the playing of the match, and agree to change if the colours clash.

The away team shall acknowledge receipt of such particulars, and that no clash is apparent.

O) The home team must confirm to and receive acknowledgement from, the nominated match official(s) (contact details from the website, handbook or Referees Secretary), no less than 96 hours in advance of any match, by email or telephone or in writing:
i) full particulars of the location of and access to the ground,
ii) the kick off time of the match.

P) The home team must ensure that where a pitch is not enclosed with permanent barriers, rope barriers are provided during matches, to separate players and officials from spectators. Where possible, barriers should be the full length of each touchline and at least 2 metres from the touchlines, but shall be sufficient to encompass all spectators, and where possible, separate the spectators of opposing teams.

Q) Both teams must submit a team sheet no later than 15 minutes before the start of the match (from the website or books of duplicate team sheets provided to each team by the Management Committee) to:
i) the Referee,
ii) the opposing team.

This team sheet must include:
i) forename(s) and surname of the players and substitutes (using legible Block Capitals) as entered on players’ registration forms,
ii) the number on each player’s shirt, as to be worn in the game.

11. Reporting Results

A) Both teams must submit the following information (“the match result notification”) to the Registration Secretary, within 96 hours of the end of each match. This may be submitted by post or E-mail on the form available from the website, or by post on a team sheet from the website or book provided to each team by the Management Committee:

i) forename(s) and surname of the players and substitutes (using legible Block Capitals) as entered on players’ registration forms,
ii) the number on each player’s shirt, as worn in the game,
iii) the referee’s mark,
iv) their own goal scorers
v) the opponent's man of the match.

B) The home team must inform the Fixture Secretary or his published nominee, of the result of each match and goal scorers of both teams within 4 hours of the kick off of the match (verbal or other acknowledgement MUST be obtained). Any team failing in this regard will be fined £25.00.

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.

D) Any team playing in a higher priority competition (as defined in Rule 10E) must inform the Fixture Secretary or his published nominee, irrespective of playing home or away. The Fixture Secretary or his published nominee, must be informed of the result, or whether the match was postponed, together with any likely replay date. Only any goal scorers who are players also playing within The Competition are required. The same requirements and fines apply as in Rule 11A.

12. Determining Championship

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 shall not be played for double points.

In the event of two or more teams being equal on points, team rankings are decided in the following way:

(i) goal difference
(ii) goals scored
(iii) deciding match(es) played under conditions determined by the Management Committee.

B) There is no automatic promotion and relegation. The decision as to which teams, if any, are promoted or relegated is at the discretion of the Management Committee.

C) Any team leaving The Competition before the season ends shall be subject to the following penalties:

- Their playing record will be expunged.
- They will forfeit their bond
- They will subject to a fine of £50

13. Referees

A) Registered Referees and Assistant Referees for all matches shall be appointed in a manner approved by the Management Committee and by the sanctioning Association.

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, or where The Competition has been unable to appoint a Referee, the teams 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.

Home teams must ensure that flags, a whistle and a watch are available should the Referee fail to attend. Any team failing to do so shall be fined £20.

C) The Management Committee will wherever possible, appoint Assistant Referees, to all matches. Where Assistant Referees are not appointed each Team shall provide a “Club Assistant Referee”. Failure to do so will result in a fine of £20 being imposed on the defaulting team .

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. (See also Rule 10J)

E) Match Officials appointed under this Rule shall be entitled to charge standard class public transport expenses or private car expenses of 25p per mile and any other permitted expenses actually incurred together with the following match fees:-

Referee £25, Registered Referees appointed by the Management Committee as Assistant Referees £20, subject to any limits laid down by the sanctioning Association.

Where three officials are appointed by the league they will travel together to matches where feasible and if possible only submit one claim for travelling expenses.

Officials fees and expenses shall be paid immediately after the match, in their changing room. Fees not paid immediately, or requiring Management Committee involvement will incur an administration charge of £20 for each team in default of the rule.

The Home team shall pay the Officials for all league games.

Official's fees and expenses shall be shared between both teams for any playoff or deciding matches, except any deemed as “Final Ties”, which will be funded by The Competition.

F) In the event of a match not being played because of circumstances over which the teams have no control, the Match Officials, if present, shall be entitled to half fee plus expenses. Where a match is not played owing to one team being in default, that team 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 as to their non-appearance, may be reported to the Association with which he or she is registered.

H) Each team shall, in a manner prescribed from time to time by The Football Association, award marks to the Referee for each match and the name of the Referee and the marks awarded shall be submitted to The Competition on the prescribed Form provided.

The Competition shall keep a record of the markings and, on the Form provided by the prescribed date each season, shall submit a summary to The Football Association/County Football Association.

I) The Referee shall complete the necessary information, sign and submit the team sheets (provided to him or her by each team before the start of each match - see Rule 10Q) to the Registration Secretary within THREE WORKING DAYS of the match.

J) Referees and Assistant Referees shall be supplied, each Season, with a copy of The Competition Rules free of charge.

14. Continuation of Membership or Withdrawal of a Team

A) After 31st December in the current Season a team intending, or having a provisional intention, to withdraw from The Competition on completion of its fixtures and fulfilment of all other obligations to The Competition must notify the Secretary in writing by 1st March each Season or be liable to a fine of £50.

All teams wishing to remain in membership of The Competition for the following Season must confirm their intention to do so, and complete the Application Process in writing, to the Secretary by 30th April.

B) A team shall not be allowed to withdraw from The Competition after the Annual General Meeting for the following Season. Any team infringing this Rule shall be liable to a fine of £50 and shall also be liable for its share of any call which may be made under Rule 5(B).

C) Not Applicable

D) In the event of a Member team , 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 un-discharged after a period of TWENTY-ONE days, then the then current team Members, excluding those under the statutory school leaving age, shall meet such obligation. 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 team’s Parent County Association for a suspension order.

15. Protests and Complaints

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 the venue will not be entertained by the Management Committee unless a protest is lodged with the Referee before the commencement of the match. Any team lodging such 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 decides 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 (written hard-copy) with the Secretary within 96 hours 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 team involved shall not be present (except as a witness or representative of his team ) when such protest or complaint is being determined.

C) Any dispute occurring between teams 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 team shall have deposited with the Secretary a sum of £30. This may be forfeited in whole or in part in the event of the complaining or protesting team losing its case. The Competition shall have power to order the defaulting team or the team 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 SEVEN days notice of 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 team of any information, which if properly used, might have avoided the protest or complaint.

16. Board of Appeal

A) Within 14 days of the posting of written notification of any decision of the Management Committee or The Competition, a team , Official or Player against whom action is taken may appeal against such decision by lodging particulars in duplicate with the Secretary of the Lancashire Football Association, including a fee of £35, 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.

No appeal can be lodged against a decision taken at an Annual or Special General Meeting unless this is on the ground of unconstitutional conduct.

17. Exclusion of Clubs or Teams, Misconduct, Clubs, Officials, Players

A) At the Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting called for the purpose in accordance with the provisions of Rule 19, 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 which must be supported by (more than) two-thirds (⅔) of those present and voting. 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 from further participation in The Competition any Club or team of a Club whose conduct has, in their opinion, been undesirable, which must be supported by (more than) two-thirds (⅔) of those present and voting. Voting on this point shall be conducted by ballot. A Club or team of a Club whose conduct is the subject of the vote being taken shall be excluded from voting.

C) Any official or member of a team proved guilty of either a breach of Rule, other than field offences, or of inducing or attempting to induce a player or players of another team 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 team shall also be liable to expulsion in accordance with the provisions of Clauses (A) and (B) of this Rule.

D) Any 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.

18. Trophy: Legal Owners, Conditions of Taking Over, Agreement to be Signed, Awards.

A) If a Competition is discontinued for any reason a trophy or any other presentation shall be returned to the Donor if the conditions attached to it so provide or, if not, dealt with as the sanctioning Association may decide.

B) The following agreement shall be signed on behalf of the winners of the Cup or Trophy:-

“We A_________________and B______________________, the Chairman and Secretary of ________________________FC, members of and representing the team , having been declared winners of _____________________Cup or Trophy, and it having been delivered to us by The Competition, do hereby on behalf of the team jointly and severally agree to return the Cup or Trophy to The Competition Secretary on or before 1st April in the season after winning it. If the Cup or Trophy is lost or damaged whilst under our care we agree to refund to The Competition the amount of its current value or the cost of its thorough repair.”

C) Alterations or engraving may only be made to a trophy or cup by the Management Committee, and charges for such work will be made to the appropriate team .

D) Teams resigning from the League who are in possession of a cup or trophy must return it immediately.

E) All teams that win a trophy MUST lodge a bond of £150 against non-return or damage to the trophy.

19. Special General Meetings

A) Upon receiving a requisition signed by (more than) two-thirds (⅔) of the teams in membership the Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting.

The Management Committee may call a Special General Meeting at any time.

At least SEVEN days notice shall be given of a Special General Meeting under this Rule, together with an agenda of the business to be transacted at such meeting.

Each Full Member team shall be empowered to send two delegates to all Special General Meetings. Each team shall be entitled to one vote only. Not less than SEVEN days notice shall be given of any Meeting.

Any Member team failing to be represented at a Special General Meeting without satisfactory reason being given shall be fined £20.

Officers and Management Committee members shall be entitled to attend and vote at all Special General Meetings.

All amendment of Rules can only be implemented once approved by the appropriate sanctioning authority.

20. Alteration to Rules

A) Alterations shall be made to these Rules only at the Annual General Meeting or at 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.

Notice of proposed alterations to be considered at the Annual General Meeting shall be submitted to the Secretary by 31st March in each year. The proposals, together with any proposals by the Management Committee, shall be circulated to the teams by 30th April and any amendments thereto shall be submitted to the Secretary by 14th May. The proposals and proposed amendments thereto shall be circulated to teams with the notice of the Annual General Meeting. A proposal to change a Rule shall be carried if a simple 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 TWENTY EIGHT 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.

21. Rules Binding on teams

A) Each Member team shall be deemed to have given its assent to the foregoing Rules and agreed to abide by the decisions of the Management Committee subject to Rule 16. Each Member team must abide by any issued Football Association Code of Conduct (Appendix 5).

22. Finance

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 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 31st March.

D) The books, or a certified balance sheet, of a Competition shall be prepared and shall be audited annually by some suitable person(s) who shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

23. Cup Competition Rules

A) All Cup matches shall be decided on a knockout basis unless otherwise decided by the League Committee. In the event of a drawn game, extra time shall be played of two equal halves, the length of time at the discretion of the referee, but not exceeding 15 minutes each half. If the result is still a draw after the time allocated, each team shall take five penalties, if this fails to produce a result then a sudden death situation will occur whereby both teams shall continue to take equal alternative penalties until one team misses and one-team scores.

B) In the event of the home drawn teams ground being unfit after two attempts to stage the game, after the second attempt, if their opponent's ground is fit and available, the game must, if possible, be switched. If this happens, then the away team must then take the responsibilities of the home team. Should both grounds be unfit and the game is postponed, then when it is re arranged the same procedure must be followed until the game is played.

C) Referee and Assistant Referee's fees and expenses shall be shared between both teams for all cup Competition matches, except Final Ties.

D) The League Management Committee reserves the right to dismiss any team from a cup Competition for failing to fulfil or causing the abandonment of a cup fixture.

E) Cup semi finals shall be played on the ground of the first drawn team . The home team must observe normal match procedure. In the event of the home team’s ground being unfit or unavailable the Committee reserve the right to change the venue.

F) The Fixture Secretary shall decide on all dates for the replay of games. If games are to be played or replayed in midweek, teams must be available to play Tuesdays or Thursdays.

G) A player shall not be eligible to play in any Cup Competition unless the player has played one league game for that team prior to the cup game in the current season.

H) Any player who has played in a cup match and transfers shall not be allowed to play for his new team in the same Competition or any other cup, unless his previous team has had their record expunged.

I) Any team playing in a Cup semi-final or Final, must at least seven days prior to the game, forward to the Registration Secretary a list of players from whom the team will be selected. Any team failing to do so shall be fined £15.

J) If a team is found guilty of fielding an ineligible player they will be disqualified from that Competition and will be liable to such action, as the Management Committee deem suitable.

K) Teams must inform the Fixture Secretary no later than 14 days before the 1st match played in The Competition, of their intention to take part in any F.A. or County or other Competition outside this League, and the dates of these games as soon as they are known. Failure to do so shall result in a fine of £50.

Appendices to Rules

Appendix 1 Management Committee Roles

1) The League Secretary will manage the day to day running of The Competition, oversee the duties of the Committee members, and receive all correspondence pertaining to The Competition and take minutes of all Competition meetings.

2) The Treasurer will manage the finances of The Competition receiving all monies payable to The Competition, control all expenditure and maintain The Competition accounts.

3) The Referees Secretary will appoint officials to all games, maintain a record of the marks awarded to each official and deal with all queries regarding officials.

4) The Fixture Secretary will arrange all fixtures, recommend the start and finish dates for each season, and deal with all matters concerning fixtures (excluding postponement requests, which will be dealt with by the League Secretary). The Fixture Secretary or his published nominee will also receive all match results, including County Cup.

5) The Registration Secretary will deal with all registrations and the transfer of players, receive the teamsheet (with referee’s mark, goal-scorers etc) from the teams , receive the teamsheet (with referee’s report) from referees, maintain a record of the appearances made by each player and deal with all queries regarding player registration.

6) The Discipline Secretary will implement The Competition’s on and off-field Disciplinary Code as defined in the League Rules and Appendices and deal with all queries regarding player, team discipline.

7) The Press Secretary shall arrange for the results, league tables, and any other information required, to be publicised in the manner agreed by The Management Committee.

Appendix 2 Times of Kick-Off

1) The Management Committee shall decide the normal times of kick off.

2) Sunday Kick off times are:

- 2.30pm from February to May & September to October inclusive.
- 2.00pm from November to January inclusive.

3) Midweek Kick off times are:

- 6.30pm from April to September
- 6.15pm during March.

4) Midweek floodlit games may kick off later with approval of the Management Committee.

5) All Cup matches (except where floodlit) will kick off 30 minutes earlier to accommodate the possibility of extra time and penalties.

Appendix 3 Discipline

1) At the request of its members, The Competition operates an complimentary disciplinary code to that of the County Football Associations, in order to ensure teams and players maintain an acceptable standard of behaviour on and off the field. This code is not intended to be either additional or a parallel discipline system to the relevant County Association’s player discipline system, but is to incentivise teams to minimise and reduce indiscipline.

2) Teams have a duty to ensure their players, spectators and officials do not bring The Game, or their club or team, or The League, or themselves into disrepute. Any team or person doing so will be held to account and dealt with at the discretion of the Management or Discipline Committees.

3) Accordingly the following points system will be used to record the on-field discipline of teams, during a season. This applies to all matches played in all NWYA competitions during the season, including against teams who do not complete the season, and includes any discipline against players when playing for The Competition’s Inter-League team. Points are added once per numbered County Discipline Case, as follows:

i. A caution 2 points

ii. County discipline, resulting in a suspension of up to 14 days 5 points

iii. County discipline, resulting in a suspension of 15 to 21 days 7 points

iv. County discipline, resulting in a suspension of 22 to 35 days 10 points

v. County discipline, resulting in a suspension of 36 to 49 days 12 points

vi. County discipline, resulting in a suspension of 50 to 84 days 15 points

vii. County discipline, resulting in a suspension of 85 or more days 20 points

4) Incentives and disincentives are also provided, and thus the team or teams with the lowest average points per match over the whole League & Cup season will:
i) be awarded the “Fair-Play” Trophy
ii) have its League Fees for the following season waived
Note Clause 4 cannot apply to any team who has been found guilty or “case proved” of a “Bringing the game into disrepute” or “not acting in the best interest of the game” or similar charge by the county FA at a NWYA league or Cup fixture during the season.

5) Any team accumulating less than 40 points over the whole League & Cup season will have half its League Fees for the following season waived.
Note Clause 5 cannot apply to any team who has been found guilty or “case proved” of a “Bringing the game into disrepute” or “not acting in the best interest of the game” or similar charge by the county FA at a NWYA league or Cup fixture during the season.

6) Any player accumulating 30 or more points will have his North West Youth Alliance Football League registration suspended until a personal hearing has been held, and any ensuing or previous fines and administration charges paid. Review of the suspension will be at the discretion of the Management Committee.

7) On accumulating 40 or more points, a team will receive a written warning as to the future conduct of its players, have ONE POINT DEDUCTED from its league total and receive an administration charge of £10.

8) A team accumulating 70 or more points will receive a final written warning, have THREE POINTS DEDUCTED from its league total and an administration charge of £20. (Note, if 40 and 70 points totals are passed due to County Discipline Cases arising in the same match, then both warnings, both points deductions and both administration charges will still be applied)

9) A team accumulating 100 points will have its North West Youth Alliance fixtures suspended until a hearing has been held to review its record and any mitigation, have SIX POINTS DEDUCTED from its league total, and will receive an administration charge of £30. Further sanctions may be applied pending the outcome of the hearing, and at the discretion of the League Executive Committee. Any ensuing or previous fines and administration charges must be paid before review of the suspension. (Note, if any of 40, 70 and 100 points totals are passed due to County Discipline Cases arising in the same match, then all relevant written warnings, points deductions and administration charges will be applied). The application process and acceptability criteria for subsequent seasons will take such a discipline record into account.

10) A team accumulating 125 points will have its North West Youth Alliance fixtures suspended until a Special General Meeting is held with a proposal that it is expelled from all Competitions of the North West Youth Alliance, and have its league record expunged for that season. Further sanctions may be applied at the discretion of the League Executive Committee. Any ensuing or previous fines and administration charges must be paid before review of the suspension. (Note, if any of 40, 70, 100 and 125 points totals are passed due to County Discipline Cases arising in the same match, then all relevant written warnings, points deductions and administration charges will be applied).

Appendix 4 Inter League Team

1) The league may run an Inter-League team, which may enter Competitions throughout the season. The appointed team Manager may call upon player(s) from any team in the League to represent the League .

2) Any team refusing to release a player for the Inter-League team will be fined £20 .

3) Any team having 2 or more players in the Inter-League team (or one if he is a recognised goalkeeper) will have the right to apply to postpone any affected fixture, to the League Secretary in accordance with the fixture schedule.

4) Any player failing to attend an Inter-League fixture will be asked to give an explanation in writing within seven days to the League Secretary.

5) Should the explanation not be received in the stipulated time or is not to the satisfaction of the Management Committee, the player may be liable to disciplinary action, including withdrawal of registration.

6) Any player selected to play in an Inter-League game shall not be allowed to play for his team on the same day, should his team have a fixture.

Appendix 5 FA Code of Conduct

FIFA's Code of Conduct for football encapsulates all the sporting, moral and ethical principles for which FIFA has always stood and for which it will continue to fight in the future, regardless of the influences and pressures that may be brought to bear.

The ten golden rules not only serve as a credo for FIFA as the world football body, but they also reinforce the sense of fraternity and cooperation among the members of the worldwide football family.

1) Play to Win

Winning is the object of playing any game. Never set out to lose. If you do not play to win, you are cheating your opponents, deceiving those who are watching, and also fooling yourself. Never give up against stronger opponents but never relent against weaker ones. It is an insult to any opponent to play at less than full strength. Play to win, until the final whistle.

2) Play Fair

Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair Play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns you respect, while cheats are detested. Remember: It's only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly.

3) Observe the Laws of the Game

All games need rules to guide them. Without rules, there would be chaos. The rules of football are simple and easy to learn. Make an effort to learn them, so you understand the game better. This makes you a better player. It is just as important to understand the spirit of the rules. They are designed to make the game fun to play and fun to watch. By sticking to the rules, you will enjoy the game more.

4) Respect Opponents, Teammates, Referees, Officials and Spectators

Fair Play means respect. Without opponents there can be no game. They have the same rights as you have, including the right to be respected. Your teammates are your colleagues. You form a team in which all members are equal. Referees are there to maintain discipline and Fair Play. Always accept their decisions without arguing, and help them to help you enjoy the game more. Officials are also part of the game and must be respected accordingly. Spectators give the game atmosphere. They want to see the game played fairly, but must also behave fairly themselves.

5) Accept Defeat with Dignity

Nobody wins all the time. You win some, you lose some. Learn to lose graciously. Don't seek excuses for defeat. Genuine reasons will always be self-evident. Congratulate the winners with good grace. Don't blame the referee or anyone else. Determine to do better next time. Good losers earn more respect than bad winners.

6) Promote the Interests of Football

Football is the world's greatest game. But it always needs your help to keep it as Number One. Think of football's interests before your own. Think how your actions may affect the image of the game. Talk about the positive things in the game. Encourage other people to watch it or play it fairly. Help others to have as much fun from football as you do. Be an ambassador for the game.

7) Reject Corruption, Drugs, Racism, Violence and other Dangers to our Sport Football's huge popularity sometimes makes it vulnerable to negative outside interests.

Watch out for attempts to tempt you into cheating or using drugs. Drugs have no place in football or any other sport or in our society. Say No to Drugs. Help Kick Racism out of Football. Treat all players and everyone else equally, regardless of their skin colour or origin. Show that football does not want violence, even from your own fans. Football is Sport, and Sport is Peace.

8) Help Others to Resist Corrupting Pressures

You may hear that teammates or other people you know are being tempted to cheat in some way. They need your help. Don't hesitate to stand by them. Give them the strength to resist. Remind them of their commitment to their teammates and to the game itself. Form a block of solidarity, like a solid defence on the field of play.

9) Denounce Those who Attempt to Discredit our Sport

Don't be ashamed to show up anybody who you are sure is trying to make others cheat. It's better to expose them and have them removed before they can do any damage. It often takes more courage to denounce what is wrong, than to go along with a dishonest plan. Your honesty will be admired but your complicity will not. Don't just say No. Denounce the culprits who are trying to spoil our sport before they can persuade somebody else to say Yes.

10) Honour Those who Defend Football's Good Reputation

The good name of football has survived because the vast majority of people who love the game are honest and fair. Sometimes somebody does something exceptional that deserves our special recognition. They should be honoured and their fine example made public. This encourages others to act in the same way. Help promote football's image by publicising its good deeds.

Appendix 6 Team Application Process

Note: There is no automatic re-entry into the competition.
All applications shall be subject to the same entry criteria.

Applicants to The Competition must complete an approval process (review by the Management Committee) prior to submission of the acceptable application to the AGM (Rule 2A). This approval process may include, but not be limited to written questionnaire, interview and inspection of facilities. This will include an undertaking to comply with certain performance requirements, and verification of compliance with the following :

Mandatory Criteria for all Applications:

i) Each application MUST be from a team affiliated to and endorsed by an FA “Step 7” or higher club with a senior (open age) team.

ii) The Secretary and Chairman of the club, as registered with the parent County FA, MUST endorse the application, and accept all relevant liability for the team's activities and any consequent costs.

iii) Each application must specify the team and club’s position with respect to FA Charter Standard status, including recent relevant record and successful application date or aspiration.

iv) Each team MUST have regular and predictable use of and control of its own field and facilities, which must be approved by the League Management Committee. (Use of a council controlled pitch is not acceptable) Other teams sharing the same facilities must be specified, including date and frequency.

v) The club MUST be able to provide separate secure Changing Rooms for home and away teams and officials, which must be approved by the League Management Committee. The official’s Changing Room must be able to accommodate 3 officials. All three changing room must have separate showers.

vi) The team MUST provide a verifiable, on and off-field discipline record for 2 previous seasons that is acceptable to the League Management Committee.

vii) The team MUST provide a Financial Plan or Budget for the ensuing season. This will be expected to include a realistic breakdown of expenditure and sources of funding, acceptable to the Management Committee against an estimation of the number of matches to be played.

Expectations of The Competition:

i) The team MUST provide players and officials with refreshments, normally after completion of each match.

ii) A basic understanding of the important Rules of The Competition will be tested at interview.

iii) All facilities must be available for inspection by the Management Committee. If one or more alternative facilities are to be available, they must all meet The Competition’s requirements.

iv) Teams can expect to be asked to provide reasons for entering The Competition, and The Management Committee will expect the supplied answer to align with the declared aims of The Competition, and the FIFA Code of Conduct.

v) Teams can expect to be asked to provide names of their match-day officials, their relevant qualifications and relationships to players. No team will be accepted which is run solely by one or more parents. Separate names can be expected for “Manager”, “Trainer”, “Physio”, “Administrator” etc.

vi) Teams are expected to have signed Codes of Conduct for Players, Spectators and Officials, available for inspection by the Management Committee.

vii) Club Chairman and Secretary will be expected to provide their expectations of the team and The Competition and underwrite potential shortfalls in team funding.

viii) The Competition has a website on which relevant descriptions, photographs and videos of match-day activities will be provided from time to time. It is the responsibility of teams to obtain any permissions necessary from its players and officials etc., in advance of the season, or on registration. Anyone objecting should be excluded from participation.
The League will endeavour to inform teams in advance of matches where that is the intention.