Club Constitution
Name
The Club is registered with the South Yorkshire County FA as Dearne & District Football Club.
1) Objective
2) Status of Rules
3) Rules and regulations
4) Officers Election
5) Executive Committee
6) Management Committee
The business of the Club shall be conducted by the Committee, Team Managers, Assistant Team Managers, plus any additional officers appointed by the Executive Committee and shall meet every month during the playing season with each member entitled to vote. The committee shall have the power to:
7) Club Membership
8) Club Finances
9) Club Subscriptions
10) Member of Leagues
11) League & Area Association Rules
12) Recruitment of Players
13) Team Managers
14) Training
15) Results of Matches
16) Team Selection
17) Sponsors
18) Annual General Meeting (AGM)
19) Team Kit & Equipment
20) Child Protection Policy
21) Code of Conduct
22) Disciplinary Procedure
23) Incident & Accident Reporting Procedure
24) Equal Opportunities & Anti-Discrimination
25) Complaints Procedure
26) Dissolution of Club
The Club is registered with the South Yorkshire County FA as Dearne & District Football Club.
1) Objective
- The aim of the club shall be to provide and promote amateur football in the Dearne area for its members and such Social and Recreational pursuits as may be considered desirable by the General Committee in the Dearne area.
- The scope of the club's policy regarding signing on players, vetting adult helpers, code of conduct etc. are covered in other documents that are reviewed as appropriate by the Management Committee.
2) Status of Rules
- The rules (the club rules) form a binding agreement between the club and its members.
- Anything not covered by these rules will be dealt with by the Dearne & District Football Club Management Committee.
3) Rules and regulations
- The Club shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of the Football Association by virtue of its affiliation to/membership of the Football Association.
- The Rules and regulations of the Football Association Limited, Football Association or any League or Completion to which the Club is affiliated for the same time being deemed to be incorporated into the Club Rules.
- No alteration to the Club Rules shall be allowed unless passed by a majority vote at the AGM or Special General Meeting.
4) Officers Election
- The Management Committee and any parents joining the Annual General Meeting shall elect the following Executive Committee officers: Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
- The Secretary of the Club must receive by the 1st May each year the names of those people seeking to be elected to the Management Committee roles of Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. An Agenda will be issued two weeks prior to the AGM to all Parents along with a list of people seeking to be elected to the roles of Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
5) Executive Committee
- An Executive Committee consisting of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and a minimum of three other elected members will be responsible for hearing any disciplinary matters within the Club.
- This committee will meet when necessary and will consult with the full Management Committee before making public any decision.
- The members present will elect the three additional members at the first Committee Meeting in September.
6) Management Committee
The business of the Club shall be conducted by the Committee, Team Managers, Assistant Team Managers, plus any additional officers appointed by the Executive Committee and shall meet every month during the playing season with each member entitled to vote. The committee shall have the power to:
- To appoint and remove Team Managers and Assistant Managers.
- Appoint any sub-committee that they consider necessary.
- To delegate powers to that sub-committee.
- To appoint additional Officers as required i.e. School Liaison Officer.
- To deal with matters covered and not covered by the following rules.
7) Club Membership
- The members of the Club from time to time shall be those persons listed in the Register of Members. This shall be maintained by the Club Secretary.
- Application to membership of the club is open to anyone in the community that has an interest in football regardless of age, sex, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowed on a non-discriminatory basis.
- Any person wishing to be a member should apply by Membership Application form and deliver it to the club.
- Election to membership shall be at the sole discretion of the Management Committee who will not discriminate unfairly and only refuse entry or remove membership if, but not limited to:
i. The conduct of the person is not deemed in line with club policies or behaviours.
ii. The person is of a character to bring the club into disrepute.
iii. There are not sufficient facilities or resource to admit the person.
iv. The person does not meet child protection rules or regulations - Appeal against removal or non-admittance can be made in writing to the Club Management committee within 14 days and will be heard at a special meeting within 30 days of the receipt of the appeal.
- In the event of expulsion or resignation of a club member they will be removed from the Club Register.
- The Association or Affiliated Association shall be given access to the Register of Members at any time.
- A member shall cease to be a member of the club if, and from the date on which he/she gives notice to the Club committee of his/her resignation or expulsions.
- The club may have different classes of member and subscriptions on a non-discriminatory and fair basis, which are covered later within subscription section of the document.
- Each team for each month of play during their season, pay towards the central funds an amount agreed by the Management Committee at the annual AGM. Further details can be found within the Subscription section of the Rules and Constitution.
8) Club Finances
- A bank account shall be opened and maintained by the club (the club account).
- The Club will have a bank account and require one signature for any withdrawal. The signatories will be The Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
- The Club Committee shall have the power to authorize the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.
- The income and assets of the club (club property) shall be applied only in the clubs furtherance of the objectives of the club. No surplices or assets will be distributed to the members or third parties.
- The Club shall prepare an annual Financial Statement to be presented at the Annual General Meeting in June of each year.
- The club property, other than the club account, shall be vested in not less than two and no more than four custodians, one of whom shall be the treasurer (the custodians), who entry into the minute books shall be conclusive evidence of such decisions.
- The custodians are appointed to the Club in the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until death, resignation or removal by resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting.
- The club is reliant on fundraising and club events. All teams must support each event held, this can include supplying parents, children and prizes. Events allow us to grow and build relationships outside of the team, as well as bring key routes for revenue. Any teams not able to participate in an event may be asked to contribute in another way. Any team not contributing to any event may not be included as a member in the following year.
9) Club Subscriptions
- Each team will seek weekly subscriptions from players to cover training, equipment, insurance and any other associated costs, with each team paying a monthly subscription to the clubs central funds.
- The teams will also seek separate subscriptions from players to cover match, referee and match insurance costs.
- The level of subscriptions and method of collection will be determined by the Management Committee at the annual AGM in line for the beginning of the following season.
- Team Managers shall pay in any collected subscriptions to the Treasurer regular intervals, namely at the monthly meetings. Any club falling into more than 3 months arrears will be suspended from the club until all monies owed are repaid.
- Any team member in arrears during the course of the season will receive a letter from the committee pointing out the arrears, and the individual's parents will be invited to speak with the Club Secretary in confidence regarding the issue. If the Parent is having financial problems, the Secretary will agree a suitable solution with the Treasurer and Parent to ensure that the player is able to continue to play for the Club.
10) Member of Leagues
- The Club will play in the relevant Leagues appropriate for its teams and by doing so will affiliate to the South Yorkshire Football Association. The Club will compete in any Cup competitions organized by the said Leagues and area Association.
11) League & Area Association Rules
- The Club is mindful of the Constitution and Rules of the Area Association and the Leagues its teams belong to, especially the rules pertaining to misconduct on and off the field of play, and to the eligibility of players selected to play League Representative Matches.
- Players, Parents, Officers of the Club, and Managers, who receive a CAUTION or a SENDING OFF, should be made aware that the Club incurs an administration fee and Fine set by the South Yorkshire Football Association, or relevant League. The offending person via their team shall pay all such fees and fines. Fines can be outstanding for one month and if not paid for will result in either the team or the player being suspended from Club Membership until the monies are repaid.
- Any team can join Dearne and district but must be voted in before the start of the season. Teams that do not support the club constitution or ethos may be asked to play a more active role. Should they continuously disrupt or not follow the club guidelines then the management committee can either request a new management team, or request the team look for a new club in the following season.
12) Recruitment of Players
- The Club is aiming to be a Charter Standard community club, therefore we will keep close links with local primary and secondary schools in the area to encourage participation of pupils in football by providing training sessions locally for the children. The aim is for a School liaison officer to ensure these links are maintained and the Club is able to support the local schools in developing grass root football.
- The Club will advertise locally for players under 10 years of age during May/June each year, before outside training sessions commence. It is the policy of the Club that any player will be eligible to train with the Club regardless of ability. Once recruited to the Club, players will be asked to sign a registration form which will provide contact information including emergency telephone numbers and any medical information such as allergies which the child's parent deems necessary.
- The Club will advertise locally during May/June of each year for players aged 10 years and over to play the following season in competitive leagues from Under 7 to under 16. Players playing in competitive leagues must register with the governing league body before they are eligible to play.
13) Team Managers
- The Executive Committee, which appoints the team managers, will inform the Management Committee who the appointed Squad Manager is for each age group.
14) Training
- The Club will adopt a common training policy for all age groups between under 6 and under 10, and a common policy for teams from Under 11 to under 17.
- Training subscription will be separate from signing on and match subscriptions, and set by the Management Committee at the beginning of each season.
- Each age group will have a training session each week. Where possible, teams under 10 years old will train indoors during the winter months.
15) Results of Matches
- The Area Association and Leagues have a set procedure for the Clubs to notify them of all results or cancelled games, plus the non-attendance of the opposing team; this is the responsibility of the Team Manager.
- All match results need to be provided to the Press & Website officer who will arrange for relevant results to be published within the local press and upon the club website.
16) Team Selection
- The Club does not promise to play every player in a competitive match during the season on the grounds that they have attended training. The team selection for each match will be the sole responsibility of the Team Manager.
- Team Managers should notify the required players as soon as possible when players are required to represent the Club. Similarly, players should notify their Team Manager as soon as possible if they become unavailable.
17) Sponsors
- Club sponsors will be kept informed by the Management Committee of significant events such as Cup Finals, Club Presentation Day, One-off functions etc. to ensure that they are invited.
18) Annual General Meeting (AGM)
- The AGM will take place in the month of JUNE each year to:
- Receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year.
- Receive a report of the Club's finances over the previous year.
- Elect the members of the Club committee.
- Introduce any new rules for the forthcoming season.
- Consider any other business
- The Secretary of the Club must receive by the 1st May each year the names of those people seeking to be elected to the Management Committee roles of Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. An Agenda will be issued two weeks prior to the AGM to all Parents along with a list of people seeking to be elected to the roles of Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
- All persons attending the AGM will be entitled to vote on all issues.
19) Team Kit & Equipment
- The Club will provide the necessary football kit for each player when representing the Club. Kit will be issued to the teams under 10 either on a game-by-game basis or for the whole season, which must be returned to the Team Manager by the end of June each year. Teams from Under 11 upward will be issued with a kit for the season, which must be returned to the Team Manager by the end of June each year.
- Team Managers will complete a kit/equipment list at the beginning of each season, which is to be returned to the secretary by the end of September each year.
- The Club colours are Blue and Black vertical striped shirts. Black shorts. A combination of black and blue socks or black socks.
20) Child Protection Policy
- The Club will adopt and adhere to the Football Association Child Protection Policy and in doing so will appoint a designated person to ensure that the Child Protection Policy is carried out at all levels.
21) Code of Conduct
- The Club will adopt and adhere to the Football Association Code of Conduct for Managers and Coaches, Players, Team Officials, Parents and Spectators. These Codes are issued to the respective persons as required and may also be included in the Club's Welcome Pack. (See the Codes of Conduct page).
22) Disciplinary Procedure
- The disciplinary procedure is in place to ensure that members of the Club who persistently fail to meet the agreed expectations are dealt with in a fair and open manner. In the case of a player breaching the code of conduct the following will apply;
- Players persistently failing to meet the agreed expectations
- In the first instance, the Age Group Manager will speak to the player and his parents regarding his behaviour and explain what is expected.
- If the player's behaviour does not improve, the Age Group Manager will again speak with his parents and may suspend the player for up to 4 weeks if it is thought necessary.
- The final sanction will be exclusion from the Club. Before this final sanction is enacted, an interview with the player and his parents must take place with the Executive Committee. The Management Committee will take the final decision.
- Players sent off for Violent Conduct or Swearing
In addition to any penalty set by the South Yorkshire FA:
- Any player sent off for violent conduct or swearing will automatically miss the next game.
- A second offence will result in missing two games.
- In the case of a Club Official breaching the code of conduct, an interview will take place with the Executive Committee. The findings will then be presented to the Management Committee who will make the final decision.
23) Incident & Accident Reporting Procedure
- All Incidents/Accidents, whether they involve injury or not, shall be reported to the Executive Committee and the incident be logged and investigated. In the event that an injury results, the well-being of any individual must be of paramount importance to all Club Officials whilst carrying out their duties on behalf of the Club.
- Procedure:
- The responsible person in charge of each team at the time of an Incident/Accident, which results in an injury, must ensure that the player is given adequate first aid if required.
- The responsible person or the Team Manager must notify the player's parents (if not present) of the nature of the Incident/Accident or injury at the earliest opportunity.
- The details of the Incident/Accident must be reported to the Club Secretary, within 24 hours on the Incident/Accident Report Form.
- The Team Manager must contact the Player's Parents within 24 hours of an Incident/Accident resulting in an injury to ascertain the well-being of the player.
24) Equal Opportunities & Anti-Discrimination
- The Club will adopt and adhere to the Football Association Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination policies and in doing so will appoint a designated person to ensure that the policies are carried out at all levels.
- Dearne & District FC is committed to a policy of equal treatment of all members and requires all members of whatever level or authority, to abide and adhere to this general principle.
- Dearne & District FC commits itself to the immediate investigation of any claims of discrimination towards any of its members and where such is found to be the case, a requirement that the practice cease forthwith, restitution of damage or loss (if necessary) and to the investigation of any member accused of discrimination.
25) Complaints Procedure
- In the event that any Club member feels that he or she has suffered discrimination in any way, or that the Club Policies, Rules or Code of Conduct have been broken, they should follow the procedures below.
- They should report the matter to the Club Secretary or another member of the Committee. The report should include:
- Details of what, when and where the occurrence took place.
- Any witness statement and names.
- Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way.
- Details of any former complaints made about the incident, date, when and to whom made.
- A preference for a solution to the incident.
- The Club's Management Committee will sit for any hearings that are requested and have the power to:
- Warn as to future conduct any person found to have broken the Club's Policies or Code of Conduct.
- Suspend from membership any person found to have broken the Club's Policies or Code of Conduct.
- Remove from membership any person found to have broken the Club's Policies or Code of Conduct.
26) Dissolution of Club
- The Club may only be dissolved after:
- An AGM or SGM has resolved that dissolution should take place
- A SGM, has confirmed that dissolution should a take place by the vote of a simple majority of the members present.
- Dissolution should be put into effect by the last-elected Club Committee who, after discharging all Club obligations, shall divide the remaining funds between any parent Association or another registered CASC, or Registered Chairty.
- The following dissolution clause applies to any funds awarded by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust Organisation:
i. If the committee, by simple majority, decides at any time to dissolve the association, it shall give 21 days’ notice of a meeting to all members of the association who have a power vote. - If such a decision is confirmed the management have the power to dispose of any assets held by the association. Any assets held after the liabilities or debts have been satisfied, assets shall be given or transferred such charitable groups, similar to those of the Association as the committee may decide.