cup competitions

1. The competitions shall be known by the names listed below and shall be entirely under the control of the Management Committee of the Bedford Sports Horsham & District Youth Football League:

Heron Way Cup

Roffey Robins Frank Giess Memorial Cup

Chairman’s Cup

President’s Cup

Fred Sparkes Cup

Edwin Hill Cup

No Cup shall ever be won outright.

2.The Sussex County Football Association shall be for all intents and purposes the legal owners of the Cups, in trust for the League.

3.Except as otherwise covered by these Cup Rules, the Rules of the Bedford Sports Horsham & District Youth Football League shall apply.

4.The Competitions shall be open to teams competing in the relevant Division of the League, as follows:

Heron Way Cup - Under 11s

Roffey Robins Frank Giess Memorial Cup - Under 12s

Chairman’s Cup - Under 13s

President’s Cup - Under 14s

Fred Sparkes Cup - Under 15s

Edwin Hill Cup - Under 16s

5.The eligibility, qualifications and registration shall be the same as those applying to the League competitions, except that:

(a)A bona fide club member is eligible to play in the relevant competition provided the player has not played for another club during the season in the same competition.

(b)No player may play in more than one Cup competition in the same season.

(c)For the semi-final and final ties, players must be registered for respective team by 31st December during the current season.

Where a team experiences unforeseen problems, they may apply to the League in writing for consideration for players registered after 31 December.

In the case of postponed matches, only those players eligible on the date fixed for the original match shall be allowed to play.

6.The Management Committee shall divide teams into pairs or ties, and the winners of such ties shall in like manner be divided into other ties, and so on until there are four Clubs left in the competition. The four Clubs left in the competition shall be divided into the semi-final ties, which shall be played over one leg on neutral pitches where available The winners of the semi-finals shall meet in the final tie. The first drawn team shall be the home team.

7.The ties shall be drawn and the matches played as the Management Committee may determine. The Competitions Secretary, Fixtures Secretary or Divisional Representative shall notify each Club of its opponents, the date and venue of the match and any other details that may be appropriate.

8.The home teams shall be responsible for arranging matches, referees and the like together with payment of match expenses

9.Matches shall be of the duration appropriate to the Division in which the teams play. Where scores are level at the end of full-time, extra-time shall be played as follows:

Heron Way Cup - 5 minutes each way

Roffey Robins Frank Giess Memorial Cup - 8 minutes each way

Chairman’s Cup - 8 minutes each way

President’s Cup - 10 minutes each way

Fred Sparkes Cup - 10 minutes each way

Edwin Hill Cup - 10 minutes each way

When the scores are level at the end of extra time, the tie shall be decided on penalties in accordance with F A Rules.

10. Protests with regard to the eligibility of players must be lodged with the League Secretary within four days of the match. If it is proved that a team played an ineligible player(s), the Management Committee shall fine the offending Club the sum of £25.00 for each ineligible player and either eliminate from the competition the offending team or order the match to be replayed. The ineligible player(s) shall not be eligible to take part should the match be replayed.

11. The Cup/Plate Competitions take presidency over League Fixtures as directed by the Management Committee.

12. The one allowed postponement per season that is permitted for League Fixtures cannot be used for any round of the Cup/Plate Competitions and no other reason whatsoever shall be permitted except weather related pitch conditions.

13. Any point not covered by these Rules shall be decided by the Management Committee whose decision shall be final and conclusive.