qualification of players

Rule 8.

(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 youth playing member of a Club is one who, being in all other respects eligible, has completed a club registration form signed by the player and his parent or guardian. On behalf of the player, the Club Secretary or a second league authorised signatory for the club has: -

Signed a fully and correctly completed Competition Player ID/Registration Card

in ink, which has been countersigned by an Officer of the league, who has been registered with the Registration Secretary at least 7 days prior to playing and whose completed ID card is in the possession of the manager prior to playing. A maximum of 20 players may be registered in this way. The Club registration form must incorporate any known serious medical conditions of the player and emergency contact details of the player’s parents or guardians. These details must be available at matches and training events the player attends within the management of the Club or Competition.

The Registration acceptance and agreement form is also endorsed by the Club Secretary to confirm that the club has a current club membership form signed by the player and his / her parent / guardian, and indemnifying the league as and when injuries occur.

The player ID/Registration Card (which is held by each club) must incorporate a current passport-size photograph of the player seeking registration, together with his registration number and the name of the team for which he is registered. If a player’s age is required for registration purposes The Club Secretary must accept an original birth certificate or a photocopy. In cases where the birth certificate is not available, the Club Secretary is required to accept a photocopy of the player’s passport or other official document issued by a Government Agency attesting to the player’s date of birth.

The qualification dates for the competition shall be as follows:

Mini-Soccer

To play in a KO Cup game or a game where points are awarded, or results collected, a player must have achieved the age of eight on or before 31st August.

Under 7 – the player must have attained the age of 6 as at midnight on 31st of August in the playing season but must be under the age of 7 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season. Currently not formally offered by the league, but Under 7 sides are linked together by a league officer – the details being available on the league Website.

Under 8 – the player must be under the age of 8 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

Under 9 – the player must be under the age of 9 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

Under 10 – the player must be under the age of 10 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

In accordance with the foregoing qualifications a player in the above age ranges must not play in a match where any other player is older or younger by 2 years or more.

Youth Football

Under 11 – the player must have attained the age of 10 but must be under the age of 11 by midnight 31st August in the playing season.

Girls may not play in mixed football after the U11 season.

Under 12 – the player must be under the age of 12 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

Under 13 – the player must be under the age of 13 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

Under 14 – the player must be under the age of 14 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

Under 15 – the player must be under the age of 15 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

Under 16 – the player must be under the age of 16 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.

In accordance with the foregoing qualifications a player under the age of 15 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season must not play in a match where any other player is older or younger by 2 years or more.

(The above qualification dates are subject to the provisions contained in FA Rule C.4(a)).

(C) Standard Rule not applicable to this Competition.

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

(E) A fee of £4 shall be paid for each player registered.

20 Registration cards per team shall be obtained from the Registration Secretary on prepayment of nil per card.

Additional blocks of 10 cards can be supplied at a cost of £10.00 per block.

Duplicate Registration Card can be obtained from the Registration Secretary at a cost of £5 per card.

(F) The Management Committee shall decide all registration disputes.

Where there is a query about the registration details of a player, upon the request of the Registration Secretary, the club must provide the requested documentation within three days.

In the event of a player signing a registration card or having a registration submitted for more than one Club, priority of registration shall decide for which Club the player shall be registered. The Registration Secretary shall notify the Club last applying to register the player of the fact of the previous registration.

(G) It shall be a breach of Rule for a player to: -

(i) Play for more than one Club in the Competition in the same season without first being transferred.

(ii) Having signed for one Club in the Competition, sign for another Club in the Competition in that season except for the purpose of a transfer.

(iii) Submit a signed registration card for registration that the player had wilfully neglected to accurately or fully complete.

(H) (i) The Management Committee shall have power to accept the registration of any player.

(ii) The Management Committee shall have power to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player or may fine any player, except those under the age of 18, at their discretion who has been charged and found guilty of registration irregularities. (Subject to Rule 16). However, the Club will be fined in respect of players under 18, and it is expected that clubs, where appropriate, will recover monies due from the parents or guardians.

(iii) The Management Committee shall have power to make application to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player 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 transfer form to the Registration Secretary accompanied by a fee of £5, together with a completed new ID/Registration Card, old ID/Registration Card, and updated team sheets for both clubs involved (for full details please see guidance note from the Competition.) Such transfer shall be referred by the Registration Secretary to the Club for which the player is registered. Should this Club object to the transfer it should state its objections in writing to the Registration Secretary and to the player concerned within seven days of receipt of the transfer form. Upon receipt of the Club's consent, or upon its failure to give written objection within seven days, the Registration Secretary may, on behalf of the Management Committee, transfer the player who shall be deemed eligible to play for the new Club from receipt of such transfer and receipt of new card. Transfers of players are only allowed between the 1st October and the 31st December.

(J) A player may not be registered for a Club nor transferred to another Club in the Competition after the last day of December, except by special permission of the Management Committee.

In the event of an objection to a transfer the matter shall be referred to the Management Committee for a decision.

(K) A Club shall keep a list of the players it registers and a record of the games in which they have played, and shall produce such records upon demand by the Management Committee.

In the event a Club has more than one team in an age group, each team must be clearly designated “A” and “B” etc. In such cases, players will be registered for one team only. A player so registered will not be allowed to play for his Club in a younger or older age group within the provisions of Rule 8 (B).

(L) A register containing the names of all players registered for each Club, with the date of registration, shall be kept by the Registration Secretary and shall be open to the inspection of any duly appointed Member Club representative at all Management Committee meetings or at other times mutually arranged. Registrations are valid for one Season only.

(M) A player shall not be eligible to play for a team in any special championship; promotion or relegation deciding match (as specified in Rule 12(A)) unless the player has registered by 31st December for that team in this Competition in the current season.

(N) Standard Rule not applicable to this Competition.

(O) (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 will be fined £25.00 and/or otherwise dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee.

 

(ii) In addition the team may have 3 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.

(P) (i) Priority must be given at all times to school and school organisation activities. For fuller details, please see Competition Guidance Note 1.

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

(iii) Children under 15 shall not play in a team involving players who are more than 2 years older. To play open age football the player must have achieved the age of 16.

(Note: for players under the age of 18, the provisions contained in Football Association Rules will apply.)

A minimum number of 14 players registered per team is required, prior to the first fixture of the season, excepting by agreement with the Management Committee.

(Q) A minimum number of 14 players registered per team is required, prior to the first fixture of the season, excepting by agreement with the Management Committee.

(R) A maximum of 20 registered players per team shall be permitted at any given time. A Club wishing to de-register a player must do so by application to the Registration Secretary on the appropriate form, together with the old ID/Registration Card, an updated team sheet and a fee of £5.00. (In addition please see guidance note from the Competition.)