1.1 In these Rules:
“ Affiliated Association” means an Association accorded the status of an affiliated Association under the Rules of The FA
“ Appointing Authority” means The FA or the Competition
“ Articles” means the Articles of Association of the Company and reference to a number of following the word “Article” is a reference to an Article so numbered in the “Articles”
“ Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company appointed in accordance with the Articles or, in the case of a Competition which is an unincorporated association, the management committee elected to manage the running of the Competition
“ Club” means a Club for the time being in membership of the Company (including a Club which has had a transfer of membership approved under Rule 2.7 below)
“ Company” means The Sydenhams Football League (Wessex) which administers the Competition and shall, where the Competition is an unincorporated entity, include that entity
“ Competition” means The Sydenhams Football League (Wessex)
“ Competition Match” means any match played or to be played under the jurisdiction of the Company
“ Competition Secretary” means such person or persons appointed or elected to carry out the administration of the Competition
“ Criteria Document” means the document entitled “National Ground Grading Document” issued by The FA from time to time and shall, unless stated to the contrary, mean the latest edition of the document
“Fees Tariff” means a list of fees approved by the Company at a general meeting to be levied by the Company for any matters for which fees are payable under the Rules
“ Fines Tariff” means a list of fines approved by the Company at a general meeting to be levied by the Company for any breach of the Rules
“ Fit and Proper Declaration” means a declaration to The FA required from an Officer from time to time
“ Football Creditor" means any one of the following:
The Football Association Limited
Any Club affiliated with an Affiliated Association
Any League sanctioned by The Association or an Affiliated Association
Any full time or part time employee of a Club, or former full time or part time employee of a Club, in respect of sums due to such person by way of arrears of remuneration or expenses. This excludes for these purposes all and any claims for redundancy, unfair or wrongful dismissal or other claims arising out of the termination of the contract or in respect of any period after the actual date of termination The Professional Footballers’ Association Limited
The Football Foundation
Any Affiliated Association
Any pension scheme or plan administered by or on behalf of the Competition
“ Insolvency Event” means any one of the following:
A manager, receiver, administrator, administrative receiver, liquidator, provisional liquidator or supervisor to a voluntary arrangement is appointed in respect of a Club or any part of its undertaking or assets;
A Club applies for an Administration Order (as defined in Section 10 of Schedule B (i) of the Insolvency Act 1986) or an Administration Order is made in respect of it or it otherwise enters into Administration;
A winding-up order is made in respect of a Club;
A Club enters into any arrangement with its creditors or some part of them in respect of the payment of its debts or any of them as a Company Voluntary Arrangement (under the Insolvency Act 1986) or a Scheme of Arrangement (under the Companies Act 1985);
A Club passes a resolution pursuant to Section 84 (i) (c) of the Insolvency Act 1986 to the effect that it cannot by reason of its liabilities continue its business and that it is advisable to wind up;
A Club ceases or forms an intention to cease wholly or substantially to carry on its business save for the purpose or reconstruction or amalgamation or otherwise in accordance with the scheme of proposals that have previously been submitted to and approved in writing by the Board;
A Club convenes a meeting of its creditors pursuant to Section 95 or Section 98 of the Insolvency Act 1986
“ Match Officials” means the referee, the assistant referees and any fourth official appointed to a Competition Match
“ Officer” means an individual who is required to make a Fit and Proper Declaration by The FA
“ Players’ Agent” means a person who, for reward, represents, negotiates on behalf of, advises or otherwise acts for a Principal in the context of either the transfer of a player’s registration, the terms of a contract between a player and a Club or the terms of a contract between a manager and a Club
“ Playing Season” means the period between the date on which the first league fixture in the Competition is played each year until the date on which the last league fixture in the Competition is played. For Clubs participating in play off matches this does include the period when play off matches are played
“ Play Off Position” means the position of a Club in the table at the end of each Playing Season which is provided for in Rule 13 as qualifying the Club to take part in a play off match to qualify for promotion to the next step of football for the next Playing Season
“ Principal” means a Club, a manager, an official of a Club, or a player employing an Agent for one of the purposes set out in the definition of Agent above
“ Rules” means these rules under which the Competition is administered
“ SSAP” means a sporting sanctions appeal panel to be appointed to determine an appeal against a deduction of points under Rule 14
“ The FA” means The Football Association Limited
“ written” or “in writing” means the representation or reproduction of words or symbols or other information in a visible form by any method or combination of methods, whether sent or supplied in electronic form or otherwise

1.2 Words or expressions used in these Rules shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context, bear the same meanings as in the Articles

1.3 All Clubs shall adhere to the Rules. Every Club shall be deemed, as a member of the Company to have accepted the Rules and to have agreed to abide by the decisions of the Board in relation thereto, subject to the provisions of Rule 17

1.4 The Competition will be known as The Sydenhams Football League (Wessex) (or such other name as the Company may adopt). The Clubs participating in the Competition must be members of the Company [in accordance with the Articles]. A Club which ceases to exist or which ceases to be entitled to play in the Competition for any reason whatsoever shall thereupon automatically cease to be a member of the Company

1.5 The administration of the Competition under these Rules will be carried out by the Company acting (save where otherwise specifically mentioned herein) through the Board in accordance with the Rules Regulations and Practices of The FA

1.6 The Company shall be part of the National League Structure established by The FA and shall sign such documents as are required
from time to time to confirm such membership