14.1 If an Insolvency Event shall occur in relation to any Club that Club shall be deducted 10 points. The deduction shall be made forthwith on the happening of the first Insolvency Event.

Rule 14.2 Where a Club takes or suffers an Insolvency Event:-
14.2.1 during the Normal Playing Season but prior to 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday in March, the points deduction shall apply immediately;
14.2.2 during the Normal Playing Season but after 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday in March then Rule 14.3 shall apply; and
14.2.3 outside the Normal Playing Season, the points deduction shall apply in respect of the following Season such that the Club starts that Season on minus 10 points (including a Club or Clubs Relegated from the Southern Football League, where such Club shall be subject to Rule 14 of the Southern Football League Rules).

14.3 Where the circumstances set out in Rule 14.2.2 apply and at the end of that Season, having regard to the number of Competition points awarded (ignoring any potential deduction):-
a) the Club would be relegated in accordance with The Southern Football League Rules, the points deduction will apply in the next following Season; or
b) the Club would not be relegated as aforesaid, the points deduction will apply in that Season and Southern Football League Rules will then apply (if appropriate) following the imposition of the points deduction.

14.4 For the purposes of this Rule 14
a) where any Insolvency Event is taken or suffered other than on a Business Day (as defined by the Insolvency Rules 1986 as amended from time to time) then for the purposes of determining the timing of any points deduction only the action taken or suffered will be deemed to have been taken or suffered on the immediately preceding Business Day; and
b) if a Company Voluntary Arrangement is approved, then approval of that Company Voluntary Arrangement shall be deemed to have been given at the date of the first meeting of creditors called to consider that Company Voluntary Arrangement, and not the date of any adjourned meeting of the creditors or the meeting of shareholders

14.5 For the avoidance of doubt, where a Club is subject to more than one Insolvency Event (for example Administration followed by a Company Voluntary Arrangement), the Club shall only be deducted one set of 10 points, such deduction to apply with effect from the first Insolvency Event.

14.6 The Competition shall serve the Club with written notice of the points deduction (the ‘Notice’).

14.7 A Club may only appeal against an automatic deduction of points on the ground that the insolvency proceedings arose solely as a result of a Force Majeure event (the ‘Appeal’). For the purposes of this Rule 14, a ‘Force Majeure’ event shall be an event that, having regard to all of the circumstances, is reasonably considered to have been unforeseeable and unavoidable.

14.8 Any Appeal must be in writing and be received by the Competition at its registered office no later than 7 days after the Competition serves the Notice. The Appeal must contain a statement setting out the grounds of appeal and provide copies of any documentation upon which the Club intends to rely in support of the Appeal.

14.9 The Club must also lodge with the Competition, at the same time as the Appeal, a deposit fee in respect of the costs of the Appeal.

14.10 Upon receipt of the Appeal the Competition Secretary shall refer the matter to an SSAP by delivering to the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (or such other body as the Board may from time to time determine) five copies of the appeal documents together with a request for the appointment of Arbitrators as set out in 14.9 hereof.

14.11 The SSAP shall consist of three Arbitrators, one of whom must be a barrister (or solicitor) of at least 5 years call who will act as Chairman of the SSAP, each to be appointed by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (or such other body as the Board may from time to time determine) as provided above.

14.12 The Competition shall, immediately upon receipt of the Appeal, instruct a firm of independent accountants to carry out a review of the Club’s activities for the purposes of preparing an independent report into the circumstances surrounding and leading up to the entering into insolvency proceedings. The Club shall meet the costs of preparation of that report in any event. The report shall be provided to the Club, the SSAP and the Competition. The SSAP shall take into account the contents of that report when determining whether the insolvency proceedings arose solely as a result of a Force Majeure event.

14.13 Both the Club and the Competition shall be entitled to make representations to the SSAP. The SSAP shall use all reasonable endeavours to hear any appeal within 21 days of the lodgement of the Appeal.

14.14 The SSAP shall have the power to:-
14.14.1 Confirm the deduction of ten points; or
14.14.2 Set aside the deduction of ten points and substitute a deduction
of such lower number of points as it shall deem appropriate; or
14.14.3 Order that there shall be no sanction at all.

14.15 The decision of the SSAP shall be final and binding. Any costs incurred by any party in appeal proceedings brought before the SSAP shall be met by the Club in any event and shall be considered as a sum due to the Company.

14.16 Any sanctions imposed pursuant to these provisions shall not be taken into account in respect of any other sanctions, penalties or fines that may be imposed by the Competition in respect of any breaches of its Rules, Regulations or Articles of Association by the Club.

15.1 Match Officials for all Competition matches shall be appointed by the Appointing Authority.

15.2 No Club shall postpone a Competition match on account of the apparent state of the ground. In the event that such circumstances prevail, Clubs should comply with procedures provided for in the document published by The FA “Recommended procedure for the guidance of Clubs and Referees in determining the suitability of grounds in adverse weather conditions”. Should the ground be declared unfit it is the responsibility of the home Club to immediately advise the Competition, the Appointing Authority, the visiting Club and the Match Officials.

15.3 In the event of any of the Match Officials appointed for a match not being in attendance at the match or becoming unable to complete the match it shall be completed under the control of the remaining Match Officials unless the competing Clubs are able to agree upon a substitute who is acceptable to the Match Referee; should the appointed Match Referee fail to appear then the senior Assistant Referee must take charge. Any substitute agreed for a match shall be considered a Match Official for the purposes of that match.
In the event that a Club causes a match to be abandoned in relation to the operation of this Rule then that Club shall be charged with failing to fulfil a fixture (Rule 8.6 refers).

15.4 Match Officials should be present at the appointment at least 60 minutes prior to the scheduled time of kick-off. The appointed Referee may be required to visit the ground earlier if requested to do so by the home Club.

15.5 In cases where it is found necessary to stop play owing to the weather or other cause, the Referee must wait a reasonable length of time before deciding on abandonment.

15.6 Referees must report on the relevant form all cases where teams commence a match late or without eleven players on the field of play. Referees must also report their own or any assistant referees’ late arrival in any matches, and notify those concerned at the time of their intention. Assistant referees must also send an explanation of their late arrival to the Appointing Authority in writing by first class post within 3 days of the match.

15.7 The home Club will be responsible for paying the Match Officials the fees and match expenses set by the Appointing Authority on the day of the match in their dressing room, within a reasonable time after the conclusion of the match (including matches abandoned for any reason). In the case of a postponed match, whether or not gate money is taken, any Match Official who has travelled to the match will be entitled to claim travelling expenses and half their match fee from the home Club. Where provided by the home Club, each Match Official must complete and submit a claim form for expenses.

15.8 The home Club shall be responsible for providing Match Officials with distinctive flags of a suitable size in an acceptable condition.

15.9 Three match balls proposed to be used in the match and, if applicable, supplied by the Company under a ball sponsorship agreement must be submitted to and approved by the Referee before the commencement of the match in his/her dressing room.

15.10 The home Club shall supply to the visiting Club a minimum of three practice balls for use prior to the start of the match. The balls provided must be in good condition and, if applicable, as supplied by the Competition under a ball sponsorship agreement.

15.11 Referees must report all breaches of Rule to the Competition Secretary in writing within three days of the match on the appropriate form by first class post.

15.12 Combination Divisions. Neutral Assistant Referees shall be appointed to matches. If however they are not available competing Clubs will supply one Assistant Referee each. A Club failing to supply an Assistant Referee for the duration of the match when required
shall be fined in accordance with the Fines Tariff (Rule 15.3 refers).