Wessex Football League

SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE (WESSEX) RULES
Return to main rules page
23. CENTENARY AWARDS
A Club celebrating its centenary whilst in membership of the Competition shall be presented with a commemorative award by the Board

24. PLAYING SURFACES
Competition matches shall NOT be played on any synthetic or artificial grass surfaces without the prior written approval of the Board. Clubs must register their pitch dimensions with the Competition prior to the start of each season. It will be misconduct on the part of a Club to alter its pitch dimensions during a season unless with prior written consent of the Board. The Board may at any time require a Club, at its own cost, to submit a report from a qualified independent source certifying the pitch dimensions. The Board may require a Club to take such steps as the Board shall specify if they are not satisfied that an adequate standard of pitch is being maintained, including but not limited to the Board commissioning an independent report on the state of the pitch. The cost of the independent report to be borne by the Club concerned.

25 INSURANCE
25.1 PLAYERS All Clubs shall be members of a players personal accident insurance scheme. The policy cover shall be at least equal to the minimum recommended cover determined from time to time by the Board. Each Club shall submit to the Board a copy of the insurance policy document together with the last premium payment receipt fourteen days prior to the start of the Playing Season. 25.2 PUBLIC LIABILITY All Clubs must have Public Liability cover of at least one million pounds (£ 1,000,000) Each Club shall submit to the Board a copy of the insurance policy document together with the last premium payment receipt fourteen days prior to the start of the Playing Season.

26. MEDICAL PERSONNEL
Each team should either have a Therapist who is Chartered, or be a registered member of the Health Professions Council, or be a Certified Therapist who has passed The Football Association’s Diploma Course in the Treatment and Management of Injuries Course, in attendance throughout matches, to attend to injured players on the field of play and in the dressing room(s). Away Clubs should be accompanied by a Therapist as stated above, for the same purpose.

27. PLAYER TRANSFERS BETWEEN CLUBS This Rule does not apply to the
Wessex Football League

28. PROVISION FOR MEMBERSHIP FORM TO BE SIGNED BY EACH CLUB EACH
PLAYING SEASON
The Chairman and the Secretary of each Club shall complete and sign the following agreement which shall be deposited with the Board, together with the Application for Membership indicating that the Club intends to compete. We, A,B, ……………………of …………………… Chairman, and C,D, ……………………of …………………… Secretary, of the ……………………………………………………Football Club, having been provided with a copy of the Rules for the Wessex Football League do hereby agree for and on behalf of the said Club to, if elected or accepted into Membership, conform to those Rules and to accept, abide by and implement the decisions of the Board, subject to the right of appeal in accordance with Rule 17. On the alteration of the Chairman and/or Secretary on the above Agreement a new form of Agreement must be completed and returned to the Competition Secretary.

29. PROVISION FOR FULL AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
This Combination of Clubs shall be called the Sydenhams Football League (Wessex) and known as the Wessex Football League and shall consist of not more than 66 Clubs to be grouped in Divisions. All member Clubs with first teams competing in the League Premier Division and Division One (1) shall be full members with full voting rights. Clubs competing in the Combination Divisions shall be Associate Members with no voting rights.

30. PROMOTION AGREEMENTS
In this Rule the term Promotion Agreements shall mean agreements relating to sponsorship, advertising, merchandising and general promotion of the League which have the object of promoting the welfare and general commercial interest and increasing the financial resources of each Club in the League. All decisions shall be made by the board on behalf of the Clubs.

31. GENERAL MEETINGS
The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the last Sunday in June in each year. At this meeting the following business shall be transacted: i) The Minutes of the preceding Annual General Meeting read and confirmed and business arising there from dealt with. ii) Adoption of Standing Orders. iii) Presentation and adoption of the Annual Report, Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts. iv) Constitution of the League for the ensuing season. v) Election of Clubs to fill vacancies. vi) Election of Officers, Committee and Auditors. vii) Alteration of Rules, if any (of which notice has been given). viii) Fix dates of the playing season and minimum ground admission charges. ix) Other Business of which due notice shall of been given. A copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet, Statement of Accounts and Agenda shall be forwarded to each Club at least seven (7) days prior to the Meeting. A signed copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts shall be sent to the Football Association within seven (7) days of its adoption at the Annual General Meeting. Each Full Member and Associate Member Club shall send one delegate to all General Meetings. All elected Board Members and each Full Member Club shall be entitled to one (1) vote only. Clubs who have withdrawn their Membership of the League during the season being concluded or who are not continuing Membership shall be entitled to attend, but shall vote only on matters relating to the season being concluded.

32. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The League shall be governed in accordance with the Rules, Regulations and Practices of The Football Association by the Officers, Vice Presidents and Life Members of the League and by the Board consisting of six (6) representatives elected by the League Clubs, and up to (or not exceeding four (4) co-opted members, two (2) of which shall be the Assistant Referees Secretary and the Assistant Fixture Secretary) Except where otherwise mentioned all communications shall be addresses to the Competition Secretary who shall conduct the correspondence of the League and keep a record of its proceedings. No Club shall have more than one (1) representative on the Committee. If a casual vacancy occurs on the Board during the season the particular vacancy shall be filled by the unsuccessful nominee in order of voting at the last Annual General Meeting. Any Member so appointed shall serve for the unexpired term of his predecessor. In the event of any person not being qualified as above the Board shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may occur during the season and for that season only. The League may elect Vice Presidents or Life Members who shall be ex-officio members of the Board, who shall have the power to vote. Past Presidents of the League shall be afforded the same privileges of those of a Life Member. The League may elect Acting Life Vice Presidents who shall have no voting rights. Any Member of the Board who fails to attend three (3) consecutive meetings without a satisfactory explanation shall be deemed to have resigned.

33. COMPETITION OFFICERS
The Officers of the League shall be A President, Past Presidents, A Chairman, A Vice Chairman, A Competition Secretary, A Treasurer, A Fixture Secretary, A Registration Secretary, A Referee Secretary, A Commercial Officer and A Race Relations and Youth Protection Officer and a Media Officer who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Their levels of authority, commensurate with their areas of responsibilities, will be clearly defined and circulated to all Board Members. It is the responsibility of each elected Secretary (or Deputy) to report on their relevant activities to the monthly Board Meeting, which shall have overall collective responsibility for their decisions. Retiring Officers shall be eligible to become candidates for reelection without nomination. All other candidates for election as Officers or Members of the Board shall be nominated to the Competition Secretary in writing, signed by the Secretaries of two (2) Full Member Clubs or two (2) Members of the Board, not later than the first Friday in April in each year. Names of the candidates for election shall be circulated with the notice to the Annual General Meeting. In the event of there being no nomination in accordance with the foregoing for any office nominations may be received at the Annual General Meeting. Trustees: The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Competition Secretary, and the Hon. Treasurer of the Wessex Football League shall be the Trustees of the Wessex Football League and the legal holders of all monies, property and trophies belonging to the Wessex Football League.