Qualification of Players
(A) Contract players, as defined in Football Association Rules, are not permitted in this 'League'.
No player registered with a F.A. Premier League or Football League Academy will be permitted to play in this League. A Player registered with a Centre of Excellence may only play in this 'League' subject to the Regulations of the Centre of Excellence.
(B) A registered youth playing member of a Club is one who, being in all other respects eligible, has:-
(1) Signed a fully and correctly completed league registration form in ink, countersigned by her parent or guardian and by an Officer of the Club, and who has been registered with the Divisional Secretary seven days prior to playing and whose completed registration counterfoil has been received by the Club prior to playing.
(2) Signed a fully and correctly completed League registration form in ink on a match day prior to playing, countersigned by an Officer of the Club and witnessed by an Officer of the opposing Club, and submitted to the Divisional Secretary within three days subsequent to the match. The player shall not again play until the Club is in possession of the completed counterfoil. A maximum of two players may be registered in this way. These details must be available at matches and training events the player attends within the management of the Club or 'League'.
The registration document must incorporate a current passport-size photograph of the player seeking registration. The league management committee reserve the right to request formal documentary evidence of date of birth (eg birth certificate, passport, medical card, child benefit book)
The qualification dates for the 'League' shall be as follows:
5-a-side - Under 10 - the player must be under the age of 10 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season.
7-a-side Under 11 - the player must be under the age of 11 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing 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.
Ladies - the player must have attained the age of 16 before they are allowed to play.
9-a-side 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.
11-a-side Ladies - the player must have attained the age of 16 before they are allowed to play.
In accordance with the foregoing qualifications a player under the age of 16 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)(v)).
(C) A player is not eligible to play in this 'League' who receives any form or payment for playing, other than expenses as per Clauses 1, 2 and 3 of Article 2 of the FIFA Regulations Governing the Status and Transfer of Players.
(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 'League' 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) Additional registration forms may be obtained from the League Secretary on pre-payment of £1.00 per form.
(F) The Management Committee shall decide all registration disputes.
In the event of a player signing a registration form or having a registration submitted for more than one Club priority of registration shall decide for which Club the player shall be registered. The Registrations Secretary shall notify the Club last applying to register the player of the fact of the previous registration.
(G) It shall be deemed misconduct for a player to:-
i Play for more than one Club in the 'League' in the same season without first being transferred.
ii Play for more than one team in any one age division in this 'League' in the same reason without first being transferred.
iii Having signed for one Club in the 'League', sign for another Club in the 'League' in that season except for the purpose of a transfer.
iv Having signed for one team, sign for another team in the same age division in the 'League' in that season except for the purpose of a transfer.
v Submit a signed registration form 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. The Management Committee shall have power to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player or may fine any player at their discretion proved guilty of registration irregularities. (Subject to Rule 16).
(ii) The Management Committee shall have power to refuse or cancel the registration of any player found guilty of undesirable conduct and to disqualify the player in question from participating in all games in the 'League'. (Subject to Rule 16).
(Note: Action under Clause (ii) shall not be taken against a player for misconduct on the field of play until the matter has been dealt with by the appropriate Association, and then only in cases of the player bringing the 'League' into disrepute.)
(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, BY POST, a transfer form to the Registrations Secretary accompanied by a fee of £5. Such transfer shall be referred by the Registrations 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 Registrations 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 Registrations Secretary may, on behalf of the Management Committee, transfer the player who shall be deemed eligible to play for the new Club from such date or 7 days after receipt of such transfer.
In the event of an objection to a transfer the matter shall be referred to the Management Committee for a decision.
(J) A player may not be registered for a Club nor transferred to another Club in the 'League' within 30 days prior to the last matches of the season as per the league fixtures issued at the start of the season, except by special permission of the Management Committee.
(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 players so registered will be allowed to play for her 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 Registrations 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.
(M) (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 may be fined and/or otherwise dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee.
(ii) In addition the team shall have 2 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 in exceptional circumstances may, at its discretion, award any points deducted from a Club under this Rule to the opponents in the match in question, subject to the match not being ordered to be replayed.
(The following Clause applies to Leagues involving players in full-time secondary education):-
(N) A player who has played for a team in the 'A' Division 5 times or more shall not, in that season, be eligible to play in a lower Division except by permission of the Management Committee. A player who has played for a team in the Eastern Region League on five or more occasions within the season, shall be deemed a senior player. Women’s Teams can have a maximum of three senior players in any match squad.
(O)
(i) Priority must be given at all times to school and school organizations activities.
(ii) The availability of children must be cleared with the Head Teachers (except for Sunday Competitions).
(iii) Children under 14 shall not play in a team involving players who are more than 2 years older.
(Note: For players under the age of 18 the provisions contained in Football Association Rules will apply.)
(P) Each team shall send a minimum of 11 completed player's registration forms for 11-a-side teams, a minimum of 9 player’s registration forms for 9-a-side teams a minimum of 7 completed player's registration forms for 7-a-side teams, and a minimum of 5 palyers for the 5-a-side to the Registration Secretary on or before 31st August prior to the commencement of the season.
(Q) Registration forms may only be accepted from female players.
(R) Player registration cards must be available at the match venue to be shown on request. Teams failing to do this, shall be fined £50.
(S) Any Club/Team desirous of signing a player by transfer who is known to have signed for another team in the 'League' during the same season must, before applying for a transfer form have given seven days notice of approach to the players team in accordance with provision laid down in the rules of the Football Association No 10a (see county handbook).
(T) Any team, or member of a team, or person acting on behalf of a team, found guilty of attempting to induce a player or players known to have signed for another team in the 'League' in the same season, to join their or any other team in contravention of the rules of the FA Rule 19a shall render himself/herself and his/her team liable to expulsion from the 'League' in accordance with rule 17b.
