8. QUALIFICATION OF PLAYERS

b. A registered youth playing member of a Club is one who, being in all other respects eligible has signed a fully and correctly completed Competition registration form in ink, countersigned by his/her parent or guardian and by an Officer of the Club, and who has been registered with the Registrations Secretary three days prior to playing and whose completed registration counterfoil has been received by the Club prior to playing. 

The registration document must incorporate any known serious medical conditions of the 
player and emergency contact details of the players 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 document must be accompanied by a true copy of the players birth certificate or appropriate pages of 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. 
Under 7 – the player must have attained the age of 6 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season but must be under the age of 7 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season. 
Under 8 – the player must have attained the age of 7 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season but must be under the age of 8 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season. 
Under 9 – the player must have attained the age of 8 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season but must be under the age of 9 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season. 
Under 10 – the player must have attained the age of 9 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season but 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 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. 
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. 
Under 17 – the player must be under the age of 17 as at midnight on 31st August in the playing season. 
Under 18 – the player must be under the age of 18 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)(v)).

c. Within 14 days of the playing season, the Registration Secretary shall send to all clubs, a list of their registered players, listed according to age group. Clubs must return these lists to the Registration Secretary by no later than the date of the AGM, confirming those players registrations they wish to retain for the following season. Each player, if he so wishes, shall signify his wish to re-register by signing the list prior to its return. Those players not retained or not wishing to re-register shall be free to register for any other Club without the need for a transfer. It is the responsibility of the Club to inform the player 
that he has been de-registered.

d. A Player having taken part in matches for any Club affiliated to any County 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. Each new team upon joining the League will receive 25 if 11-a-side, or 12 if Mini-Soccer, Registration Forms. Each existing team will receive 10 if 11a side, or 5 if Mini-Soccer, Registration forms at the start of each season. Further registrations forms may be obtained from the Registration Secretary on prepayment of 5p 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 form 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 deemed misconduct for a player to:
    i. Play for more than one Club in the Competition in the same Season without first being transferred or  deregistered. 
    ii. Having signed for one Club in the Competition, sign for another Club in the Competition in that Season except for the purpose of transfer. 
    iii. 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 the power to accept the registration of any player. 
    ii. The Management Committee shall have the power to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player or may fine any player at their discretion who has been charged and found guilty of registration irregularities (subject to Rule 16). 
    iii. The Management Committee shall have the power to refuse or cancel the registration of any player charged and found guilty of undesirable conduct (subject to Rule 16). Undesirable conduct shall mean an incident of repeated conduct, which may deter a participant from being involved in this Competition.

NOTE: 
Action under clause iii, should not be taken against any 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 Competition 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 a transfer form to the Registration Secretary, accompanied by a fee of £5.00 and a copy of the Notice of Approach letter 
required by the Football Association. 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 his new Club from such date or fourteen 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. (Note: FA Rules state that a Club may not approach a second player from the same Club within 28 days of an earlier notice of approach or acknowledgement).

j. A player may not be registered for a Club or transferred to another Club in the Competition after the 1st March except by special permission of the Management Committee. (Note: Special permission will only be given in exceptional circumstances and subject to Rule 8m and with the registration or transfer form duly completed).

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 be allowed to play for his club in a younger or older age group within the provisions of Rule 8b.

l. A register containing the names of all members registered by 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 
with the Registration Secretary. 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)), after the 31st March, unless the player has played two games for that team in this Competition in the current season. (Note: This may be subject to the special 
permission of the Management Committee, but only upon receipt of written application).

n. A Team may de-register players during the current playing season, provided it maintains a minimum of 14 if 11-a-side, or 8 if Mini-Soccer, registered players. It is the responsibility of the Club to advise any players whom they have deregistered of their action. A player once de-registered, may join another 
Club, subject to rule 8(j), without the need for a transfer, after a lapse of 14 days.

o. i. Any team playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player or players may 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 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 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.

p. i. Priority must be given at all times to school and school organisations activities. 
    ii. The availability of children must be cleared with the Head Teachers (except for Sunday Competitions). 
    iii. Children under 15 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 the Football Association Rules will apply).

q. In the event of a Club withdrawing from the Competition, all of their players will be de-registered automatically, and consequently will be free immediately to register for a new club.