Tipperary Schoolboys Southern & District League
Rules 2008//2009
1. Constitution
A) The League is an incorporated company under the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1999 formally know as the Tipperary Schoolboys Southern & District League Limited hereinafter referred to as the “League”.
2. Objects
A) To promote, foster and develop the game of association football among its members.
B) To promote the aims of the Football Association of Ireland as outlined in its charter and General Rules.
C) To raise monies through subscription or otherwise.
3. Control
A) The business and affairs of the League shall be under the control of the Board of Directors hereinafter referred to as the “Management Committee”.
B) The Management Committee shall be elected by fully registered members present at the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M) and entitled to vote.
C) The Management Committee shall comprise of a minimum of seven (7) members (formally known as Directors) but the Directors may at their discretion increase that number.
D) The Management Committee shall comprise of
i) Hon Chairperson
ii) Hon Secretary
iii) Hon Treasurer
iv) Registrar
And a minimum of three (3) other members
E) At the first Annual General meeting (AGM) all the directors shall retire from Office and at the Annual General Meeting in every subsequent year one-third of the directors for the time being, or if their number is not three or a multiple of three, then the number nearest one third, shall retire from Office.
F) The Directors to retire in every year shall be those who have been longest in Office since the last election.
G) A retiring Director shall be eligible for re-election.
H) In the event of a retirement or resignation of a director the Management Committee shall have the power to appoint a person as Director.
Any candidate for a post of Director must be nominated and seconded by two (2) affiliated clubs and nominations must be forwarded in writing at least fourteen (14) days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
4. Membership
A) Membership of the League is open to all football clubs in the Tipperary area or from any other area approved by the board of Directors.
B) Any club seeking membership must enter two (2) teams minimum into the league.
C) Each club shall register with the League Secretary the name and address of the club secretary, situation of the grounds, team colours and a contact number for the club secretary.
D) Each club, their respective officials, managers, players and members shall be bound by the decisions of the League which shall be binding and final subject to all existing rights of appeal to the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland (S.F.A.I).
E) Every club in membership of the league shall be responsible to the management committee for the actions of its players, officials and spectators, and shall take all necessary precautions that matches are conducted in a proper manner.
F) In the case of dispute, legal proceedings shall not be taken by any player or club without first consulting the council of the association.
G) Clubs may enter a team in another Divisional League with the permission of the Tipperary Schoolboys Southern & District League. Such permission must be sought in the month of May of the previous season.
5. Ordinary Meetings
A) The Management Committee shall meet at least once a month during the playing season.
B) A quorum necessary for the transaction of business may be fixed by the Management Committee and unless fixed shall be deemed to be two (2).
C) The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings or in their absence a person nominated by the Management Committee.
D) The Chairperson shall have a vote on all motions and in the event of an equality of votes the casting vote.
E) Any Director absent from three (3) consecutive meetings without excuse shall be removed from the management committee.
F) The Management Committee shall hold general meetings for the members known as “delegate meetings” every two months during the playing season.
G) All clubs are obligated to have a delegate present. Failure to comply shall render the club liable to a fine determined by the Management Committee.
6. Annual General Meetings
A) The Annual General Meeting shall be held on such date and at such time as determined by the Management Committee but no later than the 30th June of the year of the season ending.
B) The notice convening the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to each club in membership not less than twenty one (21) days prior to the meeting.
C) The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to receive the annual report and statement of accounts, to the elect the Directors and to conduct any other business that may arise.
D) Each affiliate club shall be entitled to send one (1) voting member to the Annual General Meeting.
E) Any club failing to have a delegate present shall be liable to s fine as determined by the management committee.
7. Extraordinary General Meetings
A) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Hon Secretary as direct by the management committee or by requisition signed by at least four (4) clubs.
B) No business shall be discussed at an Extraordinary General Meeting except that specified in the requisition, or contained in the agenda issued by the Hon secretary.
8. Amendment to Rule
A) These rules may not be repealed or amended except at an AGM, or at an extraordinary AGM convened specifically called for that purpose.
B) Notice of any new rules, or amendments must be sent, by post, not less than fourteen days prior to the AGM, or extraordinary AGM, to the Hon Secretary, who shall send due notice of same to each club.
C) A majority of two thirds of the delegates present and entitled to vote, shall be necessary to carry any resolution to appeal, amend any of the rules or to enact new rules.
General Operational Rules.
9. Administration
a. The League shall administer divisional leagues for all age groups from under 11 to under 16 and 7 a side under 10 divisional league. Age determined on the first (1) January each year.
10. Affiliation
A) Teams must be affiliated to the League by the date determined by the Managment Committee each season. The management Committee may on appeal only accept applications after that date. Only applications on official league forms will be accepted.
B) Application forms to be issued to the clubs before the 30th June each season.
C) Appropriate affiliation fees must accompany all applications. Failure to submit fees will make the application void and will be rejected by the Management Committee.
11. Player Registration
A) Player registration will only be accepted on Official Tipperary Schoolboys Southern & District League Forms.
B) The initial registration of a player with the league must be accompanied by a copy of a birth cert. Once evidence of date of birth is provided it will not be necessary to provide same in subsequent years.
C) The appropriate fees as decided by the management committee must accompany all registration forms. Failure to submit fees will render the registration form invalid and the player involved in eligible to participate in any competitive games until registration is complete.
D) A registered player may then play for any team in his club under the jurisdiction of the Tipperary Southern & District provided that he is under age.
E) A player registered with any other club or any other League cannot play in the Tipperary Southern & District League.
F) A player can only represent one (1) club in a knockout competition under the jurisdiction of the league or the SFAI.
G) A player cannot, without prior approval from the Management Committee, play for a club in the semi-final or final of a cup competition, or in a league playoff match, unless he has already played for that club in a previous official league or cup match during that season.
H) Clubs or players failing to register under the above conditions shall render themselves liable to fine, suspension or loss of points.
12. Transfers
A) Any player seeking a transfer must do so on official TSS&DL transfer form..
B) The transfer form must be completed and signed by the secretaries of both the club in possession of the players signature and the club intending to register the player. The club holding the players registrationmust sign the release portion of the form within 20 days of it being presented to them.
C) No transfers will be allowed after the 15th October of the calander year in which the season commences. e.g 2008/2009 season transfer closing date 15/10/2008
D) Once a player becomes a registered player with a club, in the League in any season, it shall be an offence for any member of any other club to request, encourage, or influence that player, or approach his parents with the same intent during the season to;
i) Seek transfer to another club without the prior permission of the club for which he is signed or League to which that club is affiliated.
ii) Participate in any training, coaching, or games under the auspices of another club without the prior permission of the players own club and League.
Such offences shall be called poaching and any person or club found culpable of same shall make himself/herself or his/her club liable to a fine and/or suspension or removal from the league.
E) Players will not be permitted to play for more than two clubs in any one season.
F) In the event of a club or team withdrawing from the league the registration of the players becomes the property of the league. The management committee may give permission for those players to re-register with another club. The maximum number of re-registered players registering for any one club is three (3)
13. Match Cards
A) The Secretary, team Manager, or other person responsible for the home club shall, prior to the start of the game, complete, in block capitals, a match card and then give the card to the opposition officials, who shall complete in block capitals said match card and return it to the referee.
B) The Official named on the referees card of either team shall be at liberty, at half time only, in consultation with the referee and the opposing teams officials, to request the signatures and dates of birth of not more than three players on the opposing team.
C) The names, signatures and date of birth of any substitutes used in the second half may be obtained when the game has concluded.
D) Teams failing to agree to players supplying their signatures will be taken as an admission of guilt and the executive committee will deal with the matter in accordance with rule.
E) The Executive committee may at their discretion attend a match and request the signatures of any players participating. If the Executive Committee discovers any discrepancies they will be at liberty to take any disciplinary action they deem appropriate.
14 Protests
A) Protests must be in writing from the club secretary or Chairman and forwarded by registered post to the Hon Secretary of the League within three days (Sundays excluded) of the date of the playing of the match to which the protest relates.
B) A protest fee of €25 should accompany such protest. Fee will be refundable if the protest is successful.
C) An exact copy of the protest must be sent at the same time to the secretary of the club to which the protest refers.
D) A second period of three days will be allowed for the club against which the protest is being lodged to lodge a counter-protest. Said protest should follow the same procedures as the original protest.
E) In the case of a protest against the use of an over age player, or players, the club protested against must produce the players birth certificate or other satisfactory evidence as to the players age, otherwise the Committee will award the game to the protesting side.
F) Any club found guilty of playing over-age players will be removed from the competition involved and will render themselves open to fine. The managers involved will also render themselves open to fine or suspension.
G) Any protest must state the rule under which the protest is being lodged. A protest not stating rule reference will be deemed to be out of order and will not be allowed by the Management Committee.
15 Suspensions
A) Any player sent off in a competitive fixture is deemed to be a suspended player and automatically misses the next competitive fixture at that age group.
B) The player will then have his case heard at the earliest possible date by the Management Committee. A further suspension may then be imposed on a player. Any player or official will be notified in writing when the case is being dealt with by bthe Management Committee and will be afforded the opportunity to make a submission either in person or in writing to support their case. Any person attending a meeting shall be entitled to have a second person accompany them.
C) Any team found guilty of playing a suspended player shall automatically forfeit the points from that game and will be dealt with by the Management Committee of the League.
D) Any member suspended by the League or under any suspension under the auspices of the Football Association of Ireland, shall not during the period of suspension, play or take part in any activity, match or fixture under the auspices of the association.
16 Substitutions
A) In all league games under the jurisdiction of the Tipperary Schoolboys Southern & District League a panel of sixteen players may be named and all five (5) substitutes may be used.
17. Postponements
A) A team wishing to postpone a game must have the prior approval of the Executive Committee. This request for postponement must be received in writing not less than one (1) week prior to the fixture. Requests to postpone fixtures will be limited to two requests per team per season.
B) No fixtures will be postponed without prior approval except in the following circumstances
i)A death in the club
ii)A field unplayable due to bad weather.
In the event of a field being unplayable the home side must contact the referee and the field must be inspected. Only an official referee (under the auspices of the South Tipperary Referees Society) can deem a pitch unplayable. Home club is required to make these arrangements early on the match day to ensure that away team does not have to travel.
C) In the event of the procedures above not being adhered to and the away team travelling to a game that does not proceed, the Executive Committee will have the power to award the costs to the travelling team. Said costs to be borne by the home side.
18. Walkovers
A) A fine of €75 will be imposed on any team giving a walkover and a provision for travelling expenses to be awarded to the travelling team (if appropriate) is available to the Management Committee.
B) Any team who give 3 walkovers in any one season without reasonable explanation may be removed from the League at the discretion of the Management Committee.
19 Jurisdiction
A) All teams once registered and all clubs affiliated to the League come under the jurisdiction of the League.
C) No team or club shall leave the jurisdiction of the league to compete in friendlies/tournaments or otherwise without written approval being granted by the Executive Committee.
D) No team or club shall arrange friendly games without written approval of the Management Committee.
E) Requests for said permission must be submitted two (2) weeks prior to the fixture involved.
F) No player shall leave the jurisdiction of the League to participate in trials, training and assessment or otherwise without the prior approval of the Management Committee.
G) Any breach of the above rule will result in a fine or suspension or both to the club or player(s) involved.
20. Fixtures
A) The Fixtures Secretary will notify clubs of fixtures.
B) All games must be played at the time and venue specified by the fixtures secretary.
C) The home or away team may appeal against the time of the fixture. Said appeal is made to the fixtures secretary whose decision on the matter is final.
D) If a team is not ready to commence a game within fifteen(15) minutes of the specified time the other side may disband and claim a walkover.
E) Teams arriving more than ten (10) minutes late for a fixture shall be liable to a €35 fine.
F) A team claiming a walkover must inform the Management Committee in writing within three (3) days (excluding Sunday) of their decision to seek the walkover.
G) Where appropriate a team intending to claim a walkover should sign the referee’s card on the day of the fixture.
H) It is the responsibility of the Secretary of the home club to relay all results to the fixtures secretary in the manner determined by said fixtures secretary. Failure to do so will result in a fine of €50.
21. General
A) Duration of games:
Under 11 25 mins each way
Under 12 & 13 30 mins each way
Under 14 35 mins each way
Under 15 & 16 40 mins each way
B) Cup games
i) Times are the same as League games
ii) In the event of a draw, ten (10) minutes each way extra time will be played.
iii) In the event that the game is still tied penalty kicks will decide the outcome as per FIFA rules.
C) Footballs
Size 4 footballs will be used for all competitions in U/10, U/11 and U/12 competitions.
Size 5 Footballs will be used in U/13, U14, U/15 and U/16 competitions.
Footballs must be official match balls and bear the “FIFA Approved” symbol.
D) League competitions
Three (3) points will be awarded for a win, one (1) point for a draw and nil (0) points for a loss in all league competitions.
In the event of teams finishing the league on the same number of points a play-off will be used to determine the league winners.
E) Pitches
It is the responsibility of the home teams to have the pitch marked and prepared in accordance with the rules of football. Failure to meet the requirements may result in fixtures being withdrawn until the situation is rectified.
F) All trophies are the property of the Tipperary Schoolboys Southern & District League. All clubs on presentation of trophies will become responsible and will bear the cost of repair to any damage to said trophies.
G) All clubs must place their players at the disposal of the League’s representative sides. Failure to comply may result in a fine or suspension.
H) The Management Committee shall have the power to deal with any other issues that may arise not specifically covered in the rules of the league.
I) All clubs affiliated to the League are operating under the S.F.A.I child protection policy and must adhere to same. Failure to comply will result in the club being expelled from the league.
J) Any club, player or member unhappy with any decision of the Tipperary Schoolboys Southern & District League may appeal to the Schoolboys Football Association Of Ireland under rule.