8. Qualifications of Players

  1. Contract players, as defined in Football Association Rules, are permitted in this Competition.
    No player registered with a F.A. Premier League or Football League Academy will be permitted to play in this Competition. A player registered with a Centre of Excellence may only play in this Competition subject to the Regulations of the Program of Excellence.
  2. 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 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 two days prior to playing together with S.A.E. 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.
    2. Signed a fully and correctly completed Competition 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 (Registrations) Secretary within three days (Sunday excluded) subsequent to the completed counterfoil. A maximum of Two players may be registered in this way. The registration document must incorporate a current passport-size photograph of the player seeking registration together with proof of the player’s date of birth.
    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 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 14 as at midnight 31st August in the playing season must not play in a match where any other player is older or younger by two years or more.
    (The above qualification dates are subject to the provisions contained in F.A. Rule C.4 (a)(vi).
  3. A player is not eligible to play in this Competition who receives any form of payment for playing, other than for expenses as per clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 2 of the FIFA clauses, which are as follows:
    1. Players who have never received any remuneration other than for the actual expenses incurred during the course of their participation in or for any activity connected with association football shall be regarded as amateur.
    2. Travel and hotel expenses incurred though involvement in a match and the costs of a players equipment, insurance and training may be reimbursed without jeopardising a players amateur status.
    3. Any player who has ever received remuneration in excess of the amount stated under clause 2 in respect of participation in or an activity connected with association football shall be regarded as non-amateur unless he re-aquired amateur status under the terms of Article 10. 1.
  4. 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 Competition without first proving to 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.
  5. A fee shall be paid for each player registered. Registration forms shall be obtained from the Registrations Secretary on prepayment of £60.00 Under18/16 and £50.00 Under 15/14/13 per form.
  6. 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.
  7. It shall be deemed misconduct for a player to:
    1. Play for more than one Club in the Competition in the same season without first being transferred.
    2. Having signed for one Club in the Competition, sign for another Club in the Competition in that season except for the purpose of a transfer.
    3. Submit a signed registration form for registration that the player had wilfully neglected to accurately or fully complete.
    1. The Management Committee shall have the power to accept the registration of any player.
    2. The Management Committee shall have the 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 competition (subject to Rule 16). This may also apply to parents who bring the Competition into disrepute. Their son’s Registration may be cancelled, subject to the right of appeal.
      (Note: Action under Clause (2) shall not be taken against the 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).
  9. All Clubs must take the game registration counterfoils and produce if requested by another Club. Registration checks may take place at any time by instruction of the Chairman or Chief Executive and carried out by any officer.
  10. Subject to The Football Association Rules dealing 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 (Registrations) Secretary accompanied by a fee of £10.00. 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 it’s 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 it’s failure to give written objections 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 Seven 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.
  11. A player may not be registered for a Club nor transferred to another Club in the Competition after 31st March except by special permission of the
    Management Committee.
  12. 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 some 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 8 (B).
  13. 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. Registrations are valid for one season only.
  14. 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)) unless the player has played Three games for that team in this Competition in the current season.
    1. Any team playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player or players may have the points gained in the match deducted from it’s total and may be fined and/or otherwise dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee.
    2. In addition the team may have Three points deducted from it’s total at the discretion of the Management Committee and may be dealt with in any further manner which is thought to be fit.
    3. The Management Committee in exceptional circumstances may, at it’s 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.
  16. (The following Clause applies to Competitions involving players in full-time secondary education):-
    1. Priority must be given at all times to school and school organisations activities.
    2. The availability of children must be cleared with the Head Teachers (except for Sunday Competitions).
    3. Children under 14 shall not play in a team involving players more than 2 years older.
      (Note: For players under the age of 18 provisions contained in Football Association Rules will apply).
  17. All communications to the Registration Secretary must enclose a stamped addressed envelope. Any Club failing to comply shall be fined £10.
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