Craven Minor Junior Football League

1. Matters of Indiscipline  

The main offences covered by these Rules are the non-fulfilment of matches, playing unregistered players, collusion whereby a team will ‘turn a blind eye’ to enable another team, usually their opponents, to break a League Rule and

also the naming of a player twice on the Team Sheet. This is classed as a disciplinary offence because if this occurs, then a player has taken part who is not named on the Team Sheet and is, therefore, ineligible to play.

There is a set procedure used to deal with these matters which is fairly lengthy which is why points awarded to teams because of the non-fulfilment by their opponents are not added to the league table until the process has been completed.

In these cases, the offending Club MUST be given the opportunity to state its case and the League Management Committee is unable to deal with the issue unless the proper procedures have been followed.

The League Secretary, on being advised on the offence, issues a Discipline Form to the offending Club giving the details of the offence, and including, if necessary, a copy of any document completed by the offending Club, e.g. a copy of the Match Record Sheet. The Club has 14 days to respond to the ‘charge’. The League has a Discipline Committee, chaired by the Vice-Chairman of the League and including 2 other Members of the Management Committee. This Committee considers any representations made by the offending Club and comes to a decision which is then passed, in writing, to the offending Club and the opponents with a copy to the League Treasurer. The decision may include the loss of points and/or the award of points and usually also included a fine as laid down in the Rules of the League. The offending Club then has a further 14 days to Appeal against that decision and, if they do, the matter is referred to an Appeals Committee, chaired by the League Chairman, and consisting of 2 other Management Committee Members who were not involved in the original decision. The Appeals Committee hears verbal evidence from the offending Club and reaches a decision which is usually communicated to the Club on the night of the Appeal Hearing and is then followed up in writing to all concerned.

If the Club is still not satisfied with the result of the Appeal, they have a right to Appeal to the County Football Association who will hold another Appeal Hearing where both the Club and the League are allowed to state their case. The result is usually conveyed to both parties on the night and is binding, although if a Club believes that the County FA Appeals Committee has not acted within the Rules of the League concerned, it can take the matter to the Football Association who would be the final arbiters.

The decisions of Disciplinary Cases are circulated to all Clubs after each meeting of the Discipline Committee or Appeals Committee.

1. Administrative Fines

The main offences covered by the these fines, which are a set amount of £15 except in a few specific cases, are not emailing or telephoning the result, by the due time, to the appropriate Fixture Secretary on match days; not submitting the Team Sheet to the appropriate Registration Secretary by the due day, which is 3 days after the match, the Team Sheet containing incorrect or incomplete information; the Referee’s Mark Sheet not being received by the Referee’s Admin. Secretary by the due day, which is 7 days after the match; the Referee’s Mark Sheet containing incorrect or incomplete information; and, in the case of a low mark being given to the Referee, i.e. 50 out of 100 or below, no explanation being given in writing as to why the low mark has been given. All cases of low remarks for Referees are investigated by the Committee and the Referee concerned is watched at a subsequent match or matches and is offered appropriate advice if necessary. None of these offences carries a penalty of loss of points and/or awarding of points.

These fines are automatic and are notified to the Webmaster by the appropriate League Official. The Webmaster gives a number to the fine and sends them to the Club Secretary by email with copies to the League Secretary and League Treasurer.