St Martins Football Club - Club Constitution

 1.       NAME

The club shall be called ST. MARTINS F.C. (the ‘Club’)

Lewsey St Martins FC – Mens team only

1. OBJECTS

The objects of the Club shall be to arrange association football matches and social activities for young persons, parents, guardians and supporters, and encourage enjoyment and participation in the national game.

1. STATUS OF RULES

These rules (the Club Rules) form a binding agreement between each player, parent, guardian and supporter, and the Club. Each member of the Club Committee agrees to abide by the Club Rules and Constitution.

1. RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. The Club shall have the status of a member of the Beds. F.A. The Rules and Regulations of The Football Association Limited and parent County Association and any League or Competition to which the Club is affiliated for the time being shall be deemed to be incorporated into the Club Rules.

1. The Club will also abide by The Football Association’s Child

Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and the Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policy.

1. LIABILITY

The liability of the Club Committee and playing members of the Club shall be an equal share of the liabilities of the Club.

1. CLUB MEMBERSHIP

1. The members of the Club from time to time shall be those players registered to play in the Leagues the Club chooses to enter.

1. Any person who wishes to be a player must apply to the Club through the appropriate team manager.

1. In the event of a player’s resignation or expulsion, his or her name shall be removed from the list of registered players.

1. The Football Association and parent County Association shall be given access to the list of registered players on demand.

1. FEES

1. An annual fee payable by each player may be determined from time to time by the Club Committee. Any fee shall be payable on a successful application for membership and annually by each player. Fees shall not be repayable.

1. The Club Committee shall have the authority to levy further subscriptions from the players as are reasonably necessary to fulfil the objects of the Club.

1. A weekly subscription fee will be payable by all players where either a match or training is provided by the Club. The Club Committee shall determine the amount from time to time.

1. Team managers have discretion to suspend players from playing who are in arrears by 3 weeks until the arrears are settled. There is no liability for weekly subscriptions during the period of suspension. The Club Committee may hold the appropriate team manager responsible for any uncollected arrears beyond 3 weeks.

1. Team managers will be liable for repeat fines (for the same offence) from any League or Competition or the Beds FA unless the Club Committee decide otherwise.

1. All subscriptions must be collected and banked according to the guidance issued from time to time by the Treasurer.

           RESIGNATION AND EXPULSION

1. A player shall cease to be a member of the Club if, and from the date on which, he/she gives notice to the Club Committee of their resignation. A player whose annual membership fee or further subscription is more than 2 months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.

1. The Club Committee shall have the power to expel a player when, in their opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a player. There shall be no appeal procedures.

1. A player who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the Club Property.

1. CLUB EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. The Club will have an Executive Committee, which shall consist of the following Club Officers: President, Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, plus up to 3 other members, elected at an Annual General Meeting.

1. Each Club Officer and Club Executive Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting unless otherwise resolved at a Special General Meeting. One person may hold no more than two positions of Club Officer at any time. The Club Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Club. Decisions of the Club Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Club Executive Committee meetings. The Chairman of the Club Executive Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. Meetings of the Club Executive Committee shall be chaired by the Chairman or in the Chairman’s absence the Secretary. The quorum for the transaction of business of the Club Executive Committee shall be three to include 2 of the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer.

1. The central management of the Club, taking day-to-day decisions as required, shall be vested in Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

(d) The Club Secretary shall record decisions of the Club Executive Committee meetings in the minutes.

1. Any member of the Club Executive Committee may call a meeting of the Club Executive Committee by giving not less than 7 days’ notice to all members of the Club Committee. The Club Committee shall hold not less than four meetings a year.

1. An outgoing member of the Club Executive Committee may be re-elected. Any vacancy on the Club Executive Committee which arises between Annual General Meetings shall be filled by a member proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining Club Committee members and approved by a simple majority of the remaining Club Committee members.

1. Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association and the County Association to which the Club is affiliated, the Club Executive Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules.

1. Business meetings of the Club shall be convened as and when necessary with a minimum of 4 between annual General Meetings.

1. ANNUAL AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

(a) An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in              each year to:

(i) Receive a report of the activities of the Club over the  previous year

(ii) Receive a report of the Club’s finances over the previous year

(iii) Elect the members of the Club Executive Committee 
                 (iv) Consider any other business.

1. Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Club Executive Committee shall be made in writing by the proposer and seconder, both of whom must be existing members of the Club, to the Club Secretary not less than 7 days before the AGM, or at the AGM if there are no nominations. Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 7 days before the Meeting.

(c) A Special General Meeting (SGM) may be called at any time by the Executive Committee and shall be called within 21 days of the receipt by the Club Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by not less than three members stating the purposes for which the Meeting is required and the resolutions proposed. Business at an SGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.

1. The Secretary shall send to each member at their last known address written notice of the date of a Special General Meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 14 days before the Meeting.

1. The quorum for a Special General Meeting shall be 5.

1. The Chairman or Club Secretary or in their absence a member selected by the Club Committee, shall take the chair. Each member present shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.

1. The Club Secretary, or if absent a member of the Club Executive Committee, shall record Minutes of General Meetings.

1. CLUB TEAMS

1. Team Managers shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting of the Club and be part of the Club Committee. Team Managers shall be authorised to conduct the activities of their teams as they see fit on the provision that the said activities remain within the constitution of the Club or unless the Club Executive Committee deem such activities to be not in the interests of the Club.

1. In the event of an officer or Team Manager of the Club resigning being unable to continue in the duties of their office or deemed by the Executive Committee to be detrimental to the well being of the Club, a replacement officer or Team Manager may be elected or appointed at any time to serve for the duration of the time remaining of the term of the outgoing officers or Team Manager. In the event of additional officers or team managers being required by the Club. Subsequent to the Annual General Meeting these may be elected or appointed at any time to serve for the remaining duration of the season.

1. The Club may enter up to 3 teams per age group per gender in competitive football each season.

1. Team Managers must not poach players from other teams within the Club. Any incidents may be dealt with under Rule 13.

1. Players may not transfer between teams during the season without agreement of both Team Managers and the Club Executive Committee.

    10.  CLUB FINANCES

1. A bank account shall be opened and maintained in the name of the Club (the Club Account). Designated account signatories shall be the Club Chairman, Secretary and the Treasurer. No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account except by cheque signed by one of the three designated signatories. All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in the Club Account.

1. The income and assets of the Club (the Club Property) shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club.

1. The Club Executive Committee shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.

1. The Club shall prepare an annual Financial Statement in such form as shall be published by The Football Association from time to time.

1. The Treasurer shall keep proper books of accounts as will enable them to present an accurate report and statement relating to the finances of the Club at every Annual General Meeting of the Club and at any meeting of the Club.

1. The Treasurer shall keep proper records of all financial transactions of the Club.

1. All funds to finance teams shall be set by the Club Executive Committee. Each Team Manager is responsible for the collection of said funds although it is recommended that a parent or separate individual is tasked with the actual collection and banking to allow the Team Manager to concentrate on his/her core activity of managing the team. Funds are to be placed with the Treasurer with a breakdown of all transactions on the last Sunday of the month Failure to comply could invoke Rule 11 (b).

1. The use of all equipment, property and monies of each team shall be by the discretion of that team manager on behalf of the Club, upon the provision that the said use shall not be to the detriment of the Club.

1. All equipment and property belonging to each individual team shall remain with that team at all times unless by donation to another team with the agreement of both team managers and the Club Executive Committee.

1. All equipment, property and monies relating to individual teams shall remain the property of the Club.

1. DISCIPLINE OF CLUB MEMBERS

1. Conduct of officials representing St Martins FC must be beyond reproach.

2. If the Club receives any complaint about any person the Club Executive Committee will investigate.

3. If allegations are proven the following steps will be taken:

1. Reprimand and warned about future conduct;

2. Written warning

3. Final written warning

4. Will be asked to leave the Club.

1. At any time the Club can suspend the said person between stages (iii) and (iv). If at any time any official of the Club is reported and found to have used physical violence they will be dismissed. If a Team Manager is known to have given verbal abuse to players he or she will be disciplined at the Club’s discretion. If a Team Manager is known to have physically abused a player he or she will resign. If any spectator connected to the Club has been violent towards any player they will be asked not to attend future matches.

1. Any fee or fine imposed as a result of disciplinary action by the Bedfordshire Football Association. or Football Association must be paid directly by the player responsible.

1. CONSTITUTIONAL ALTERATIONS

Any alteration of the constitution of the Club shall be passed by a simple majority of the Club Committee.

1. DISSOLUTION

1. A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the members present.

1. The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Club Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

1. Any surplus assets remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be transferred to the parent Association who shall determine how the assets shall be utilised for the benefit of the game. Alternatively, such assets may be disposed of in such other manner as the members of the Club with the consent of the parent Association shall determine.

CLUB CHAIRMAN – Barry Ross

CLUB SECRETARY – Sue Baines - Updated – Approved by full Committee at AGM 06^th July 2007