CAPITAL COUNTIES FEEDER LEAGUES TROPHY

(Known as the Anagram Records Trophy 2007/08)

1.Nomenclature and Constitution

a)The competition shall be designated the Capital Counties Feeder Leagues Trophy and shall be sanctioned by The Football Association. The competition may accept suitable sponsorship and may incorporate, or be known by, the trade name of a sponsor.

b)The competition shall be open to any member club of a League within the Isthmian pyramid of the National League System that does not wish to enter, is not accepted into or does not qualify for entry into the Football Association Challenge Vase competition.

c)All such clubs shall be duly affiliated to a County Football Association and shall meet the ground and facilities requirements detailed in Rule 5.

2.Entrance Fee

a)Application by clubs for admission to the competition shall be made on the application form no later than the July 20th in each year to the Secretary of the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee and shall be accompanied by an entrance fee of £20.00p. The entrance fee shall be returned in the event of exclusion from the competition under Clause 1b.

b)A club shall not compete in the competition until the entrance fee has been paid.

3.Management of the Competition

a)The competition shall be administered by the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee.

b)The Election of officers shall be as follows; - Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Press/Results Secretary.

c)The Committee shall have the powers to apply, act upon and enforce the rules of the Competition and shall have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the Competition and any not provided for within these rules. The decisions of the Committee shall be binding subject to the right of appeal to The Football Association.

d)Each club shall be deemed to have given its assent to these rules and agreed to abide by the decisions of the Committee subject to Rule 9.

e)All fines imposed by the Committee shall be paid within fourteen days.

4.Qualification of Players

a)All players shall be registered and qualified in accordance with the rules of the League of which their club is a member.

b)No player shall play for more than one Club in any one season in the competition.

c)Any team playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player shall be removed from the competition.

d)In replayed or abandoned matches, only players who were eligible for the first match shall be eligible for the replay.

e)Both competing teams shall submit a team sheet to the referee and their opponents in the match official's dressing room at least thirty minutes prior to the appointed time of commencement of the match. Clubs shall use the team sheet normally used by the League of which they are a member.

f)A club may nominate five substitutes and use a maximum of three substitute players in each match. The substitutes shall be chosen from not more than three players whose names shall be submitted on the team sheet presented to the referee.

g)Any club failing to comply with any clause in this rule shall be fined £10.00p.

5.Matches

a)Matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game.

b)All matches shall take priority over the League and League Cup matches of the member clubs and the member Leagues within the competition which shall be deemed to have accepted such priority.

c)All matches shall be played on Saturdays on dates nominated by the Committee and shall, as far as possible, coincide with the dates of The Football Association Challenge Vase competition. Replayed matches may take place during the following midweek where floodlights are available but will be subject to the agreement of both teams.

d)All pitches shall be enclosed by a permanent post and rail barrier. Clubs sharing pitches with other sports shall be permitted to enclose not more than one side of the pitch with stake and rope where a permanent barrier is not permitted.

e)All clubs must provide separate, secure dressing rooms, with hot showers, for each team and match officials.

f)The competition shall be on a single match basis and the draw shall be made by the Committee. The first two rounds of the competition shall be geographically zoned.

g)Matches shall be played on the ground of the club first drawn. If after ninety minutes play, the scores are level, a period of thirty minutes extra time shall be played. If the scores remain level after extra time, the match shall be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with the Laws of the Game. Matches abandoned in extra time or during kicks from the penalty mark shall be re-staged on the ground of the club second drawn.

h)The final round will consist of a single match to be played on a suitable neutral ground. If after ninety minutes play, the scores are level, a period of thirty minutes extra time shall be played. If the scores still remain level, the match shall be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with the Laws of the Game.

i)The time to be played in all matches is ninety minutes (forty-five minutes each way). The half-time interval shall be fifteen minutes.

j)The time of kick-off shall be determined by the Committee except where floodlights are available whence the kick-off shall be 3.00pm. The kick-off times for rearranged matches played midweek shall be not earlier than 7.30pm.

k)The club first drawn shall advise their opponents and each match official with full directions as to the location of the ground and the appointed time of kick-off not less than five days prior to the match. In the event of a replay, the club second drawn shall advise their opponents and each match official with full directions as to the location of the ground, and the appointed time of kick-off for the replay at the conclusion of the first match.

l)In the event of the two teams having the same or similar colours, the away team shall change. If, in the opinion of the referee, the colours clash on the day of the match, the referee's decision shall be final. In the final match, both teams shall agree on the change of colours or otherwise both shall change colours.

m)All players’ shirts shall be numbered; goalkeeper shall be optional.

n)The home team shall supply three suitable match balls to the referee at least thirty minutes prior to the appointed time of commencement.

o)Any club withdrawing from the competition shall notify the Secretary of the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy immediately. The Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee shall have the power to inflict a fine not exceeding £50.00p.

p)In all rounds up to and including the semi-finals, the club first drawn shall produce a match programme which shall include and promotional sponsorship materials requested by the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee. The club second drawn shall provide a team list and match colours for the match programme by the Wednesday immediately before the match date. A match programme for the final shall be produced by the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee.

q)The club first drawn shall provide complimentary refreshments for visiting officials & players and match officials. Minimum hospitality shall be hot or cold drinks before a match and at half time and hot or cold drinks with sandwiches at full time. The Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee shall provide refreshments for the final.

r)Any club failing to comply with any clause in this rule shall be fined £10.00p.

s)Club Officers, Committee Members, managers, players and persons acting in an official capacity for a Club must refrain from public criticism of Match Officials, member Clubs or Management Committee in the media, club programmes, newsletters, web sites, internet message boards, etc. Failure to comply will result in action being taken by the Management Committee.

t)The Management Committee shall review all abandoned matches and in a case where it is to the advantage of the Competition and does no injustice to either Club, shall be empowered to order the score at the time of the abandonment to stand. In all cases where the Management Committee are satisfied that a match was abandoned owing to the conduct of One Club/Team or its Club Member(s), they shall be empowered to award the match to the opponents and/or take what other action they deem necessary. In cases where a match is abandoned owing to the conduct of both Clubs/Teams and/or their Club Member(s), the Management Committee shall take such action, as they consider appropriate. Such action is subject to any disciplinary action that may be taken by the appropriate County Association and/or Football Association.

6.Results and Report Forms

a)Both teams shall forward a fully completed match report form together with their team sheet to the Registration Secretary of their respective League within three days. Clubs shall use the match report/result form normally used by the League of which they are a member.

b)The home team shall be responsible for telephoning the result of the match to the Press/Result Secretary of the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy not later than 6.00pm on the day of the match or by 10.30pm after a midweek match.

c)Any club failing to comply with any clause in this rule shall be fined £10.00p.

7.Match Officials

a)Match officials in all rounds except the final, including rearranged matches, shall be appointed by the Referees Secretary of the League from which the home club is a member from that League's list of registered match officials. The Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee shall decide which League shall appoint match officials to the final match.

b)Registered level five or higher referees shall be appointed to referee all matches in the competition. In the final match, a fourth official shall also be appointed.

c)In the event of the non-appearance of an appointed match official, the senior match official present shall take charge of the game and shall arrange for both clubs to agree upon a substitute official who shall have the full powers and status of an assistant referee.

d)Match officials shall be present on the ground at least one hour prior to the appointed time of commencement of the match.

e)Match officials appointed shall be entitled to the following fees:

Referee - Fee as per the Home Clubs League Referee’s Match Fee.

Assistant Referee - Fee as per the Home Clubs League Assistant Referee’s Match Fee.

Fourth Official - Fee as per the Home Clubs League Assistant Referee’s Match Fee.

Officials shall be entitled to second class rail or bus fare in lieu of car allowance when using public transport.

The home club shall be responsible for the payment of the fees and expenses, which shall be paid in the dressing room within thirty minutes of the conclusion of the match.

f)In the event of the match not being played because of circumstances over which neither club has control; the match officials shall be entitled to expenses only if they have travelled to the ground.

g)In the event of the match not being played due to a Club being in default, the match officials, shall be entitled to the full fee and expenses if they have travelled to the ground. The fee and expenses shall be initially paid by the home club but shall be met by the defaulting club.

h)The referee shall submit a report form giving details of the match to the Secretary of the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy within three days. Referees shall use the match report/result form normally used by the League of which they are a member.

8.Protests

a)Protests and complaints and the grounds upon which they are founded shall be lodged with the Secretary of the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy within three days of the match together with a fee of £35.00p.

b)All questions of eligibility and qualification of players, interpretation of the Rules, protest and complaints shall be resolved by the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee whose decision shall be final subject to the right of appeal to The Football Association.

9.Appeals

a)Any club, player or official may, within fourteen days of the posting of a written notification of any decision of the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy Committee, appeal against the decision to The Football Association for adjudication by a Board of Appeal by lodging the particulars in duplicate and accompanied by the fee of £100.00p.

b)An Appeal Board shall be appointed by The Football Association to deal with cases as they arise.

c)An appeal to an Appeals Board of The Football Association shall be made and be conducted only in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association that relate to appeals to an Appeals Board as are in force at the time (see appendix A).

10.Trophies and Awards

a)The Capital Counties Feeder Leagues Trophy shall be awarded to the winners of the competition at the conclusion of the final match. A commemorative shield shall also be awarded to the winning club to retain in perpetuity.

b)The winning club shall sign an agreement to ensure the care and security of the Capital Counties Feeder Leagues Trophy whilst in their care. The Cup shall be returned for the following year's competition not later than March 31st each year.

c)Suitable individual awards shall be made to the players, including substitutes, of both teams competing in the final match. A maximum of three awards shall also be made to the team officials of both clubs.

d)A suitable individual award shall be made to each match official, including the fourth official, for the final match in addition to the full match fee and expenses. Match fees and expenses in the final match shall be borne by the competition.

11.Alteration to Rules

Alterations to the rules of the competition shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting or at a General Meeting specifically convened for the purpose. Notice of proposed alterations to the rules of the competition shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary, of the Capitol Counties Feeder League Trophy not later than March 31st of each year. Notice of any proposals shall be circulated to clubs with the notice of the meeting at least seven days before the date of the meeting. Amendments may be proposed and decided at the meeting and the final proposals shall be declared carried if two-thirds of those present and entitled to vote are in favour.