SD FC Club Constitution

A club constitution outlines our functions and the rules under which we operate.

  1. Name

The club shall be called SD Football Club (the Club).

  1. Object

The object of the Club shall be to organise association (mini-soccer & 11-a-side) football matches and social activities for its members.

  1. Status of Rules

These rules (the Club Rules) form a binding agreement between each member of the Club.

  1. Rules and Regulations
  1. The Club shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of the Football Association by virtue of its affiliation to The Football Association. The rules and regulations of The Football Association and Parent County Football 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.
  2. No alteration to the Club Rules shall be effective without prior written approval by the parent association.
  3. The Club shall also abide by The Football Association’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct, Equal Opportunities Policy and Anti-Discrimination Policy.
  1. Club Membership
  1. The members of the Club from time to time shall be those persons listed in the register of members (the Membership Register), which shall be maintained by the Club Secretary.
  2. Any person who wishes to be a member must apply on the Membership Application Form and deliver it to the Club. Election to membership shall be at the sole discretion of the Club Committee. Membership shall become effective upon an applicant’s name being entered in the Membership Register.
  3. In the event of a member’s resignation or expulsion, his or her name shall be removed from the Membership Register.
  4. The Football Association and County Association shall be given access to the Membership Register on demand.
  1. Annual Membership Fee
  1. The Club Committee shall determine an annual fee payable by each member. Such fee shall be payable annually on successful application for membership on the 1st of July. Fees shall only be refundable in line with clubs subscriptions guidelines. Members joining part way through the season will pay a pro rata fee in line with the clubs subscription guidelines
  2. The Club Committee shall have the authority to levy further subscriptions from the members as are reasonably necessary to fulfil the objectives of the Club.
  1. Resignation and Expulsion
  1. A member 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 member whose annual membership fee or further subscription is more than three months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.
  2. The Club Committee shall have the power to expel a member when, in their opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a member. There shall be no appeal procedures.
  3. A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the Club Property.
  1. Club Committee
  1. The Club Committee shall consist of the following club officers: Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, Facilities, Kit and Club Welfare Officer(s), plus a representative from each squad and up to five other members, elected at an Annual General Meeting.
  2. Each Club Officer and Club 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 three positions of Club Officer at any one time.
  3. The Clubs officers sitting as the Core Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Club. Decisions of the Club Core Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Club Core Committee meeting. The chairperson of the Club shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. The Secretary shall chair meetings of the Club Core Committee in the absence of the chairperson. The quorum for the transaction of business of the Club Committee shall be five.
  4. Decisions of the Club at all meetings shall be captured and minuted by the Club and maintained by the Club Secretary.
  5. Any member of the Club Committee may call a meeting of the Club Committee by giving not less than seven days’ notice to all members of the Club Committee. The Club Committee shall hold not less than four meetings a year.
  6. An outgoing member of the Club Committee may be re-elected. 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 shall fill any vacancy on the Club Committee, which arises between Annual General Meetings.
  7. Save as provided for in the rules and regulations of The Football Association to which the Club is affiliated, the Club Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules.
  1. Annual and Special General Meetings
  1. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held each year to:
    • Receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year.
    • Receive a report of the Club’s finances over the previous year.
    • Elect the members of the Club Committee.
    • Consider any other business.
  2. Nominations for the election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Club 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 21 days before the AGM. Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the meeting.
  3. A Special General Meeting (SGM) may be called at any time by the 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 five 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.
  4. The Secretary shall send to each member at their last known email address notice of the date of a General Meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 7 days before the Meeting.
  5. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be three.
  6. The chairperson, or in their absence a member selected by the Club Committee, shall take the chair. Each member present shall have one vote and a simple majority shall pass resolutions. In the event of an equality of votes the chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.
  7. The Club Secretary, or in their absence a member of the Club Committee, shall enter Minutes of General Meetings into the minute book of the Club.
  1. Club Teams

At its first meeting (if not already done so) following each AGM, the Club Committee shall appoint a club member(s) to be responsible for managing the affairs of the team. The appointed member(s) shall present a written report of the activities of the team to the Club Committee at its last meeting prior to an AGM.

  1. 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 Secretary, the Treasurer and Chair. No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account except by cheque signed by two of the three designated signatories. All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the treasurer and deposited in the Club Account.
  2. The income and assets of the Club (the Club Property) shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club.
  3. The Club 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.
  4. The Club shall prepare an annual financial statement in such form as shall be published by The Football Association from time to time.
  5. The Club Property other than the Club Account shall be the responsibility of the Club Committee. Decisions regarding Club Property will be taken by a vote of the full committee. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the committee shall have a casting vote. An entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence of such a decision.
  1. Insurance

The Club must arrange insurance coverage as follows:

  1. Public Liability Insurance
  2. Personal Accident Insurance in respect of all players

The Club Secretary shall ensure that the policies are in place and that they comply with the requirements of any league, competition or County Football Association to which the Club is affiliated

  1. Data Protection Policy

The Club is committed to a policy of protecting the rights and privacy of individuals in accordance with the Data Protection Act and GDPR. Members’ personal details held by the Club will be used solely to achieve the objective of the Club to organise mini-soccer and 11-a-side football matches and associated social activities. It is expressly prohibited for personal details held by the Club to be divulged to any third party not directly involved in achieving the objective of the Club. All reasonable measures will be taken to ensure the security of personal details and such information will be expunged upon a member ceasing to be part or affiliated to the club.

  1. Complaints Procedure

In the event that any member feels that he or she has suffered discrimination in any way or that the Club Policies, Rules or Code(s) of Conduct have been broken the following procedure should be followed.

  1. They should report the matter to the Club Secretary or Welfare Officer. The report should include the following and be written on the clubs standard template:
    • Details of what, when, and where the occurrence took place.
    • Any witness statements and names.
    • Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way.
    • Details of any former complaints made about the incident – date, when and to whom made.
    • A preference for a solution to the incident.
    • The Club Committee will sit for any hearings that are requested. The quorum for a complaint hearing shall be three.
  2. Any committee member(s) having a complaint made against them will not sit on the committee for that hearing. If, in this situation, the remaining committee members cannot meet the quorum, club volunteers may be seconded to the committee for the purposes of hearing that complaint only.
  3. If a complaint is upheld the committee will impose a penalty as per the Club disciplinary procedure and/or in line with the FA disciplinary procedure.
  4. The committee’s decision shall be final.
  1. Disciplinary Procedure

It is members’ responsibility to know and uphold the Club’s Policies, Rules and Codes of Conduct. If a member’s behaviour falls below the standard required the following procedure should be followed.

  1. The matter should be reported to the Club Secretary or Welfare Officer. The report should include the following and be written on the clubs standard template:
    • Details of what, when, and where the occurrence took place.
    • Any witness statements and names.
  2. The Club Committee will sit for any hearings that are required. The quorum for a disciplinary hearing shall be three.
  3. If a member is found to have broken the Club’s Policies, Rules or Code(s) of Conduct then, prior to imposing a penalty, the committee will take into consideration the previous conduct of the member.
  4. The Club Committee will have the power to:
    • Warn as to future conduct
    • Suspend from training and/or matches and/or social activities
    • Suspend from membership
    • Remove from membership
  5. The committee’s decision shall be final
  6. A record shall be kept of any penalty imposed.
  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.
  2. 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.