INFORMATION FOR CLUB SECRETARIES

This page includes

• Notices to Club Secretaries
• The Role of Secretary

Notices to Club Secretaries

1. CORRESPONDENCE

All correspondence will be sent by e-mail to the Club Secretary. However, we would appreciate your help and assistance by ensuring you forward any relevant correspondence onto your team managers/coaches, Club officials and players during the season as quickly as possible. If the Club Secretary changes or moves address it is essential that you notify us in writing immediately. If the Club Secretary is going away on holiday/business etc. we can temporarily arrange to forward correspondence to the listed alternative contact within your Club. Please let the Secretary have your holiday dates if so. It is important to keep us up to date with any changes as correspondence is sent throughout the season, and often requires urgent attention, particularly discipline and fixtures. Failure to answer correspondence or pay outstanding fines, whether from the Worcestershire FA or the League can prove costly to your particular Club.

2. PROTESTS AND COMPLAINTS

All Protests/Complaints must be accompanied by a £25.00 Administration Charge.

3. DISCIPLINE

Administration Charges are imposed by County Football Associations when players are Cautioned. This charge shall be paid by the player's Club within the timeframe specified, and the Club shall be responsible for recovering the same from the player concerned. Should the player refuse to repay the Club the amount due - then the Club shall inform the County Football Association concerned. A CLUB'S FAILURE TO PAY SUCH CHARGES WILL RESULT IN THE SUSPENSION OF THAT CLUB BY THE COUNTY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.

4. REFEREE/ASSISTANT REFEREES

Suitable Changing Accommodation shall be provided for the match officials where applicable, and their fees shall be paid prior to kick-off (New for 2022/23). If the appointed Referee fails to appear where appointed - the teams should mutually agree to some other person taking charge of the fixture. See Rule 13(b).

5. UNFIT GROUND

Where there is any doubt as to whether your pitch is fit for play, the advice of a local affiliated Referee should be sought. If, after inspecting the pitch, the Referee is of the opinion that a ground is unfit, remember that it is your duty to notify the match officials, the League Fixture Secretary, the League Referees' Assistant Secretary, the Referee's Officer and the Secretary of the opposing Club that the game has been postponed due to ground conditions. THE REFEREE DECLARING THE PITCH UNFIT SHALL SIGN A DULY COMPLETED MATCH REPORT FORM, STATING THE REASON(S) FOR POSTPONEMENT.

6. MATCH REPORT FORMS

Match Report Forms must be completed in full. Secretaries of the home Club are responsible for ensuring that the Match Report Form is received by the League Registration Secretary in accordance with League Rule 11. For record purposes, goal scorers shall be indicated on the Match Report Form. MATCH RESULTS MUST BE TELEPHONED IN AS REQUIRED BY LEAGUE RULE 11(b).

7. REFEREE MARKS

The marks awarded to the referee as required by Rule 13(h) must be received by the League Officer appointed from each team no later than 5pm on the third day following each match.

8. CHANGES

Club Secretaries shall notify the League Secretary of any changes of Club details, or any change of Club Secretary, in writing, without delay.

9. TELEPHONE CALLS

Telephone calls to members of the League Management Committee should only be made between the hours of 7.00pm and 9.00pm

10. SUSPENSIONS

Any Club finding themselves under Football Association or League suspension on the Monday prior to the scheduled weekend fixtures, will have their match(es) cancelled by the League Fixtures Secretary, and dealt with in accordance with Rule 10(f ).

The Role of Secretary

The Club Secretary is Responsible for:

1. Completion of County Football Association Forms, League Forms and Correspondence.

Start of Season: Worcestershire Football Association (WFA) Affiliation Form to be received by the WFA Treasurer by 1st of July and Affiliation Number given to League Secretary by 1st August. Registration of Teams for all Cup Competitions giving due regard to the Closing Date of Entry. Completion of Club Details to the League Secretary; and Sending players’ Registration Forms to the League Registration Secretary as early as possible.

During The Season: Receiving, taking action on, and timely return of all correspondence; Ensuring timely submission of players’ Registration Forms to League Registration Secretary; Ensuring timely submission of Match Report Forms to League Registration Secretary; Receiving Caution/Misconduct Forms from, and ensuring the timely return of fully and correctly completed forms to, WFA Disciplinary Secretary in line with new Match Based Disciplinary System; and Circulate Team Managers with all updates to County FA and League Handbooks.

End of Season: Issue, Collect and Obtain Results from voting forms for Player of the Year; and Complete the Notification of Intention to Continue in the League, and return the form to the League Secretary by the 30th of April. If you intend to withdraw your team, notification must be given to the League Secretary by 31st March.

2. Booking of Football Pitches

When details of fixtures and Cup Ties are received from the League, County FA or other Cup Competitions, book pitches for Home Fixtures by telephone at the earliest instance and confirm in writing. When details of cancellation / re-arrangement of fixtures / cup-ties are received, cancel the booking at the earliest instance by telephone and confirm in writing.

3. Club File / Managers Team Files

Update records with correspondence, changes etc. on a weekly basis. Maintain stocks of following stationery: Match Report Forms, League Registration Forms and League Transfer Forms.

4. Attendance at Meeting

To attend all League Meetings (dates as shown inside front cover of Handbook) or where it is not possible for the Secretary to attend - ensure that at least one Club Member is in attendance.

5. Social Networking / Websites

The FA has issued clarification to participants relating to the use of social networking sites, including, but not limited to Twitter, Facebook and internet blogs.

Participants should be aware that comments made on such sites may be considered public comment, and that further to FA Rule E3, any comments which are deemed improper, bring the game into disrepute, or are threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting may lead to disciplinary action.

Comments which are personal in nature or could be construed as offensive, use foul language or contain direct or indirect threats aimed at other participants are likely to be considered improper.

Participants are required to act in the best interests of the game at all times and should be aware of this when using social networking websites. Furthermore, participants are reminded that postings on social networking sites which they believe to be visible to a limited number of selected people may still end up in the public domain and consequently, care should be exercised with regards to the contents of such postings. In addition, we would remind participants that social networking postings could also lead to civil proceedings being brought by affected parties.

All Clubs will also be responsible for their website(s) or similar computer related information system, which is in the public domain. Nothing shall be included on the website which in the opinion of the League brings the Competition into disrepute.