18 - Qualification of Players

(A) A Player is one who, being in all other respects eligible, has: Registered through the FA Player Registration System and received approval from the Competition. For any players registered on the day of a match, a Club Officer must email the Competition with details of the registration [1] hours prior to the scheduled kick off time in order for the player to be eligible to play in that match.

The Player shall not play again in any subsequent match in the Competition until the Club has registered the player through The FA Player Registration system and is in possession of the approval from the Competition. A maximum of [2] Players may be registered in this manner. Any registration that is not fully and correctly completed will be returned to the Club unprocessed and the player classed as unregistered.

If a Club attempts to register a player via the Player Registration System but does not fully and correctly complete the necessary information via the Player Registration System, the registration will not be processed.

All teams must submit the leagues online “Managers Player Registration Form” located on the league website http://www.tdyl.co.uk                                                                                                                                       
All clubs must maintain a record of their players in accordance with the FA and Somerset FA requirements. For Clubs registering Players as per Rule 18 of the SCORY Rules – online registration forms will be provided in a format to be determined by the Competition.

Confirmation must be received by the league that a Player’s date of birth has been checked by the Club and is accurate. In the event of a dispute regarding a player the league will request additional information from the club. It is imperative that you fill in the online forms accurately.

Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.

                                                                                                                                       
(B)

(i) Contract Players are not permitted in this Competition with the exception of those Players who are registered under contract with the same Club who have a Team operating at Steps 1 to 6 of the National League System or Tiers 1-4 of the Women’s Pyramid System It is the responsibility of each Club to ensure that any Player registered to the Club has, where necessary, the required International Transfer Certificate. Clearance is required for any Player aged 10 and over crossing borders including Wales, Scotland and Ireland.                                                                                                                                        
(ii) A Player registered with a Premier League or English Football League Academy under the Elite Player Performance Plan contained within Youth Development Rules will not be permitted to play in this Competition. Details of the Youth Development Rules are published on The FA website. A Player registered with a FA Girls’ Regional Talent Club may play in this Competition subject to the FA Program for Excellence (Female) Regulations.                                                                                                                                        
(iii) Each Team must have the following number of Players registered [7] days before the start of each Playing Season and by the 31st of August each year: Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.   

(C) A child who has not attained the age of 6 shall not play, and shall not be permitted or encouraged to play, in a match of any kind. The relevant age for each Player is determined by their age as at midnight on 31 August of the relevant Playing Season i.e. children who are aged 6 as at midnight on 31 August in a Playing Season (together with those who attain the age of 6 during the Playing Season) will be classed as Under 7 Players for that Playing Season.

Children who are aged 7 as at midnight on 31 August in a Playing Season will be classed as Under 8 Players for that Playing Season, and so on. Notwithstanding the above, a child is permitted to play up in the age group above their chronological age group, irrespective of any changes of format or competition structure, save that a child who attains the age of 6 after 31 August is permitted to play only in the Under 7 age group, and may not play in the Under 8 age group, for that Playing Season. Girls in all female teams may also be permitted to play an age group down in accordance with Rule 4(F).

The age groups that children are eligible to play in are set out in the table below, subject to Rule 4(F), along with the permitted football formats for each of those age groups. Children shall not play, and shall not be permitted or encouraged to play, in a match between sides of more than the stated number of players, according to their age group:

(D) A fee as set out in the Fees Tariff shall be paid by each Club/Team for each Player registered, if applicable.

(E) The Management Committee shall decide all registration disputes taking into account the following:

(i) A Player shall not be permitted to register for more than one Club subject to the exceptions set out in Rule 18 (E)(iii) below.

(ii) In the event of a Player signing a registration form or having a registration submitted for more than one Club in the Competition, the valid registration submitted first shall take precedence. The Secretary shall notify the Club last applying to register the Player of the fact of the previous registration subject to the exceptions set out in Rule 18 (E)(iii) below.  

                                                                                                                                     
(iii) A Player is only permitted to register for more than one Club provided that:

a. The Team(s) in which the Player plays in are not in the same age group; or
b. Except for the purpose of a transfer. And the Player meets the requirements in Rule 18(C).

(F) It shall be a breach of these Rules for a Player to: Having registered for one Club in the Competition, register for another Club in the Competition in that Playing Season, except if the provisions set out in Rule 18 (E)(iii) apply or where the competition adopts Rule 18 (P). Submit a signed registration form or submit a registration through the Player Registration System for registration that the Player had wilfully neglected too accurately or fully complete.

U7 to U10s players - Players can play for 1 team only on a given match day. If a player plays games for Team A match day 1 (Round 1) then the players must only play for Team A on this match day. The same player can play games for Team B on match day 2 (round 2) but must only play for Team B on this match day.

Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.                                                                                                                                        
(G) 

(i) The Management Committee shall accept the registration of any Player subject to the provisions of Rule 18(G)(ii) and (iii) below.

(ii) The Management Committee shall have power to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any Player, the exercise of such power being without prejudice to the Management Committee’s ability to fine a Club at itsdiscretion (in accordance with the Fines Tariff) that has been charged and found guilty of registration irregularities (subject to Rule 7).

(iii) The Management Committee shall have the power to refuse or cancel the registration of any Player charged and found guilty of undesirable conduct (subject to Rule 7) subject to the right of appeal to the Sanctioning Authority or the FA. Where the Management Committee does not have enough information to enable it to make a decision pursuant to the above power, it may apply, in its absolute discretion, to the Sanctioning Authority or The FA for further information. Undesirable conduct shall mean an incident of repeated proven misconduct, which may deter a Participant from being involved in this Competition.

(iv) For a Player who has previously had a registration removed in accordance with Rule 18(G)(iii) but has a registration accepted at the expiry of exclusion will be considered to be under a probationary period of 12 months. Whilst under a probationary period, should the Player commit a further act of proven misconduct under the jurisdiction of the Competition, (excluding standard dismissals), the Competition would be empowered to consider a further charge of bringing the Competition into disrepute.

(Note: Action under Rule 18(G)(iii) shall only be taken against a Player in cases of the Player bringing the Competition into disrepute and will in any event be subject to an appeal to the Sanctioning Authority or the FA. All decisions must include the period of restriction. For the purpose of this Rule, bringing the Competition into disrepute can only be considered where the Player has received in excess of 112 days’ suspension, or 10 matches in match-based discipline, in any competition (and is not restricted to the Competition) in a period of two years or less from the date of the first offence.)  

(H) Subject to compliance with FA Rule C when a Club wishes to register a player who is already registered with another club it shall submit a transfer form (in a format as determined by the Competition) to the Competition accompanied by a fee as set out in the Fees Tariff. Such transfer shall be referred by the Competition to the club for which the player is registered. Should this club object to the transfer it should state its objections in writing to the Competition and to the player concerned within 3 days of receipt of the notification. Upon receipt of the Club’s consent, or upon its failure to give written objection within 3 days, the Secretary may, on behalf of the Management Committee, transfer the player who shall be deemed eligible to play for the new Club from such date or [7] days after receipt of such transfer.

In the event of an objection to a transfer the matter shall be referred to the Management Committee for a decision.

(I) A Player may not be transferred to another Club in the Competition after [the 1st of March] except by special permission of the Management Committee.  

                                                                                                                                     
(J) A Club shall keep a list of the Players it registers and a record of all matches in which those Players have played for the Club and shall produce such records upon demand by the Management Committee.  

                                                                                                                                    
In the event a Club has more than one Team in an age group, each Team must be clearly identifiable but not designated ‘A’ or ‘B’ or 1st or 2nd. In such cases, Players will be registered for one Team only. A Player so registered will be allowed to play for their Club in a younger or older age group within the provisions of Rule 18(C).

For U7 to U10 age groups - players are registered to a team in that age group. U7 to U10 players can change teams on a match day as per rule 18 (F). Clubs must register each team in each age group on the FA Whole Game System (WGS) and each team must have its own name. For U11 to U16 age groups - Teams will play in different divisions, where possible. Clubs can transfer a maximum of 2 players from one team to the other team in that age group during 22-28 October and 22-28 January in the season, at no cost.  

                                                                                                                                     
(K) A register containing the names of all Players registered for each Club, with the date of registration, shall be kept by the [Club] Secretary and shall be open to the inspection of an Officer of the Club and be available for inspection to the League Committee at Management Committee meetings or at other times mutually arranged. Registrations are valid for one Playing Season only.

Players must register for their club using their club registration system every season.

Player registration will be audited by the league at league committee discretion.

In the event of a Non-Contract Player changing their status to that of a Contract Player with the same Club, another Club in the Competition or with a club in another competition their registration as a Non-Contract Player will automatically be cancelled and declared void unless the Club conforms to the exception detailed in Rule 18(B)(i).  

                                                                                                                                     
(L) A Player shall not be eligible to play for a Team in any special championship, promotion or relegation deciding Competition Match (as specified in Rule 22(A)) unless the Player has played [40%] Competition Matches for that Team in the current Playing Season. Unless agreed in writing before the kick-off by both competing teams and the management committee.  

(M) A Team shall not include more than [3] Players who has/have played in [5] or more senior Competition Matches during the current Playing Season unless a period of 21 clear days has elapsed since they last played. 21 clear days is counted by excluding the day when the relevant Player last played and the day when the Player intends to play again. For the purpose of this Rule, a senior competition(s) is [the Junior Premier League].

Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.     

(N)

(i) Subject to Rule 18 (N) (ii), any Club found to have played an ineligible Player in a Competition Match or Matches where points are awarded shall have the points gained from that Competition Match deducted from its record, up to a maximum of 12 points, and have levied upon it a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.      

                                                                                                                                 
(ii) The Management Committee may vary the sanction as relates to the deduction of points set out at Rule 18 (N) (i) only in circumstances where the ineligibility is due to the Failure to obtain an International Transfer Certificate or where the ineligibility is related to the Player’s status.

(iii) Where a Club is found to have played an ineligible Player in accordance with Rule 18 (N) (i) above, the Management Committee may also, at its discretion:

(a) Award the points available in the Competition Match in question to the opponents, subject to the Competition Match not being ordered to be replayed; or
(b) Levy penalty points against the Club in default; or
(c) Order that such Competition Match or Matches be replayed (on such terms as are decided by the Management Committee).

(The following clause applies to Competitions involving Players in full-time secondary education):

(O)    (i) Priority must be given at all times to school and school organisations activities. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance              with the Fines Tariff.

(ii) The availability of children must be cleared with their head teacher (except for Sunday league competitions).

(iii) A child under the age of 15 as at midnight on 31 August in the relevant Playing Season, shall not be permitted to play in a Competition Match during that Playing Season where any other Player is older or younger than that child by two years or more.

(P) If a Club wishes to cancel a Player’s registration within the Competition, it must make a request via The FA’s electronic player registration system giving the reasons for the request. The Competition may either approve or decline the request. If a Player’s registration is cancelled, he/she will not be eligible to play in the Competition for a period of [7] days from the date of cancellation.

If a player requests to join another club within 14 days of cancelling their registration at a previous club, this will be deemed as a transfer and be subject to the transfer process and fee as per rule 18H.