Rules

(a){1} The Annual General Meeting shall determine the commencement and concluding dates for the ensuing season, which shall be in accordance with Football Association Rules. No Club shall be compelled to play after the concluding date. Original fixtures arranged by the Fixture Secretary or at a meeting specially convened for that purpose, to be held immediately after the Annual General Meeting, must not be arranged for a date later than 7 days preceding the concluding date determined by the Annual General Meeting.

The amended list must be handed to the Fixture Secretary at the conclusion of the meeting.

(a){2} A Club due to play at home August/September & May but whose ground is not available, shall play the match on its opponents ground as its home fixture and shall pay the fees and expenses of the match officials.

(b){1} All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as determined by the International Football Association Board.

(b){2} Clubs must take reasonable precaution to keep their grounds in a playable condition. All matches must be played on pitches deemed suitable by the Management Committee. If through any fault of the home team a match has to be replayed, the Management Committee shall have the power to order the venue to be changed.

(b){3} The Management Committee shall have the power to decide whether a pitch and/or facilities are suitable for matches in the Competition and to order the Club concerned to play its fixtures on another ground.

(b){4} All matches shall have a duration of 90 minutes [45 minutes each way] unless a shorter time not less than 80 minutes [40 minutes each way] is mutually agreed by the two captains in consultation with the referee prior the commencement of the match and should be played as two equal halves.

(b){5} The times of the kick-off shall be fixed by the Annual General Meeting, or the Management Committee.

August, September, October, March, April	3-00 pm.
November, February	2.30 pm.
December, January	2.00 pm.
Midweek Kick-off	6.15 & 6.30 pm

All clubs with floodlights may kick-off at 7.30 pm or at a time mutually agreed

Kick-off times for Bank Holiday fixtures, shall be mutually agreed and confirmed with the Fixture Secretary.

Any Club failing to commence at the appointed time, shall be fined the sum of £5.00 for each 10 minutes, or part thereof.

(b){6} Referees must order matches to commence at the appointed time and must report all late starts to the Competition and advise the captain of the offending team[s] of his intention to do so.

(b){7} The home team must provide at least two footballs fit for play and the referee shall make a report to the Competition if the footballs are unsuitable. Any Club failing to comply with this Rule, shall be liable to a fine of £10.00. Goal nets must be used in all matches in this Competition.

(c) Except for permission by the Management Committee all matches must be played on the dates originally fixed but priority shall be given to The Football Association and all relevant County Association Cup Competitions. All other matches must be considered secondary. Clubs may mutually agree to bring forward a match with the consent of the Fixture Secretary.

(d) The Secretary of the Home club must give notice by Telephone, Fax Email or in Writing, the full particulars of the location and access to the ground and time of kick-off, to the Match Officials and the Secretary of the opposing Club, at least 5 clear days prior to the playing of the match. Any Club failing to comply to this Rule, shall be liable to a fine of £10.00.

(e) Any Club having two or more players selected to represent the Gloucestershire FA, G.F.A. Youth and Gloucestershire County League shall be permitted, if it so wishes, to cancel the County League fixture on the date the County League match is being played. Such cancellations must be made within 48 hours of receipt of notice of players being selected.

(f){1} Every Club shall play its best qualified team or team's in all matches in the Competition.

(f){2} In the event of a Club playing in any match with less than eleven players, their shall be a fine of £5.00 for each player missing. A minimum of 7 players will constitute a team for a Competition match.

(g){1} Home and away matches shall be played. In the event of a Club failing to keep its engagement, the Management Committee shall have the power to inflict a fine of £100.00 and deduct 3 points from the defaulting Club, and order the defaulting Club to pay any expenses incurred by the opponents, or otherwise deal with them except the award of goals.

(g){2} Any Club with more than one team in the Competition shall always fulfil its fixtures within the Competition in the following order of precedence:- First Team, Reserve Team, "A" Team, "B" Team. Club's in breach of this requirement shall be fined a sum not exceeding £10.00 and otherwise shall be dealt with by the Management Committee.

(g){3} Notice of postponement of any match must be given without delay - [by personal service, telephone, telemessage, and facsimile] by the postponing Club. Such notice of a Club being unable to fulfil any match must be given 48 hours prior to the match by the Club, to the League Secretary, the Secretary of the opposing Club and the Match Officials. The opposing club shall then check with the Secretary of the club postponing and with the Competition Secretary. Any Club failing to comply shall be fined £10.00 and be further dealt with by the Management Committee who may inflict any penalty it may deem suitable.

(g){4} In the event of a match not being played or abandoned owing to causes which neither Club has control, it shall be played in its entirety on a date mutually agreed by the two Clubs and approved by the Management Committee. Failing such agreement and notification to the Competition Fixture Secretary within 3 working days. The Management Committee shall have power to order the match to be played on a named date, or on, or before a given date.

{5} The Management Committee shall review all abandoned matches and in a case where it is an advantage to 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 team or its Club Member[s], they shall be empowered to award the points to the opponents and/or take other action they may deem necessary. In cases where the match is abandoned owing to the conduct of both teams, or their Club Members, the Management Committee shall take such action as they consider appropriate. Such action is subject to any disciplinary action taken by the appropriate County Association.

(h){1} A club at its discretion and in accordance with the Laws of the Game, use 3 Substitute Players in any match in this Competition who may be selected from 5 named players.

The referee shall be informed of the names of the substitutes not later than 15 minutes before the start of the match. Substitutes not so named may not take part in the match.

(h){2} A player who has been selected or named before the start of the match but does not actually play in the game, shall not be considered a player in that game within the meaning of Rule 8 of this Competition.

(h){3} Clubs must hand copies of the Official Forms listing all players taking part in the match including nominated substitutes, with the appropriate shirt numbers, to the Referee and a representative of their opponents in the presents of the Referee, at least 15 minutes before the stipulated time of the kick-off. Any Club failing to comply shall be fined the sum of £10.00.

(i){1} The half-time interval shall be 10 minutes duration but it shall not exceed 15 minutes. The half-time interval may only be altered with the consent of the Referee.

(j){1} All Clubs must meet the minimum standards of ground facilities as specified in the regulations of the Competition, unless written dispensation is given to the contrary. Any Club unable to comply with any parts of these regulations must give the reasons in writing to the Competition Secretary.

(j){2} The ground and facilities of prospective new Member Clubs must conform to all requirements specified in the Competition Regulations. Any Club failing to meet these requirements by the 30^th April will not be considered for membership in the coming season.

(j){3} A fee of £25-00 will be charged to any new prospective member clubs for inspection of the ground and facilities of that club.

(j){4} All Member Clubs shall at least 7 days prior to their first home match each season, send to the Competition Secretary a declaration in writing that their facilities are unchanged. Any Club whose ground, including facilities fails to comply with the regulations, will be barred from playing on that ground until all defects have been rectified and shall pay a fee of £25.00 along with the committee members travelling expenses for each inspection.