Rules

(a){1} Team ranking within the Competition shall be decided by points, with 3 points to be awarded for a win and 1 point for a drawn match. The team gaining the highest number of points at the conclusion of the season, shall be adjudged the winners. Matches shall not be played for double points.

(a){2} In the event of two or more teams being equal on points team rankings for any position at the close of the season, then goal difference shall decide. In the event of two or more teams being equal on points and goal difference for team rankings for any position, then goals scored shall decide. In the event of two or more teams being equal on points, goal difference and goals scored for the Championship, Runners-up, or Relegation positions at the close of the season, then a deciding match shall be played on a neutral ground under conditions arranged by the Management Committee.

(b) In the event of a team withdrawing during the playing season, its record shall be expunged and the Club shall be fined £50.00.

(c) In the event of a team not completing all of its fixtures for the season, all points obtained by or recorded against such defaulting team shall be expunged from the Competition table.

(d){1} Where a promotion and relegation link exists between the Gloucestershire County League, The Sport Italia Hellenic Football League and The Toolstation Western Football League Competitions, the Champion Club of the Gloucestershire County League, providing they meet the appropriate grading criteria, will be eligible to make application to Sport Italia Hellenic Football League and / or The Toolstation Western Football League Competition at their Annual General Meeting.

Should the Champion Club of the Gloucestershire County League not wish for promotion or, alternatively, does not have the necessary grading criteria, then the runners-up will be eligible under the same conditions.

The FA have issued the directive shown below which replaces the first part of rule 12(d){1} with immediate effect. Clubs must now apply to the FA for promotion and not the league they wish to join.

Step 5 to Step 6 and Step 6 to Step 7

Clubs seeking promotion from Step 7 to Step 6 must make application in writing to the Football association, copied to their existing league, by the 31st December in the relevant year. A final list of clubs eligible to be considered for promotion will be published by the 15th April. Final promotion will be subject to the current agreed criteria which will include the club's final league position and their ability to achieve the required ground grading.

(d){2} At the end of each season and depending on geographical location of clubs gaining promotion to or being relegated from The Sport Italia Hellenic Football League and/or The Toolstation Western Football League it may be necessary for the Competition either, [a] to accept a Club from The Sport Italia Hellenic Football League and/or The Toolstation Western Football League or, [b] have a club transferred from the same Competition.

(d){3} The bottom 2 Clubs in the Gloucestershire County League Competition will be relegated. Each relegated Club will be allocated either to the Premier Division 1 of the Bristol Premier Combination, or the Premier Division 1 of the Bristol & Suburban League, or Division 1 of the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, recommended as the most appropriate, by a joint Liaison Committee of the three Leagues.

(e){1} Where a promotion and relegation link exists between the Gloucestershire County League and the Bristol Premier Combination, the Bristol & Suburban League and the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Competitions, the Champion Club of either the Premier Division of the Bristol Premier Combination or the Premier Division 1 of the Bristol & Suburban League, along with the Champion Club of the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League and providing they meet the appropriate grading criteria and they are the first team of the Club, or a Senior Reserve team of a Club, as defined in Rule 1 {a}{4} will be eligible to make application to the Gloucestershire County League Competition at their Annual General Meeting.

(e){2} Should the Champion Club of the aforementioned Competitions not wish promotion, or alternatively do not have the necessary grading criteria, then the Runners-up Club will be eligible under the same conditions.

(e){3} In the event of the Champion Club of both the Bristol Premier Combination and the Bristol & Suburban League Competitions being eligible wish promotion and meet the grading criteria of the Gloucestershire County League, then the Management Committee will consider recommendations from the Competitions and decide which Club is to be recommended to the Annual General Meeting for promotion.

(f){1} In the event of there being no eligible Club wishing promotion, or not having the necessary grading criteria from any of the Competitions, this will reduce the number of Clubs to be relegated from the Gloucestershire County League Competition.

(f){2} If only two Clubs are eligible or wish promotion then the bottom two Clubs in the Gloucestershire County League Competition will be relegated. If only one Club is eligible and wishes promotion, only the bottom Club in the Gloucestershire County League Competition will be relegated. Where a clubs First Team, with a Reserve Team which is already playing in the Gloucestershire County League are relegated from Step 4 of the National League System, then the Reserve Team will be automatically relegated within the Pyramid System to either the Bristol Premier Combination, Bristol Suburban League, or the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.

If no Clubs are eligible or wish promotion, no Clubs will be relegated from the Gloucestershire County League Competition.

(f){3} In the event of a Gloucestershire County League Competition Club not being placed in the bottom two Clubs at the end of the season and wishing to resign from the Competition at the end of the season, or having been excluded under Rule 17(a) then only one Club will be relegated at the end of the season.

(f){4} In the event of a Gloucestershire County League Competition Club opting to be relegated or being relegated under Rule 12, such Club or Clubs will replace the Club or Clubs otherwise due for relegation.

(f){5} Any vacancies occurring in the Competition which are not covered by promotion and relegation link with the Feeder Leagues and outside of the Pyramid System will be decided by the Management Committee, who will make recommendations to the Annual General Meeting of the Competition.

(f){6} Subject to the full provisions of this Rule having been met the recommended membership of the Competition for the forthcoming season to be submitted to the Annual General Meeting, based on the recommendations of the Management Committee at the meeting held for the purpose not earlier than the 30th April and not later than the 30th May each season.