1. Titles
2. Entrance Fees, Subscriptions
3. Officers
4. Management, Nomination, Election
5. Powers of Management
6. Annual General Meeting
7. Qualification of Players
8. Club Information
9. Playing Season
10. Conditions of Play, Time of Kick Off, Postponements, Substitutes
11. Match Result Forms, Fines
12. Points to determine championships and re-election
13. Referees
14. Election, Withdrawal of Clubs
15. Protest and Appeals Procedure
16. Board of Appeal
17. Exclusion of Clubs, Misconduct, Clubs, Officials & Players
18. Trophies: Legal ownership, Conditions of taking over, Agreement to be signed
19. Special meetings
20. Alterations to Rules
21. Rules binding on Clubs

• Standing Orders
• Cup Competition Rules

This statement is as published in the League Handbook and may be varied in accordance with the provision for Rule changes.

The Officers of the League shall be President, Vice Presidents, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, General Secretary, Registration Secretary, Referees Secretary, Fixture Secretary, Minutes Secretary, Results Secretary, Representative Match Coordinator, Social Secretary, Responsible Officer and Child Protection Officer (s) to be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

All Officers of the League and Representative Team Managers shall sign and return to the General Secretary, by the 31st July prior to the commencement of the playing season, the Leagues Child Protection Policy Statement.

This statement is to be published in the League Handbook and may be varied in accordance with the provision for Rule changes.

Names of those nominated shall be circulated with the notice of the Annual General Meeting. In the event of there being no nomination in accordance with the foregoing for any office, nominations may be received at the Annual General Meeting.

Extra Meetings may be held at the Chairman or Vice Chairman's discretion, to conduct the business of the League.
Not less than seven days notice shall be given of any meeting.

All communications or phone calls from a Club to a League Official shall be from the Club Secretary, or previously nominated deputy.
No correspondence or phone calls will be accepted from any other parties unless endorsed by the Club Secretary.

All fines and charges shall be paid at or before the Council Meeting following the date of notification of imposition (unless otherwise ordered) or be fined an additional £5.

The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING shall be held no later than 30th June in each year. At this meeting the following business shall be transacted:

1. Adoption of Standing Orders

2. The Minutes of the preceding Annual General Meeting read and confirmed and business arising there from dealt with

3. Presentation and adoption of the Annual Reports, Balance Sheets and Statement of Accounts

4. Constitution of the League for the ensuing season

5. Alterations to the rules, if any (of which notice has been given)

6. Fix dates for the commencement and conclusion of the Playing Season subject to alteration at the discretion of the Management Committee

7. Election of Officers, Management Committee and Auditors

8. Other business of which due notice shall have been given

Clubs must, on demand from the Management Committee, produce corroborative evidence of date of birth of any player registered by them.

All players must live in the area formerly known as County of Avon and attend schools in that area or District Council immediately adjoining that area. However, players who have previously been eligible, and have played in this League, who attend another school or college outside that area, but whose home address remains in that area, may at the discretion of the Management Committee, be allowed to continue to play in this League.

Any boy under the age of ten (10) years at midnight on 31st July in any playing season shall not be eligible to play in this League. Any boy under the age of fourteen (14) years at midnight on 31st July in any playing season shall not play in a match involving players who are more than two years older than himself.

For the purpose of this competition a bone-fide playing member of a club is one who being in all other respects eligible has:

1. Signed a fully and correctly completed League Registration Form in ink, witnessed by a parent or guardian

2. Attached identical Passport type photographs of himself to:

   1. The Registration Form and

   2. The Registration Counterfoil

A third identical photograph is to be supplied for the Player’s Identity Card, issued by the Registration Secretary FOR THOSE AGE GROUPS DETERMINED BY THE LEAGUE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND AS ANNOUNCED AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. ALL NEW TEAMS AND PLAYERS TRANSFERRED AT ALL AGE GROUPS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THREE PHOTOGRAPHS AS DETAILED ABOVE TO BE REGISTERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LEAGUE RULES.

3. The Registration Form is received by the Registration Secretary not less than 14 days prior to the commencement of the playing season and thereafter not less than 7 days prior to playing.

Matches, which are not played due to failure of teams to register sufficient players at the commencement of the season, will be dealt with in accordance with Rule 9(e).

THE CLOSED SEASON SHALL BE FROM THE 1ST JUNE TO 30TH JUNE.  THEREFORE NO REGISTRATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BEFORE 1ST JULY.

Each Team’s Identity Cards are to be retained by the Team Manager and must be made available to the opposing Team Manager prior to the kick-off and returned no later than 15 minutes after the final whistle. No player is allowed to take part in the game if his Identity Card is not available.

Any dispute regarding the validity of any player must be raised with an opposing club official no later than 15 minutes after the final whistle. FULL DETAILS of any such dispute to be received in writing by the REGISTRATION SECRETARY within 4 days of the match. A copy of this communication is also to be sent to the opposing club secretary. 

Any dispute regarding the validity of any player must be raised within 15 minutes of the final whistle.

A player who has played for a higher team of his club in the League or any other League more than three times shall not in that season be eligible to play in a lower team of his Club except by permission of the Management Committee. 

A player who has played for a higher team in another Sunday Youth League more than three times shall not in that season be eligible to play in a lower team of another Club in membership of this League except by the permission of the Management Committee.

Any Club playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player or players, shall have 3 points deducted from its total for each offence, and be fined a sum to be decided by the Management Committee, who may also, at their discretion, refer the matter to the League Council seeking expulsion of the offending team from the League.   The Management Committee may, at its discretion, award any points deducted from the Club under this rule, to the opponents in each match in question.

All players named on the result sheet are deemed to have played.

Any Club wishing to change its name and/or colours whilst members of this competition must seek permission of the Management Committee.

The duration of matches shall be as follows:

• Under 12s Division - 60 minutes (30 minutes each way)

• Under 13s Division - 70 minutes (35 minutes each way)

• Under 14s Division - 70 minutes (35 minutes each way)

• Under 15s Division - 80 minutes (40 minutes each way)

• Under 16s Division - 80 minutes (40 minutes each way)

Half time to be 5 minutes in duration.

Matches shortened or abandoned due to the state of the ground, weather or light conditions shall play no less than 61 minutes to count as a League match.   Except (Under 12 Division where 50 minutes shall be played). No League or Cup match shall be played on any synthetic or artificial surface.

The normal playing day of the week shall be Sunday.    Sunday kick-offs shall be 10.30 a.m. for Under 12 Divisions and 2.30 p.m. for all other divisions.

Kick - off time for midweek matches, evening and holiday matches shall be by mutual agreement and confirmed with the Fixture Secretary and Referees Secretary. The League must obtain the permission of the Gloucestershire Youth Football Association for matches to be played on days other than Sunday.

Any Club failing to commence at the appointed time shall be fined £1 for each ten minutes or part ten minutes thereof. Referees to report all late kick-offs to the Referees Secretary and advise the offending Team (s) of his intention to do so.

The home team to supply 2 suitable match balls.

The Match ball used for Under 12, Under 13 and Under 14 matches shall be size 4. Under 15 and 16 matches shall be size 5.

The Referee shall report any club, which, in his opinion, fails to supply Match Balls of suitable standard. All Clubs reported under this rule to be fined £2 for each report received.

No game shall be postponed other than for ground conditions or any of the following, which is scheduled for the same date:

• County Cup

• Avon Youth League Cup

OR a team having two or more players selected for any of the following, which is scheduled for the same date:

• The League Representative side

• County Representative team

• County Schools Team

• School Team

• Attendance at substantiated school activities

(Please note the use of the word selected, this does not include optional activities where the player chooses to attend)

Club postponing to notify firstly the Fixture Secretary and Referee's Secretary and then the Secretary of the opposing Club.

In the event of a postponement written confirmation on the postponement / re-arrangement form FROM BOTH CLUBS with the new re-arranged date to be with the Fixture and Referee’s Secretary within 7 days of the original date of the fixture.
Failure to comply with the above Rule will leave the postponing Club subject to Rule 5(j)

A Club may at it's discretion and in accordance with the laws of the game and the permission granted by the Football Association use any three from five named substitute players in any match in this Competition.

These must contain, the result, Surname and initial of all players (Scorer's Christian Names), referee, and referee's mark, Date of Fixture, Venue, kick-off time, Teams involved, Signature of Club Official. Subject to £1 Fine for each omission.

Each team to be provided with book sheets for each age group only. Match book sheets to remain in that Clubs age group. Not to progress on with each team. Retiring clubs to return Match Book Sheets to the Fixture Secretary. Subject to a fine of £5.

League and Cup results will be accepted on official Match sheets only, and must be with the Registration Secretary within 4 days after the match. Otherwise the club will be liable to a fine of £1.00 or be subject to Rule 5(j).

All Home Club Secretaries must telephone their Home results into the Result Secretary between 6.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. on the day of the match.

In the event of an evening match the result must reach the Result Secretary in accordance with the above on the Sunday immediately following the date of the match.

Failure to supply a result will render the Club liable to a fine of £5.

The result sheet, correctly completed, shall be signed by a responsible member of each club and Management Committee shall have power to take such action as they may deem necessary against any club who submit a match sheet that is incorrect.

County Cup fixtures to be notified in writing to the Fixture Secretary and Referee's Secretary within three days of receipt. Results to be notified in writing to the Fixture Secretary and Referee's Secretary within three days. Defaulting Clubs to be fined £5.00.

The competition shall be decided by points, the Club gaining the highest number of points in their respective Divisions at the conclusion shall be adjudged the winners. Three points to be given for a win, one for a draw. In the event of two or more Clubs being equal on points for any position in any of the league tables the position shall be decided by goal difference.

Promotion and Relegation shall be determined by the numbers in divisions and at the Management discretion prior to the commencement of the playing season.

It will be customary for the Clubs in the Under 12,13,14 and 15 Divisions to be invited to compete in the age group above for the next season (subject to Rule 8), provided they have satisfactorily attended to the business of the League in the season being concluded.
No Club shall be guaranteed election into a Division in any season.

In the event of a Club withdrawing or withdrawing a team during the season its record shall be expunged, and the registration forms for all the boys who are registered for such team (s) be cancelled. Subject to rule 7(A).

Each Home Club shall contact the appointed Referee in the week prior to the game to confirm the fixture, or be dealt with as the Management Committee deem fit.

The Management Committee shall meet as soon as possible after the closing date for applications for membership of the League to recommend their nominated constitution for the League for the following season, and the teams who shall be candidates for election and/or re-election.

Protest of a Management Committees decision will be considered when the complaining Club shall deposit the sum of £15 together with a letter of protest within seven days of notification. All parties to the protest will be afforded an opportunity to make a statement and shall where possible receive seven days notification of the meeting. The defaulting or losing Club may forfeit their deposit.   This does not however impair the Club the right of appeal under Rule 15.

A Club within seven days of receipt by them of a written notification of any decision of the Council or Management Committee may appeal against such decision by lodging particulars in duplicate, accompanied by £15, such appeal being addressed to the Secretary of the Gloucestershire Youth Football Association for adjudication by the Board of Appeal who shall decide by whom the cost of the Appeal shall be borne.

A copy of the Appeal must be sent to the General Secretary and the operation of the decision made by the League shall not be suspended pending the result of the Appeal unless the Board of Appeal or Council of the Gloucestershire Youth Football Association, through its Officers, orders such suspension.

A Board of Appeal appointed by the Gloucestershire Youth Football Association, shall deal with cases as they arise.

Any League Official, Club Official, or Club Member proved guilty of child abuse shall be liable to expulsion or other penalty as deemed necessary.  Any person subject to charges relating to child abuse shall be liable to suspension or other penalty as the League Council and/or Management Committee may decide.

Any team failing to complete 90% of its fixtures in any season shall (unless the conditions are beyond their control, or the majority of the accredited delegates present at an Annual General Meeting or a Special Meeting decide otherwise) be debarred from membership of the following season.

Any Club, which submits an Application Form containing false, misleading or incorrect information, will be liable to expulsion from the League.

A Cup or Trophy presented to the competition shall be vested in the Association sanctioning the Competition as Trustees. If a competition is discontinued for any cause, the Cup or Trophy shall be returned to the Donor if the conditions attached to it so provide, held in trust or otherwise dealt with as the Association may decide. At the close of each Competition awards may be made to the winners (and runners up) if the funds of the League permit. All Trophies shall be returned to the League Secretary on or before 1st March suitably engraved.

Un engraved returned Trophies will result in a fine of £5 per Trophy.

A Club failing to comply with this Rule shall be suspended from participation in this League until the Trophy or Trophies has / have been returned to the General Secretary.

Alterations shall only be made to the Rules at the Annual General Meeting or at a General Meeting especially convened for the purpose called in conformity with Rule 18. Any alterations made during the playing season to the rule relating to the qualification of players shall not take effect until the following season. Notice of any propose alteration to be considered at the Annual General Meeting shall be submitted to the General Secretary by the 31st March in each year. Notice of any proposals together with any proposals by the Council or Management Committee shall be circulated to the clubs with the notice of the Annual General Meeting at least seven days before the date of the meeting. Amendments may be proposed and decided at the meeting and the final proposals shall be declared carried if the majority of those present and entitled to vote are in favour.

Proposed alterations to the Rules to be considered at a Special General Meeting shall be circulated with the notice of the Meeting and the proposed amendments may be voted on at the meeting. A copy of the proposed alterations to Rules, to be considered at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall be submitted to the Gloucestershire Youth Football Association fourteen days prior to the date of the meeting. Any alterations or additions decided upon at any meeting shall not become operative until the approval of the Association issuing sanction shall have been obtained.

The league may (if permission is obtained) play representative matches with any clubs or leagues, for the benefit of the league funds, when players shall be chosen from league clubs.

Team selection at the discretion of the representative manager. Such players must play for the league on such occasions unless an acceptable reason be given. No player chosen should play for his own club on such date without permission of the league. If TWO or more players from one team are selected the club shall be given permission to cancel a fixture, if requested, provided the representative match is on the same day as the league fixture. Clubs postponing to notify the Fixture Secretary, Referees Secretary and opposing club secretary.

1. A person must stand whilst speaking, announce their name and club and address his or her remarks to the chairman

2. No person is to speak more than twice on a question without the consent of the chairman

3. The mover of a resolution shall have the right to reply
4. No member is allowed to leave the meeting unless he receives the chairman's permission
5. All matters relating to any other business must be tabled and in writing by 8:15 p.m. on the night of the meeting

Semi-Final ties will be played on pitch to be provided by "HOME" team Semi-Finalist's will share the match officials fees and expenses.     Final ties to be played on neutral grounds. The Management Committee shall be responsible for the Referees and Assistant Referees for both Semi-Final and Finals.   In the event of the "HOME" teams ground being unavailable then the Semi-Final will be switched to the opponents ground if available.
The Fixture Secretary MUST be informed.

A player may play for one team only in the Cup Competitions. Any  team playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player, shall be expelled from the competition and shall be dealt with at the Management Committee’s discretion.

No player shall be eligible to play in a Semi-Final or Final tie unless he has previously played three (3) games in this League for that team during the current season prior to the date fixed for the Semi-Final tie.

Kick-Off times for UNDER 12 Cup matches except Final Tie to be 10.30 am.

Kick-Off times for UNDER 13 - UNDER16’s Cup matches except Final Tie to be 2.15 pm.

Kick-Off time in the Final Tie shall be as instructed by the Fixture Secretary.

IN ALL TIES in the event that scores are level at the end of normal time extra time shall be played.

It shall be:-

• U/12/13/14                     10 minutes each way

• U/15/16                          15 minutes each way

If during the period of extra time a goal is scored the match will end immediately, the team scoring the goal shall be declared the winners.

In the event of the scores still being level at the end of the period of extra time the match shall be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with the International Board recommended procedures.