Amateur Football Combination (rule 23f) requires all clubs to have an internal disciplinary code, to ensure the good name of the club and to maintain the standards of discipline expected within the AFC. These also give the club’s own players clear guidance of the standards expected of them, and the punishments they can expect should they transgress.
DISCIPLINARY GUIDELINES
The Purpose of these Guidelines is to deal speedily with misconduct, reduce the number of offences by illustrating to the membership the seriousness with which the Club Committee view discipline and to reduce the administration work involved.
All cases of misconduct will be dealt with immediately on the evening of the game in which the incident took place in accordance with these procedures of if a Hearing is required then at the discretion of the Club Committee which will meet as soon as reasonably practicable. Any appeals must be made to the Club’s Disciplinary Appeal Board.
PROCEDURE
a) ALL misconduct cases, both "bookings" and "sendings-off," will be dealt with under this procedure.
b) Any booking or sending off recorded by the referee in any game MUST be reported by the Team Captain to the Club Secretary and Fixture Secretary on the same day as the game with the usual results information.
c) The Club Secretary shall deal with the matter in accordance with the recommendations, scale of fines and suspensions as set down by the Club Committee. If necessary the Club Secretary will consult with the Team Captain, or any other Officer of the Club, to assess the action to be taken.
d) Any player wishing to appeal against the standard fine or suspension being imposed, or who wishes to appeal against the incident generally, MUST inform the Club Secretary and/or Fixture Secretary of his wish to appeal within 7 days of the offence.
e) Where an appeal is requested the Club Secretary shall appoint a Club Appeal Board to consider the case. No appeal will be required to be heard unless the player concerned appears personally before the Club Appeal Board.
f) The appointed Club Appeal Board shall consider the circumstances and decide whether to hold the full Club Appeal hearing, or whether to delay the Club Appeal Hearing until the referee's report on the incident has been received from the AFA.
g) Fines or suspensions imposed under this procedure, whether under the standard scale or whether decided by a Club Appeal Board, may be higher than, longer than or over and above any suspension or fine imposed by the AFA.
h) An offending player who does not pay to the Club, when required, any fine imposed upon him either by the County FA or under this procedure by the Club shall not play for the Club again until such fine is fully paid without the consent of the Club Secretary.
i) The scale of suspensions and fines that shall be enforceable by the Club under these guidelines should be agreed at the Annual General Meeting, though may be varied by the Club Committee if required.
j) The Club Secretary shall advise the Club Treasurer of any decision where the payment of a fine is involved and the Club Treasurer shall ensure the fine is paid.
k) The Club Secretary shall advise the Club Committee of all decisions made under this procedure in order that the action be ratified, if agreed with by the Club Committee.
DISCIPLINARY APPEAL BOARD
The Club Disciplinary Appeal Board shall consist of at least three members of the Club, being:
a) The Club Secretary (or Chairman) or in his absence the Fixture Secretary, who shall chair all meetings of the Appeal Board.
b) Two or more others at the Club Secretary’s discretion.
OPERATION
a) The Club Disciplinary Appeal Board will deal with all offences referred to it by the Club Secretary.
b) The Club Disciplinary Appeal Board will meet at the first available opportunity following the offence, although in some cases it may be advisable to wait for the receipt of the referee's report from the AFA. The Team Captain will advise the player to make himself available for the meeting.
c) The meeting will take the following form:
i) The Captain on the day and any other witness called by the Club Disciplinary Appeal Board will give their accounts of the incident to the Club Disciplinary Appeal Board, who will discuss the incident in private.
ii) The offending player will then be invited before the Club Disciplinary Appeal Board to give his version of the incident, if he so wishes.
iii) The Club Disciplinary Appeal Board will further discuss the incident and reach their decision.
iv) The offending player will be advised of the Club Disciplinary Appeal Board decision, and any final observations will be made.
The offending player will not be present at (i) and (iii). All the above proceedings shall be dealt with verbally, unless any of the members involved wish to submit written reports.
c) The offending player will have the right of appeal to the Club Committee if he is dissatisfied with the Club Disciplinary Appeal Board's handling of the case.
SCALE OF FINES/SUSPENSION APPLICABLE UNDER THE DISCIPLINARY GUIDELINES
(under Paragraph j)
The following items (a) to (d) include any fines and suspensions levied by the AFA unless otherwise stated which for the avoidance of doubt means that any fine or suspension is NOT in addition to anything levied by the AFA unless otherwise stated
a) First Caution in any season:
i) If for dissent - none unless the Club Committee deem appropriate
ii) For any other offence – none unless the Club Committee deem appropriate
b) Second Caution in same season:
i) If for dissent - none unless the Club Committee deem appropriate
ii) For any other offence - none unless the Club Committee deem appropriate
c) Third or subsequent Caution in same season:
A Fine if the Club Committee deem appropriate as in (b) above, PLUS a mandatory club suspension for one game.
d) Fifth caution in same season
Suspension until the end of the season PLUS a fine, normally in line with (b) above.
The following items (e) to (h) are in addition to any fines and suspensions levied by the club’s parent County Football Association, e.g. the AFA, unless otherwise stated
e) Sendings Off carrying two AFA disciplinary points (e.g. for two cautionable offences, for preventing an obvious goal-scoring opportunity):
i) If for dissent - none unless the Club Committee deem appropriate
ii) For any other offence - none unless the Club Committee deem appropriate
f) Sendings Off carrying three disciplinary points (e.g. Attempting to Kick or Strike another player)
A club suspension for one game and a fine if the Club Committee deem appropriate.
Player also to be warned that any further sending off offence may result in suspension to the end of the season.
g) Offences carrying four disciplinary points (e.g. Serious Foul Play, Kicking or Striking another Player, Head to Head Contact, Use of Offensive Language or Gestures directed at a match official, Refusing to give a name to a referee or giving a false name):
A club suspension for two games and a fine if the Club Committee deem appropriate.
Player also to be warned that any further sending off offence may result in suspension to the end of the season.
h) Offences carrying five or more disciplinary points (e.g. Violent Head to Head butting, causing a match to be abandoned, Improper Behaviour Towards Match Officials, Threatening Match Officials) or any person found guilty of serious misconduct:
Club Suspension until at least the end of the season (to be reviewed at the Club AGM, with a view to possible expulsion) PLUS a fine if the Club Committee deem appropriate.
Please note that the above fine/suspension scales are only guidelines and in exceptional cases the punishment imposed could be higher or lower than these guidelines.
Spencer McGuire
Hon Secretary
29 Mar 2007