Part A: Establishing Clauses 

Name

The club shall be called XXXX (the “Club”) 

Definitions

In these Rules, the following expressions shall have the following meanings:

• "Membership-at-large" shall mean the entire membership as listed in the Membership Register at the relevant time

• "Vote" shall mean any ballot of the membership-at-large which:
  • complies with any criteria prescribed by these Rules, or adopted by Vote, for Votes either in general or of specific types or relating to certain decisions; or if no such criteria are applicable;
  • is taken on the basis of one vote per member and is publicised [on the Website] for 48 hours prior to the vote opening and is open for 48 hours.

Objects

New FC is founded upon the principle of direct democracy. The object of the Club shall be to use democratic discussions and voting mechanisms on a regular basis as the vehicles whereby all club members and officials can most effectively be involved in making decisions and executing these same in practice for the benefit of the club, the community and Association Football as a whole. We hope that our model of direct democracy will inspire other institutions to emulate our example.

Status of Rules

These rules (the “Club Rules”) form a binding agreement between each member of the Club.

Rules and Regulations

1. The members of the Club shall so exercise their rights, powers and duties and shall, where appropriate use their best endeavours to ensure that others conduct themselves so that the business and affairs of the Club are carried out in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association Limited (“The FA”), County Football Association to which the Club is affiliated (“Parent County Association”) and Competitions in which the Club participates, for the time being in force.
2. The Club will also abide by The FA’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and the Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policy as shall be in place from time to time.

Part B: Membership

Club Membership

1. The members of the Club from time to time shall be those persons listed in the register of members (the “Membership Register”) which shall be maintained by the Club Secretary.
2. Any person who wishes to be a member must apply on the Membership Application Form and deliver it to the Club. Election to membership shall be at the discretion of the Club Committee and granted in accordance with the anti-discrimination and equality policies which are in place from time to time. An appeal against refusal may be made to the Club Committee in accordance with the Complaints Procedure in force from time to time. Membership shall become effective upon an applicant’s name being entered in the Membership Register.
3. In the event of a member’s resignation or expulsion, his or her name shall be removed from the Membership Register with effect from the date of resignation or expulsion.
4. The FA and Parent County Association shall be given access to the Membership Register on demand

Resignation and Expulsion

1. A member shall cease to be a member of the Club if, and from the date on which, he/she gives notice to the Secretary of his/her resignation.
2. A member whose membership fee is more than two (2) months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.
3. The membership-at-large shall have the power to expel a member when, in its opinion, ratified by a two-thirds majority on a 5% quorum, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a member.
4. An appeal against any expulsion resolution, duly carried out under clause (3) above, shall only be successful in the event of two-thirds majority on a 5% quorum in support of the said member's reinstatement to the membership.
5. A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the income and assets of the Club (the “Club Property”).

Membership Fee

1. An Annual Fee payable by each member shall be determined from time to time by the membership-at-large.
2. The Annual Fee for the forthcoming year shall be set at each Annual General Meeting by ordinary resolution of the membership-at-large.
3. Members shall be entitled to pay the annual fee by monthly instalments, where the fee paid monthly shall be equal to the annual fee divided by twelve and rounded up to the nearest pound.
4. Any fee shall be payable on a successful application for membership, and annually or monthly thereafter from the date of membership, by each member. Fees shall not be refundable.

Part C: Club Administration

Club Decision Making

All decisions of the Club shall be taken by Vote, unless otherwise provided for in these Rules or as the result of a Vote.

Club Officers

1. The Club shall have the following Officers: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary.
2. No person shall be permitted to hold more than one Club Officer position at any time.

Club Committee

1. The Club Committee shall consist of the four Club Officers: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary and up to five other members, elected at an Annual General Meeting.
2. Only members of the Club shall be permitted to stand for election as a Club Officer or member of the Club Committee.
3. Each Club Officer and Club Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) unless otherwise resolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”), where a motion of no confidence in single named individuals or the Club Committee as a whole may be proposed and carried with a two-thirds majority.
4. The Club Committee shall have two primary functions:
   1. Responsibility for ensuring that the Club is run in accordance with its Objects and ensuring Club Decision Making is observed.
   2. Implementing the decisions of the membership-at-large in accordance with democratic mandate
5. Decisions of the Club Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Club Committee meeting. The Chairperson of the Club Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie.
6. Meetings of the Club Committee shall be chaired by the Chairperson or in their absence the Vice Chairperson.
7. The quorum for the transaction of business of the Club Committee shall be three.
8. Decisions of the Club Committee of meetings shall be entered into the Minute Book of the Club to be maintained by the Club Secretary.
9. Meetings of the Club Committee shall be minuted by a competent individual who may or may not be a member of the Committee but shall be a member of the Club. Minutes of Club Committee meetings shall be published within 48 hours of the end of the meeting.
10. Any member of the Club Committee may call a meeting of the Club Committee by giving not less than seven days’ notice to all members of the Club Committee. The Club Committee shall hold not less than six meetings a year.
11. Any vacancy/vacancies on the Club Committee which arises between Annual General Meetings shall be filled only by an EGM convened for the purpose of filling said vacancy/vacancies. Members elected at an EGM shall retire at the subsequent AGM.
12. An outgoing member of the Club Committee may be re-elected.
13. Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of The FA, the Parent County Association and any applicable Competition, the Club Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes rising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules.
14. The position of a Club Officer shall be vacated if such person is subject to a decision of The FA that such person be suspended from holding office or from taking part in any football activity relating to the administration or management of a football club.

Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings

1. An AGM shall be held in each year to:
   1. receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year;
   2. receive a report of the Club’s finances over the previous year;
   3. elect the members of the Club Committee;
   4. set the Annual Fee in accordance with this Rule; and
   5. consider any other business.
2. Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Club Committee shall be made in writing by the proposer and seconder, both of whom must be existing members of the Club, to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the AGM. Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the meeting.
3. An EGM may be called at any time by the Club Committee and shall be called within 21 days of the receipt by the Club Secretary of a requisition in writing, signed by not less than five members stating the purposes for which the Meeting is required and the resolutions proposed. Business at an EGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.
4. The Secretary shall send to each member at their last known address written notice of the date of a General Meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 14 days before the meeting.
5. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be five members.
6. The Chairperson, or in their absence a member selected by the Club Committee, shall take the chair. Each member present shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.
7. The Club Secretary, or in their absence a member of the Club Committee, shall enter Minutes of General Meetings into the Minute Book of the Club.

Part D: Football Teams and Management

Club Teams

1. Within 28 days of the close of each AGM, the membership-at-large shall elect a Club member to be responsible for each of the Club’s football teams. The elected members shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the team in accordance with the wishes of the membership-at-large as the result of a democratic decision-making process comprising free and open discussion and a formal vote.
2. The elected members shall be responsible for providing weekly (at a minimum) feedback to the membership-at-large on the activities of their team.
3. In addition, the elected members shall present to the AGM a written report of the activities of the team.

Part E: Finances

Club Finances

1. A bank account shall be opened and maintained in the name of the Club (the “Club Account”). Designated account signatories shall be the Club Chairperson, the Club Secretary and the Treasurer. No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account except by cheque signed by two of the three designated signatories. All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in the Club Account.
2. The Club Property shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club. The distribution of profits or proceeds arising from the sale of Club Property to members is prohibited.
3. The Club Committee shall have the power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club (although a Club shall not remunerate a member for playing) and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.
4. The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, away match expenses, post-match refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002.
5. The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:
   1. sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;
   2. employ members (although not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Club Committee without the person concerned being present;
   3. pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests; and
   4. indemnify the Club Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).
6. The Club shall keep accounting records for recording the fact and nature of all payments and receipts so as to disclose, with reasonable accuracy, at any time, the financial position, including the assets and liabilities of the Club. The Club must retain its accounting records for a minimum of six years.
7. The Club shall prepare an annual “Financial Statement”, in such format as shall be available from The FA from time to time. The Financial Statement shall be verified by an independent, appropriately qualified accountant and shall be approved by members at general meeting. A copy of any Financial Statement shall, on demand, be forwarded to The FA.
8. The Club Property, other than the Club Account, shall be vested in not less than two and no more than four custodians, one of whom shall be the Treasurer (“the Custodians”),who shall deal with the Club Property as directed by decisions of the Club Committee and entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence of such a decision.
   1. The Custodians shall be appointed by the Club in a General Meeting and shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed by a resolution passed at a General Meeting.
9. On their removal or resignation a Custodian shall execute a Conveyance in such form as is published by The FA from time to time to a newly elected Custodian or the existing Custodians as directed by the Club Committee. The Club shall, on request, make a copy of any Conveyance available to The FA. On the death of a Custodian, any Club Property vested in them shall vest automatically in the surviving Custodians. If there is only one surviving Custodian, an EGM shall be convened as soon as possible to appoint another Custodian.
10. The Custodians shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the Club Property for all expenses and other liabilities reasonably incurred by them in carrying out their duties.

Part F: Dissolution

Dissolution

1. A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the members present.
2. The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Club Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.
3. Any surplus assets remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be transferred to another Club, a Competition, the Parent County Association or The FA for use by them for related community sports.