Point of Contact: Fixture Secretary - Malc KERSHAW

 

What is the procedure for arranging a pitch inspection on the day of the game?

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Except where facilities are controlled by a third-party, ONLY THE MATCH REFEREE can postpone a competition fixture. In the event that a club cannot make contact with the Match Referee, please refer to the Referees Secretary, Fixture Secretary or League Secretary.

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In these circumstances, clubs should contact the Match Referee as early as possible to discuss the situation and determine whether:

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- a physical inspection will take place before kick-off

- to arrange for a later discussion to decide on whether the pitch is playable

- the game can be postponed immediately

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The away team should notified IMMEDIATELY of the decision made.

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Club officials should ensure that all communications are timed taking into account the travelling time of the away team. 

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What should we do if we believe in advance that our home ground will not be playable?

 

You should notify your opponents, match referee and the Fixture Secretary at the earliest opportunity. If it may be possible to reverse the fixture, the teams should agree provisional arrangements as soon as possible and notify the match referee and Fixture Secretary.

 

For clarity, teams may reasonably NOT agree to reverse a fixture where this would involve significant changes to the time necessary for travel, or the kick-off time, where arrangements will have already been made regarding family or work commitments and similar.

 

Where clubs propose to hire a third-party facility to enable a fixture to be played, the same conditions apply regarding the agreement of your opponents, and the final details MUST be agreed and notified to ALL participants, the Fixture Secretary and Referees Secretary by 6pm on the Friday before the scheduled fixture. NO further changes should be made after this deadline. This is to ensure that there is minimal inconvenience or confusion.

 

Is support available if we can source a third-party facility when our home ground is not playable?

 

Yes, it is. Venue Assistance is available for 50% of a venue hire fee up to a maximum of £60. A copy of the receipt or an invoice should be forwarded to the Fixture Secretary for a payment to be made.

 

ALL third-party facilities MUST be sanctioned for use in the League, and details can be found in the List of 3G/4G Facilities circulated by the League. The provision of dressing rooms and showers for ALL participants is ESSENTIAL.

 

Clubs should be mindful that should an opponent not fulfil a fixture scheduled at such a third-party facility, a maximum of £120 can be clawed back.

 

So, if your grass pitch is unplayable here is the procedure to book a 3G/4G.

 

1. Make sure it is approved on the 3G/4G Facilities Guide. If you require clarification, please ask.

 

2. Book and pay for the pitch.

 

3. Send the Fixture Secretary a copy of the paid invoice along with your bank details and they will secure a Venue Assistance Payment for you.

 

Can we move a fixture?

 

Yes, teams can agree to bring the date of a game FORWARD but must notify the Fixture Secretary with enough notice to enable the appointment of a match official.

 

Teams are NOT allowed to move a fixture to a later date than that scheduled by the League.

 

Can we change the venue or kick-off time of a fixture?

 

Yes, you can, but SEVEN DAYS' notice MUST be given to your opponents and match official(s). Any changes notified with less than seven days' notice require the agreement in writing of your opponents, which should be forwarded to the Fixture Secretary for the changes to be actioned.

 

If your opponents do NOT agree to the changes, the original scheduled venue and kick-off time will apply.

 

The failure of a team to host a fixture in these circumstances may result in a charge being raised for Failure to Fulfil.

 

Can we reschedule a fixture?

 

Yes, you can, but only with a minimum of TEN DAYS' notice in writing to the Fixture Secretary. Clubs should be mindful, however, that not playing fixtures earlier in the season may mean that they have to play in midweek at the end of the season.

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All requests relating to rescheduling L&C cup ties will be dealt with at the discretion of the Fixture Secretary.

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Whilst there is no limit to the number of requests that can be made by a club/team, the Fixture Secretary has full discretion to refuse a request where it adversely affects another team or the fixture schedule.

 

Any requests made with LESS than TEN days' notice will be considered but CANNOT be guaranteed to be accepted. In these circumstances, if a team cannot then play, it will be treated as a Failure to Fulfil and dealt with by the LMC.

 

Clubs should inform players that they have a game every Saturday until stood down.

 

We aim to conclude any Full-Time changes by the Friday night the WEEK BEFORE the game. Then, on Saturday afternoon after the game, the Manager can confirm next week’s fixture to his team.

 

There will be emergencies, but we aim to have the final Full-Time fixtures showing by the Sunday night before the next Saturday game, so DO NOT stand your players down until then.

 

There were far too many failure-to-fulfils last season and stronger sanctions have been brought in this season to avoid a repeat.