1. (A) This Competition shall be designated the Hampshire Premier Football League and known as the Hampshire Premier Football League, playing at National league System Step 7, and shall consist of not more than 18 Clubs who shall be Full Member Clubs.

All such Member Clubs must be affiliated to an affiliated County Football Association and their names and particulars shall be returned annually by the appointed date on the Form “D” to the Hampshire County Football Association. The area covered by the Competition Membership shall be the County of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight together with any Clubs who have Headquarters situated within ten miles of the Hampshire County border as defined on the 31st March 1974 (the headquarters will be the ground on which they play their home matches unless they have an official HQ i.e. Registered Club House).
This Competition shall apply annually for sanction to the Hampshire County Football Association and the constituent teams of Member Clubs may be grouped in Divisions, each not exceeding 18 in number.

The formation shall be Member Clubs first team in Division 1 Reserve teams in a Combination Division that is restricted to those Clubs that have first teams in the competition. It is not a requirement that club reserve teams must enter this competition

Member Clubs shall not enter any of their teams playing in the Competition in any other Competitions (with the exception of F.A., County F.A. and Local Area Division Competitions) except with the written consent of the Management Committee of the Competition.

Member clubs are required to give a suitable e-mail address to the Competition Secretary as part of their Club details on registration as well as confirm that it they have access to the internet.
Fixtures, Bulletin’s, Result Cards, Registration Forms, Transfer Forms and Competition correspondence shall only be accessed on the League Web Site.

All participants shall abide by The Football Association Regulations for Safeguarding Children as determined by The Association from time to time.

ENTRY FEE, SUBSCRIPTION, DEPOSIT

2. (A) Applications by Clubs for admission to this Competition or the entry of a Reserve Team must be made in writing to the Secretary and must be accompanied by an Entry Fee of £50.00 per team which shall be returned in the event of non-election. Such applications must be received by the 01st March.
A Non-returnable Ground Inspection Fee of £50.00 must accompany each application.

At the discretion of a majority of the accredited voting members present applications, of which due notice has been given, may be received at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. The Entry Fee shall apply.

When Rule 12(B) is applied or a team seeks a transfer or is compulsorily transferred to another division no Entry Fee shall be payable.

(B) The Annual Subscription shall be £50.00 per Team payable on or before the 01st June in each year. Clubs failing to comply shall be fined £30.00.

(C) Each Club shall within 14 days of election pay a Deposit of £100.00 per club, which shall be returnable to Clubs on leaving the Competition provided they have fulfilled their fixtures and complied with all orders of the Management Committee.

(D) A Club shall not participate in this Competition until the Entry Fee, Annual Subscription and Deposit have been paid.

(E) Clubs must advise annually to the Secretary in writing by 15th June of its Parent County Football Association affiliation number for the forthcoming Season, failing which they shall be fined £25.00. Clubs must advise the Secretary in writing, or on the prescribed form, of details of its Headquarters, Officers and any other information required by the Competition.

OFFICERS

3. The Officers of the Competition shall be the President, Chairman, Deputy-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Fixture Secretary, Registration Secretary, Referees Secretary, Results Secretary and League Welfare Officer, Press and Communications Officer and the Hampshire FA nominated representative to be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. (N.B. Auditors/Verifiers are not Officers).

MANAGEMENT, NOMINATION, ELECTION

4. (A) The Competition shall be governed in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association by a Management Committee comprised of the Officers, Life Vice Presidents, up to two Independent members and two Club members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(B) Retiring Officers shall be eligible to become candidates for re-election without nomination. All other candidates for election as Officers or Members of the Management Committee shall be nominated to the Secretary in writing, signed by the Secretaries of two Member Clubs, not later than 01st April in each year. Names of the candidates for election 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

C) The Management Committee shall meet as often as required to deal with business as it arises.

On receiving a requisition signed by two-thirds of the Members of the Management Committee the Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Committee.

(D) Except where otherwise mentioned all communications shall be addressed to the Secretary who shall conduct the correspondence of the Competition and keep a record of its proceedings.

(E) All communications received from Clubs must be conducted through their nominated Officers.

(F) Excluding Life Vice-Presidents, any member of the Management Committee absenting themselves from three consecutive meetings shall, failing a satisfactory explanation in writing, be considered to have resigned and the Committee shall have power to fill any such vacancy that may occur during the year.

POWERS OF MANAGEMENT

5. (A) The Management Committee may appoint sub-committees and delegate such of their powers, as they deem necessary. The decisions of all sub- committees shall be reported to the Management Committee for ratification.

(B) Subject to the permission of the Hampshire County Football Association having been obtained the Management Committee may order a match or matches to be played each season, the proceeds to be devoted to the funds of the Competition and, if necessary, may call upon each Club (including any Club which may have withdrawn during the season) to contribute equally such sums as may be necessary to meet any deficiency at the end of the season. (See Rule 6(e)).

C) Each Member of the Management Committee shall have the right to attend and vote at all Management Committee Meetings and have one vote thereat, but no Member shall be allowed to vote on any matters directly appertaining to such Member or to the Club so represented. (This shall apply to the procedure of any sub-committee).

In the event of the voting being equal on any matter, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

(D) The Management Committee shall have powers to apply, act upon and enforce the Rules of the Competition and shall also have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the Competition, including any not provided for in the Rules. Except where these Rules provide for the imposition of a set penalty any Club, Official or Player alleged to be in breach of a Competition Rule must be formally charged in writing and given the opportunity to present their case before the Management Committee. All breaches of the Laws of the Game, Rules and Regulations of The Football Association shall be dealt with in accordance with F.A. Rules.

(E) All decisions of the Management Committee shall be binding subject to the right of appeal to the Board of Appeal in accordance with Rule 16.
Decisions of the Management Committee must be notified in writing to those concerned within fourteen days.

(F) Five Members of the Management Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Management Committee and three Members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by any sub-committee of the Competition.

(G) The Management Committee, as it may deem necessary, shall have power to fill in an acting capacity, any vacancies that may occur amongst their number.

(H) A Club having failed to comply with an order or instruction of the Management Committee, or failing to satisfactorily attend to the business and/or the correspondence of the Competition shall be liable to be fined or otherwise penalised at the discretion of the Management Committee.

(I) All fines and charges shall be paid within 14 days of the date of posting of the written notification. Clubs, Officials or individuals committing a breach of this rule will incur an additional fine equal to the original fine. Any further breach of this rule will incur such action as the Management Committee see fit to impose.

(J) A member of the Management Committee appointed by the Competition to attend a meeting or match may have any expenses incurred refunded by the Competition.

(K) The Management Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may occur in the membership of the Competition between the Annual General or Special General Meeting called to decide the constitution and the commencement of the Competition season.

(L) A Club failing to be represented at a meeting of the Management Committee when requested to do so shall be fined £50.00 and failing to be represented at three consecutive meetings without satisfactory reasons being given shall be further dealt with as the Management Committee may determine.

(M) A Club/Team/Player may be charged by the Competition with bringing the Competition into disrepute, if any conduct on or off the field of play by the Club/Team/Player is deemed to warrant such action. A Club/Team/Player found guilty of such offence shall be liable to be fined and or dealt with by the Management Committee as it deems fit. No participant under the age of 18 may be fined.