Our Constitution

Our Constitution provides information on the Roles and Responsibilities of staff members at the club, about the Rules & Regulations they're to adhere to and the measures that the Club has taken to promote Respect and Fairplay within the game of football

Widnes Football Club Rules/Constitution

1 Name
The Club shall be called Widnes Football Club (the club)

2 Objects
The object of the Club shall be to arrange Association Football matches and social activities for its members.

3 Status of Rules
These rules (the club rules) form a binding agreement between each member of the Club.

4 Rules and Regulations
(a) The Club shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of The Football Association by virtue of its affiliation to/membership of The Football Association. The Rules and Regulations of The Football Association Limited and parent County Football Association and any League or Competition to which the Club is affiliated for the time being shall be deemed to be incorporated into the Club Rules.
(b) No alteration to the Club Rules shall be effective without prior written approval by the parent association.
(c) The Club will also abide by The Football Association’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policy.

5 Club Membership
(a) 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.
(b) 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 sole discretion of the Club Board. Membership shall become effective upon an applicant’s name being entered in the Membership Register.
(c) In the event of a member’s resignation of expulsion, his or name shall be removed from the Membership Register.
(d) The Football Association and parent County Association shall be given access to the Membership Register on demand.

6 Annual Membership Fee
(a) An annual fee payable by each member shall be determined from time to time by the Club Board of Directors. Any fee shall be payable on a successful application for membership and annually by each member. Fees shall not be repayable.
(b) The Club Board of Directors shall have the authority to levy further subscriptions from the members as are reasonably necessary to fulfil the objects of the Club.

7 Resignation and Expulsion
(a) A member shall cease to be a member of the Club if, and from the date on which, he/she gives notice to the Club Board of Directors of their resignation. A member whose annual membership fee or further subscription is more than two months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.
(b) The Club Board of Directors shall have the power to expel a member when, in their opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a member. There shall be no appeal procedures.
(c) A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the Club Property.

8 Club Non Executive Committee
(a) The Club Non Executive Committee shall consist of the following Club Officers: Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Minutes Secretary. Plus, up to five other members, elected at an Annual General Meeting.
(b) Each Club Officer and Club Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting unless otherwise resolved at a Special General Meeting. One person may hold no more than two positions of Club Officer at any time. The Club Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Club. 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. Meeting of the Club Committee shall be chaired by the Chairman or in their absence the Secretary. The quorum for the transaction of business of the Club Committee shall be five
(c) Decisions of the Club Committee at meeting shall be entered into the Minute Book of the Club to be maintained by the Minutes Secretary.
(d) Any member of the Club Non Executive Committee may call a meeting of the Club Committee by giving not less than seven days’ notice to all members of the Club Non Executive Committee. The Club Non Executive Committee shall hold not less than four meetings a year.
(e) An outgoing member of the Club Non Executive Committee may be re-elected. Any vacancy on the Club Non Executive Committee which arises between Annual General Meetings shall be filled by a member proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining Club Non Executive Committee members and approved by a simple majority of the remaining Club Committee members.
(f) Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association and the County Association to which the Club is affiliated, the Club Board of Directors shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules.

9 Annual and Special General Meetings
(a) An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in each year to:
(i) Receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year.
(ii) Receive a report of the Club’s finances over the previous year.
(iii) Elect the members of the Club Committee
(iv) Consider any other business.

(b) Nominations for the 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 that 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.
(c) A special General Meeting (SGM) may be called at any time by the 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 SGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.
(d) 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.
(e) The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 7
(f) The Secretary, 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.
(g) 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.

10 Club Teams
At its first meeting following each AGM the Club Committee shall appoint a Club member to be responsible for each of the Club’s football teams. The appointed members shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the team.
The appointed members shall present to the Club Committee at its last meeting prior to an AGM a written report of the activities of the team.

11 Club Finances
(a) 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.
(b) The income and assets of the Club (the Club Property) shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club.
(c) The Club Board of Directors shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.
(d) The Club shall prepare an annual Financial Statement in such form as shall be published by The Football Association from time to time.
(e) The Club Property, other than the Club Account, shall be vested in not less than two and no more than four custodians (the Custodians), one of whom shall be the Treasurer. The Custodians shall deal with the Club Property as directed by decisions of the Club Board of Directors and entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence of such a decision.
(f) 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.
(g) On their removal or resignation a Custodian shall execute a Conveyance in such form as is published by The Football Association from time to time to a newly-elected Custodian or the existing Custodians as directed by the Club Board of Directors. On the death of a Custodian, any Club Property vested in them shall be vested automatically in the surviving Custodians. If there is only one surviving Custodian, a Special General Meeting shall be convened as soon as possible to appoint another Custodian.
(h) 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.

12 Dissolution
(a) 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.
(b) The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

Behaviour of Players, Officials and Spectators

General

The Club Board must ensure that the team manager is directly responsible to the Chairman for the behaviour of the players. Decisions taken by the manager or the committee under the code of conduct, whether it be a fine or suspension, must be carried out and recorded.

Players and Officials

Players and Officials need to be reminded that they are subject not only to the football rules when playing the game, but the laws of the land as well. Club officials must act at all times in the interest of the game as well as their club. Civil and criminal liability can apply on the football field just like anywhere else. If anyone, including spectators, acts outside the law or their legal duties they could face prosecution of a civil law claim.