Rule 1

Name :- The Boys’ Brigade Old Boys’ Union Football League.

Rule 2

The League shall be confined to constituent members of the B.B. Old Boys’Union, or Associated Members with a Church Uniformed Organisation or Church sponsored Youth Club. Associate Members not to have Voting Rights to Change name of Parent Body.

Rule 3

The Annual Meeting of the League shall be held not later than the 30th of June each season.. Each Club shall be entitled to two Representatives. The Meeting shall appoint for the season the Hon., Officials :- Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, treasurer, Assistant Secretary and Registration Secretary, the Hon., Officials to have a vote except the Chairman . The Chairman in case of a tie to have the casting vote.

Rule 4

The business of the League shall be conducted by a Council of eight members elected at the Annual Meeting and the Hon., Officials .The Council shall select Teams and make arrangements for Representative Matches. An Emergency Committee consisting of the Hon., Officials shall adjudicate between regular meetings. The Council shall decide all protests, five (5) to form a quorum. Should either of the two clubs in connection with a protest or any dispute whatever, have a member on this Council, the said member shall retire from the room while the protest is being considered.

Rule 5

The Secretary on receiving a requisition signed by half the Clubs shall convene a General Meeting.

Rule 6

The Annual Subscription of the League shall be £40 for the first team in a club and £35 for any other team in a Club with the same registered secretary. This subscription covers League entrance fee, entry fee to Knock Out Cups in which a Club is eligible to compete, Rental and Registration fees for all players. Half the subscription to be paid at the Annual General Meeting and the remainder by the November meeting of the League. No new Club shall be admitted without first submitting an application form accompanied with Association and Club Rules.The Association being declared bonafied by the Captain of the B.B. Company or Church Minister or Pastor of the Church with which the Club is connected. Any Club failing to fulfill fixtures allocated will be fined £20, which must be paid before any further fixtures can be played. Failure to pay the fine before the following Saturday will also cost the match due that day. Any other costs incurred will also be charged to the Club. If a team fails to fulfill 3 games they may be dismissed from the league.

Rule 7

All matches shall be played under the jurisdiction of the Irish Football Association Limited and subject to the Laws of the game.

Rule 8

All players taking part in a fixture under our jurisdiction must be bonafied members of the Old Boys’Association for whom they are playing. At least 3 players of every Team taking part in a match under our jurisdiction must be past members of the Boys’ Brigade , or Past Members of the Associate Members. Officers or ex Officers of the B.B. are eligible irrespective of length of service and will for the purpose of this Rule , be accepted as past members of the B.B. All players must sign a Registration Form ( such signature to be witnessed by the Old Boys’Association Secretary and Captain of the B.B. Company or Church Minister with which the Club is connected or the Chairman of the Association ) and registered with the League Secretary (3) days before playing. A Senior Boy of the B.B. (16 ) sixteen years may participate in Old Boys’ League Football subject to the following conditions :- ( a ) Written permission from his Captain to play when his B.B. Team has no fixture. This to be attached to his registration form ; ( b ) A Special Registration Form to be completed and signed by his B.B. Old Boys’ Association Secretary in addition to the usual signatures ; ( c ) All such registration forms to be submitted to the League Council for approval ; ( d ) The B.B. to have priority to the boy’s services at all times. No player who has played in more than ( 5 ) matches in competitions senior to this competition viz :- Irish Football League , “ B “ Division , Amateur League Divisions 1A ,1B , 1C ,Irish Cup , Steel Cup and Intermediate Cup and all competitions inaugurated by these bodies during the current season ,or who has at any time broken his Amateur Status and played or signed professional , except he has been reinstated as an Amateur by the Irish Football Association Limited , shall be eligible to play in this competition. Players shall be registered each season. For the purpose of this rule, forms shall be deemed to be in the hands of the Secretary from the time of posting ,the post mark to be the sole proof of posting. Forms may also be handed in at meetings. Any player may be reinstated by the Council on a payment of a fee of 25 pence prior to the 31st of December in the current season.

Rule 9

Clubs shall be required to keep Minutes of their Meetings, showing dates and names of new members , selection of Teams etc., and be prepared to produce same at the request of the League . Any Club failing to be represented at any meeting called by the League shall be fined £5.00 A Member of Council absent from two consecutive meetings without satisfactory reason shall cease to serve and the Council may co-opt a member to act in his place . No Club shall be allowed to register any player after the 31st of March each season.

Rule 10

Any Club playing an ineligible player through non- registration or otherwise will be fined £5.00 for each ineligible player played. In the event of a second offence the Club may be dismissed from the League. In the case of a protest being upheld against a Club which has won a match by any violation of rule, points so won will be deducted from them and awarded to their opponents. Protests under this Rule giving particulars must be received by the League Secretary within two days (Sunday Excluded) from the date of the match. , together with a fee of £5.00 which shall be forfeited in the case of a protest not being sustained. A copy of the protest must be sent to the Club protested against at the same time .All protests and copies under this rule must be sent by Special Delivery or Recorded Delivery. Post Office receipts shall be conclusive proof as to date and time of posting. If the protest be not lodged according to rule or is not discussed by the Council, the deposit will be returned.

Rule 11

If the Council has any doubt as to the eligibility of any player taking part in this league, they have power to call upon such player, or team to which he belongs, or for which he played, to prove to the satisfaction of the Council that he is properly qualified according to the rules and failing such satisfactory proof the Council shall have the power to disqualify such player or the team for which he played or impose such penalty as they may consider necessary.

Rule 12

A list of the Registered players of a particular Club may be inspected on payment of £1.00.

Rule 13

At the end of each Season’s Competition the Club attaining the highest number of points shall be declared the Champion Club of the League. The method of scoring shall be as follows: - Two points for a win and one point for a draw. Should two or more Clubs be equal in points, they shall play off on a neutral ground to decide the winner.

Rule 14

Clubs must play fixtures on dates arranged by the League, except the ground be declared unplayable by the Referee. The Referee shall inspect the ground prior to the kick off and shall give his decision immediately as to the fitness of the ground for play. By arrangement between the two Captains, the duration of each match may be reduced to a period of not less than one hour. At least 48 hours notice in writing must be given to the opposing Club’s Secretary in the event of a changing of venue or postponing of a fixture, 48 hours notice in writing to the League Secretary also with satisfactory evidence for non fulfilment of fixture. This notice will only save the Club’s Guarantee Fee. Failing same the opponents may be awarded the points. Each Club shall play their (at home) fixtures on the ground registered with the league, unless on mutual agreement of both Clubs. If the ground be declared unplayable the Referee shall be paid his travelling expenses only. Both home and away teams shall provide a ball for the match. In the event of no Official Referee covering a fixture the home team shall forward to the League Secretary within seven days the result of the match . Any Club failing to do so will be fined £1-00.

Rule 15

Should a team not turn up in reasonable time or fail to fulfil their fixture as arranged by the League ,the opposing team shall be receive the points . Reasonable time should be understood to mean not more than 15 minutes from the official time of starting. Teams failing to fulfil such a fixture to pay all expenses of Referee and ground and may be subject to a fine at the discretion of the Council.

Rule 16

Each Club shall register their colours and grounds with the League Secretary. The Council of the League may refuse registration of a ground which they consider unsuitable .No Clubs shall play on any ground other than that registered except with the approval of the Council. In the event of two Clubs having the same colours, the home team must change their colours.

Rule 17

Any person in one League Club can be transferred to another providing the form issued by the League is completed to the satisfaction of the Council and the following conditions are carried out . (1) The player concerned must not be in arrears in his present Club; (2) All Transfers must take place before the 31st of December in the current season; (3) No player can be transferred twice during the same season. (4) The Council ,upon request ,reserve the right to transfer any player within the league, should the Club holding the registration of a player refuse or fail to sign the Transfer Form without due cause within seven days of receipt of such Transfer Form.

Rule 18

Each Club shall give the Referee and opposing Club Representative, names of players competing therein prior to the match.

Rule 19

The Council of the League shall have the power to deal with offending Club ,Clubs , Officials or Players as they think fit and to deal with any matter not provided for in these rules .

Rule 20

All communications must be addressed to the Secretary at his private address. A Finance Committee of five shall be appointed and all financial matters shall be placed before them, but no payments or grants can be made without the sanction and approval of the Council. A Banking Account shall be opened in the name of the Boys’ Brigade Old Boys’ Union Football League and all funds be lodged to the credit of this Account. Cheques must be signed by any two of the following:-Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon., Secretary or Treasurer. Two Auditors shall be appointed annually to audit the Books and Accounts of the League.

Rule 21

No alterations in these rules shall be made except at the Annual Meeting .Any proposed alterations must be submitted in writing to the League Secretary before the 30th of April and a copy of proposed alterations shall be sent to Clubs when summoning the Annual Meeting. A three –fourths majority shall in all cases be necessary to alter the Rules of the League.

Rule 22

If this League be at any time dissolved or suspended, all assets and Trophies shall be invested with the B.B. Old Boys’ Union.

Rule 23

Clubs holding Trophies must give a guarantee to be signed by two guarantors ( to be approved by the Council ) for the return of same in good condition not later than the February Meeting in the current season or be fined £10-00 .

Rule 24

No Club may at any time resign without permission of the League Council. No Club may be re-admitted at a later date unless all outstanding debts are paid.

Rule 25

Any Club wishing to resign from the League at the end of the season, must do so in writing on or before the date of the Annual Meeting otherwise they will be deemed members of the League for the ensuing season. In the event of this rule not being complied with guarantee fee will be forfeited. Rule

Rule 26

Should a Club have two or more teams in the League the team in the Junior Division shall at no time play more than 3 recognised Senior Division players. A recognised Senior Division Player shall be one who has taken part in more than (5) Senior Division matches during the current season. For the purpose of this rule the current season shall be reckoned from the 30th of November.

Rule 27 Three players may be substituted at any stage of the game for any reason, except to replace a player ordered off by the Referee. The names of the substitutes must be notified to the Referee and opposing secretary before kick-off.

Rule 28

A Club having more than one team must play the Senior Team’s match in the event of them being unable to field all their Teams .Failure to do so will result in the loss of the fixture result to the Junior Team and a fine imposed on the Club at the Council’s discretion .

Rule 29 A Club registering different Secretaries for their teams will be taken as running separate Teams and players of one will be ineligible to play for other Teams within their Club Number.

Rule 30

All Monies owed to the League must be cleared on a 3 monthly basis at the Monthly League Meeting. Failure to do so will result in the loss of fixture due the Saturday after the League Meeting. Further fixtures will be lost if money is not paid to the League by the Saturday before a fixture is due.

Rule 31

All Sponsorship to Teams must be cleared by the League Council. Teams should submit their Sponsorship in writing to the League Secretary before acceptance of Sponsorship.

Rule 32

In the case of a Club failing to fulfill it’s fixtures due to resignation, suspension, or dismissal from the League all record of matches played will be deleted from the League’s current season’s records.

Rule 33

All Teams in the league should endeavour to have at least one of their members qualified to referee games. These persons will be classified as Club Referees and in the event of no Official Referee turning up for a match then which ever team has a qualified club referee available he or she should referee the game. In the event of both teams having a Classified Club referee available then they should toss to see who does the match. The performance of Club Referees will be monitored by the League Council.

Knock Out Cups.

Rule 1

These Competitions shall be called the B.B. Old Boys’ Union Football League Knock Out Competitions.

Knock Out Cups.

Rule 2

No player shall be eligible to compete in these Competitions unless he is registered with the League Secretary. No player can play for more than one Club in these Competitions. All Clubs competing must have played in the League during the current season. No player is eligible to take part in these Competitions unless he has been registered 12 days prior to round in which he plays. Should a Club have two or more teams competing, all registered players shall be eligible to play for any of the Club's teams. On playing for his Senior Team a player shall no longer be eligible to play for their Junior Team in the same Competitions.

Knock Out Cups.

Rule 3

The Final ties of these Competitions shall be played on dates to be arranged by the Council each year.

Knock Out Cups.

Rule 4

The Rules of the League, in- as-much as they apply to these Competitions shall govern these Competitions. Rule 5 Extra time and Penalty Kicks will be played if scores are level at the end of Full Time. Extra time to be 10 minutes each way and if scores are still level the tie to be decided by a series of Penalty Kicks as laid down by F.I.F.A.