CODE OF CONDUCT

Introduction

All players, team managers, assistants & coaches and all parents or guardians are required to abide by the following rules and regulations of Walton MK Football Club. These rules govern: the payment by players of match & training fees; the attendance and behaviour of players, parents or guardians & managers, assistants & coaches at matches & training; the high standard of conduct expected by everyone connected with the Club; the club’s published child protection policy.

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1.0 Players’ Membership
To become a playing member of the club you must:
1. Complete a Club registration form to the satisfaction of the Club Secretary.
2. Complete the required league registration card to the satisfaction of the relevant league.
3. Pay the clubs subscription fees.

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2.0 Club Fees
The amounts payable each season will be communicated by the Club in advance of the new season starting. For the purposes of payments, the season runs from August to July each year.

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3.0 Players Code of Conduct
With regards to matches, a player should always:
1. Always play to the best of your ability and within the spirit and laws of the game.
2. Avoid all forms of gamesmanship and time wasting.
3. Avoid all violent and dangerous play.
4. Never use inappropriate, foul or abusive language whether it is directed at match officials; opposition players or management; your team-mates or manager, assistant & coach; spectators; no-one in particular.
5. Always accept the referee’s/officials’ decisions without any adverse comment and without showing any form of dissent.
6. Treat everyone with respect at all times including: officials; your own team-mates and manager, assistant & coach; the opposition players & management; all parents & supporters.
7. Always abide by the instructions of your team manager, assistant & coach provided they do not contradict the spirit of this code.
8. Abide by the team playing policy.
9. Inform your team manager as far as possible in advance that you are unavailable for selection for a match.
10. Arrive at match venues no later than 30 minutes before kick-off (unless by arrangement with your team manager).
11. Be appropriately dressed for a match in the team shirt, shorts and socks provided by the Club.
12. Always wear shin pads. If you do not, your manager is instructed to exclude you from a match.

With regards to training, a player should always:
1. Attend all training sessions unless you have advised your team manager in advance that you are unable to do so.
2. Turn up appropriately dressed and in good time for the start of a training session.
3. Always wear shin pads. If you do not your manager is instructed to exclude you from any contact sessions during training.
4. Pay attention to the coach/manager and never talk whilst they are giving instructions.
5. Be prepared to learn and to concentrate fully during training.
6. Treat your team-mates and manager, assistant and coach with respect.
Any player who persistently breaches any of the above rules shall be liable to suspension from matches by the Management Committee.

4.0 Managers, Assistants & Coaches Code of Conduct
Team managers shall be appointed each season by the Management Committee of SUFC. They are bound by the Club Rules, Regulations & codes of conduct & the Club Child Protection Policy.

As a team manager you should:
1. Agree a team playing policy with the Club at the start of each season and obtain all players and parents acceptance to abiding by that policy.
2. Always have a contact number with you at a match or training event for all your players.
3. Stay in attendance at a match or training event (preferably with another adult) until the last player has safely left for home.
4. Inform all players (& where appropriate their parents or guardians) of their selection or non-selection for a match. As much notice as is practicable should be given.
5. Inform players (& where appropriate their parents or guardians) of the precise address where a match or training event is taking place & what time it starts and finishes

All team managers, assistants & coaches shall endorse, adopt & abide by the Club Child Protection Policy. They should:
1. Ensure the well-being and safety of every player above all other considerations.
2. Respect the rights, dignity, worth and opinions of all players as well as officials, parents or guardians and the opposition.
3. Develop an appropriate working relationship with each player based on mutual trust and respect.
4. At the outset clarify with each player (& where appropriate their parents or guardians) exactly what is expected of them & also what they are entitled to expect from you.
5. Encourage and guide players to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.
6. Ensure that the activities you direct or advocate are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience & ability of the player.
7. Always display high standards of behaviour, appearance, punctuality and instruction.
8. Be a positive role model for players, parents or guardians & spectators alike.
9. By your own example encourage players, parents/guardians and spectators to at all times accept match officials decisions without comment and without showing any form of dissent.
10. Always promote the positive aspects of football and never condone: violations of the laws or spirit of the game; any form of violent or dangerous play; any form of gamesmanship or time wasting.
11. Make every effort to promote harmonious relations with opposition players, management and spectators.
12. Help the players to recognise good performance and not just good results.
13. Always work in an open environment (e.g. wherever possible avoid private or unobserved situations with individual players).
14. Co-operate fully with other people/specialists in the best interests of the player (e.g. Club officials, other coaches, doctors, physiotherapists etc).
15. Advise the Club if any approach is made to you by another club who wish to offer one of your players a trial or transfer.
16. Advise the Secretary within 24 hours of any sending off or caution incurred by any of your players.
17. Respond promptly to all requests and instructions from the Club Officers or Management Committee.

You should never:
1. Use inappropriate, foul or abusive language or tolerate such language from players, parents or guardians or spectators.
2. Discriminate against any player, parent or guardian or spectator (including from opposition teams) by reason of gender, sexual orientation, racial origin, nationality, religious beliefs, ability, disability or economic status.
3. Permit the harassment or bullying of a player by any assistant, coach, other adult or fellow player.
4. Show unacceptable favouritism to any individual player.
5. Punish or belittle a player for losing a match or making mistakes.
6. Smoke, drink or use banned substances whilst actively working with players.
Team managers, assistants and coaches who fail to abide by this code of conduct & also the Club’s Child Protection policy shall be suspended from their position forthwith and instructed to appear before the Management Committee who shall have the ultimate sanction to remove that party from their post and permanently exclude them from the club.

5.0 Parents, Guardians & Supporters Code of Conduct
Parents/spectators have a great influence on a child’s enjoyment in football. They also have a huge influence on a child’s behaviour and their attitude towards other players, officials and the manager, assistant & coach. The Club therefore expects parents/spectators to always set a good example to all the players.

In particular you should:
1. Be positive role models in terms of language, attitude & sportsmanship – encourage rather than discourage.
2. Show respect to match officials, the manager, assistant & coach & the opposition – applaud the opposition as well as your own team.
3. Respect the manager’s decision at all times & give the manager & players your full support.
4. Never enter the field of play.
5. Never use inappropriate, foul or abusive language or shout at any children, the manager, assistant & coach, the officials or the opposition in an aggressive manner.
6. When necessary, be responsible for transporting players to & from training & matches.
7. Fully support and enable both your child and the manager, assistant & coach to comply with the Club’s Players and Managers Codes of Conduct.
8. Abide by the team playing policy.
9. Fully support Walton MK Football Club, ensuring that your membership is always used positively towards the club.

Team managers are instructed to report persistent non-compliance with these rules to the Management Committee who shall have the power to advise parents, guardians and supporters that they are no longer welcome to attend matches and in extreme circumstances to suspend the playing member from matches.

6.0 Internal Discipline Procedure
Players
1. The Club fully expects all players to set and maintain a high level of good conduct and behaviour, both on and off the field of play. The Club will run its own internal disciplinary procedure, in addition to those set by relevant county associations.
2. On receipt of notification of any caution or sending off either reported by the manager to the secretary or by the relevant county association, the Management Committee will discuss any caution or sending off at the earliest opportunity, and will then decide whether or not to implement the Club’s Internal Disciplinary Procedure. They will take into account the referees report, the version of the events reported by the player, his parent/guardian and manager and also the manager’s desired response regarding a formal appeal.
3. If a manager, player or his parent/guardian wish to appeal against a caution or sending off they must notify the Club Secretary within 7 days of the offence taking place. Then, provided the Management Committee support their request, the Club Secretary will lodge an appeal on behalf of the player. Any resulting personal hearing will take place in front of a County Disciplinary Committee.
4. The club’s own disciplinary policy is to impose the following sanctions which, at the Management Committees discretion, can be imposed to run concurrently or in addition to any county impositions:
Cautions (Yellow Card) – Foul Play or Dissent
2nd Caution – 2 match suspension
3rd Caution – A further 2 match suspension
4th and subsequent cautions – player will be suspended until he and a parent/guardian appears before the Management Committee, who shall decide any further appropriate punishment, which may include terminating the player’s membership.

Sending Off (Red Card)
1st Sending off – 3 match suspension
2nd Sending off – A further 5 match suspension or termination of membership depending upon nature of the offence, which would be decided by the Management Committee.

The Management Committee will discuss any caution or sending off at the earliest opportunity, and will then decide whether or not to implement the Club’s Internal Disciplinary Procedure, taking into account the player’s intention regarding formal appeal. The player and his parent/guardian and manager will be asked to offer their version of the events.

Manager, assistant, coach
Failure by any manager, assistant or coach to respond within 7 days to a request or an instruction of the Committee will leave that party liable to automatic suspension by the club until such time as the instruction or request is complied with or the Committee has met with that party to resolve the issue. The Committee reserves the right to suspend any player, manager, assistant or coach who fail to comply with the instructions of the committee in so far as they relate to a breach of Club rules, regulations or codes of conduct or the Club child protection policy or the relevant local league rules or Football Association rules & guidelines.
The Committee reserves the ultimate sanction of permanently suspending any team or manager, assistant or coach who consistently breaches the clubs rules, regulations & codes of conduct.

7.0 Criminal Record Bureau
Under the Football Association child protection regulations, any coach, manager, assistant, referee or anyone undertaking an official role within the Club or with a team, will be required to have undergone a CRB check to enable them to carry on or take up that role. The Club has appointed a Child Protection Officer and he/she will be responsible for anyone who falls into the above category to be CRB checked.