Club Secretary

The Club Secretary is the main contact with the Amateur Football Combination (AFC), the Amateur Football Alliance (AFA), and all other member clubs. The Club Secretary is responsible for most of the club administration with the “outside world”.

* Registers the club with the AFA, AFC and various Cup Competitions (May/June).
* Deals with correspondence (primarily from the AFC and AFA) and fines promptly (typically within 7 or 14 days).
* Notifies the AFA and AFC of any changes to club details.
* Deals with any Spirit of Football issues from the league.
* Attends AFC (the league) and AFA (the county) meetings.
* Produces agenda and minutes for club committee meetings.
* Attends and reports to the club’s monthly meetings.
* Provides update on the disciplinary and administrative position of the club.
* Liaises closely with all other committee members.

Club Fixture/Match  Secretary

The Club Fixture/Match Secretary is the main contact with other clubs and referees for the day-to-day arrangement of fixtures.

Check your fixtures for mistakes, clashes, pitch allocation problems, as soon as they are published by the league. Don’t wait a week as it’ll be too late for  the League Match Secretaries to be able to address any problems.

For all home games ensure you confirm details (venue, kickoff time, team colours, and details for post-match hospitality) with the opposition Fixture Secretary by the latest on the Monday preceding the game, but try and do it at least 7 days prior. Do not simply leave a message on voicemail or email or by text and assume the game is confirmed. Make sure you receive confirmation back from the opposition and referee – if not chase them to respond please.

If you haven’t had confirmation from your opposition or the referee by the middle of the week, contact the League Match Secretary and/or Referees’ Secretary.

For home games ensure you confirm details (as above) with league appointed referees by the Monday preceding the game. If you cannot contact a league appointed referee, contact the appropriate Assistant Referees Secretary.

If the league cannot provide a referee for a game, the home club are responsible for providing a club referee.

Confirm details of all matches with your team captains. If a team does not intend to accept hospitality at away games, ensure you tell the opposition well in advance. If the game is a Cup game, make sure the captain knows the Cup Rules (earlier kickoff time, details for extra time and penalties)

Make sure you have booked pitches for all home games. If your home pitches may need inspecting on the morning of the game, make sure you have made arrangements to do so, so as to prevent unnecessary travel.

If you have a game postponed for any reason, make sure you tell the Referee, Referees’ Secretary, the opposition and the relevant League Match Secretary and Ian Andrews (League Sec)

After games have been played, make sure your club has recorded all opposition & referee marks and entered players details, on Full-Time by the agreed deadlines.
 

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Club Chairman (Club captain)

Some clubs have these as separate roles, some have one person fulfilling both. The Club Captain and/or Chairman is responsible for ensuring that all of the club work together.
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If a club have two separate roles, then the Club Captain is effectively the Chairman of Selectors, ensuring the sides are fielded each week and ensuring liaison between the captains, whilst the Club Chairman ensures the administrative tasks are all undertaken.

• Ensure regular Committee meetings are held and direct the club. All of the club officers need to know what is going on with other aspects of the club.
• On a week to week basis, ensure selection progresses according to club policies. Captains should be working to ensure free movement of players up and down the club, and someone needs to overlook this to ensure they are doing so.
• Ensure Club Discipline is upheld, and the Club Discipline Code is applied.​

Treasurer

Ensure prompt payment of match fees by captains. Don’t allow a captain to get into arrears on match fees – it gives the club and captain a problem.

• Ensure a system is in place to track match fees owed. Don’t let players get away with “I’ll pay next week” and never actually make up their debts.
• Pay the club’s bills – League and Cup entry fees, pitch fees, catering, etc.
• Ensure the club has suitable insurance policies in place.
• Ensure the club accounts are kept up-to-date, and sound. Ensure you have funds at the start of the season to pay affiliation fees, pitch bookings, new kits etc. Many of these have to be paid up front before a ball is kicked.
• Present accounts to the club’s AGM.

Team Captain/Manager

Remember that you are responsible for the behaviour of your players on match-day, and the team captain is also the most visible “face of the club” to referees and opposition. You need to set a good example and make sure your players follow it.

During the week

• Ensure your fixture secretary has provided you with the details for the game (venue, kickoff time, opposition team colours, details for post-match hospitality).
• Confirm your players’ availability early in the week, and liaise with your other teams on selection. If your club has a problem with player numbers, the opposition and league want to hear about it sooner rather than later.
• Ensure you are aware of any banned players (whether by the County, or by your Club). And don’t play them!
• For away games, ensure all of your team are aware of transport plans (and check in advance for rail disruption, road closures etc). With travel around London as unpredictable as it is, aim to meet at the ground 45-60 minutes before kickoff.
• For home games, ensure your team know when to meet, and you have match balls (minimum two), practice balls, a pump, a spare whistle (in case you need to provide the referee at the last minute), half time refreshments, nets, ties, pegs, corner flags and a first aid kit.
• For all games, make sure you have the team kit and it arrives on time!
• For all games, make sure you have the mobile numbers of all players. Don’t tolerate players arriving late (make them substitutes!).
• Ensure you always have a league handbook with you, in case of problems.

On the day of the match

Remind your players about the Spirit of Football and check if the referee wants to brief the players. Make sure you’re wearing the captain’s armband.

• At least five minutes before kick off, if you intend to use repeat substitutions make sure the referee has your team sheet with the names of everyone in your squad. If you don’t want to use repeat substitions you must still give the referee the names of all substitutes. If you don’t name a substitute, the referee isn’t allowed to let him play.
• Make sure your team are ready and on time for kickoff. Remember you only have to have seven players to start the game.
• Collect match fees from all of your players, and note down what you have collected (and paid out) as well as match fees not collected (“I’ll pay next week skip”). Note the referee’s name, and the marks for the referee, Spirit of Football and hospitality as well as details of any cautions and dismissals (and quite possibly, goalscorers). Ensure all of these are reported to your club secretary promptly.​