1.  Name: The club shall be called Liffeybank Football Club (the Club) 

2.  Colours: The colours of the club shall be blue and black.  

Each manager is responsible for the team’s match jerseys and should keep them together so that they can be handed down to a younger team at the end of the season. 

This also applies to training equipment. 

3.  Aims and Objectives: The aims and objectives of the Club shall be  

 To arrange football matches, provide training and opportunities for all playing members of the Club  

 To promote the Club within the local community and football 

 To encourage high ethical standards. All persons involved in the Club shall conduct themselves with integrity, accountability and in a fair and equitable manner 

 To provide its services in a way that is fair to all and does not discriminate against any person(s) on any grounds, especially regarding their gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, and membership of the Traveller community 

 To encourage participation and enjoyment of taking part in Football in a fun, safe and enjoyable, age-appropriate environment. To create a spirit of sportsmanship and community participation amongst members through the development of physical skills, self-discipline teamwork and Co-operation. 

4. Governance:  

 The club shall have the status of an affiliated member club of the North Dublin Schoolboys League (NDSL) & Dublin and District Schoolboys League (DDSL). The rules and regulations of the Football Association of Ireland and the NDSL/DDSL and/or any League or Competition to which the Club is affiliated for the time being shall be deemed to be incorporated into the Club rules. 

 The club shall abide by the Football Association of Ireland’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct, Ethics and the Equal Opportunities and Antidiscrimination Policy. 

 The Director of Football at Liffeybank F.C. is entitled to move players within teams during the season provided suitable notice has been given to the player, parents and the manager, if the child and parent are agreeable to the move. Managers are expected to comply with this process and support the players in these transitions. 

 Players assigned to a team at the start of the playing season must stay with that team for all games. Managers, coaches, parents are not allowed to move players between teams unless prior agreement has been sought through the Director of Football and Club Secretary. 

 It is the responsibility of all managers to ensure that their players are within the required age limits for his/her team. Valid I.D. must be submitted to the registrar as part of the registration process. Any manager found to be playing an over age player will be dismissed. 

 It is desirable that every player plays in their own age group and where practical, this rule will be enforced. Exemptions may only be granted by the Executive committee. 

 The Club Registrar and Secretaries have responsibility for the registration of players and teams. Priority for signing of players should be given to existing members of the club before new members. All registrations should be completed at least one week prior to the start of the season. 

 If a manager is stepping down or leaving the club it is his/her responsibility to inform the appropriate secretary before informing the players or parents, to allow for time for the club to find a replacement manager. 

5. Club Membership:   

a.  The members of the club shall consist of the following membership categories: 

 Juvenile Player Member 

 Committee Member 

Coach Member 

 Adult Player Member 

 Parents / Guardians of Juvenile Player Members 

b.  All members will be asked to adhere to the Club’s Code of Conduct. Family membership will entitle adult members to “one” vote at an AGM, EGM or SGM.  

c.  All Parents/Guardians of Juvenile Player members shall also agree to be bound by the policies and codes of conduct set out by the Club.  

d.  All members joining the Club shall be deemed to accept the terms of this Constitution and any byelaws from time to time adopted by the club. They will also be required to conduct themselves in accordance with the Cub’s ethical framework, and to any sanctions set out therein. 

e.  The Club Secretary shall maintain a Register of Members and applications for membership shall be admitted by the Executive committee and shall only be refused or expelled on reasonable grounds, such as flagrant disregard of the club rules and policies. In the event of a member’s resignation or expulsion, their name will be removed from the club register.   

f.   The Football Association of Ireland and other Governing bodies shall be given access to the Membership Register on demand. 

g.  All Coaches are Coach Members of the club and must be bound by the rules of the club. All coaches must go through the garda vetting process before being allowed coach with the Club.   

6. Annual Membership Fees:  

a.    Membership fees will be set by the committee in advance of the football season. 

Membership fees are payable in one lump sum or in instalments.  

b.    No player or prospective player can register without paying the appropriate annual fee.  

e. Players must pay the appropriate fee and register at least one week before being eligible to play either competitive or friendly matches.  THIS RULE MUST BE ADHERED TO AS IT COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS SITUATION SHOULD AN UNREGISTERED PLAYER BE INJURED.   

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 Committee of their resignation.  

b. The Club Committee 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.     

c. A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any of the Club property. 

d. All kits or any other items being the property of the Club in the possession of a person who ceases to be member of the Club shall be returned by that person to the Club Secretary forthwith.  

8. Club Committee  

a. The Club Committee shall consist of the following Club Officers: Chairperson, Assistant Chairperson, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Child Welfare Officer, Director of Football, Kit and Equipment Manager and other roles deemed necessary.  

b. Team managers may attend any committee meetings by permission of the executive, though they will have no voting rights.   

c.  Additional committee members may be co-opted onto the committee if deemed necessary.  

d. A member of the committee may be removed by general agreement of the executive should they fail to attend 3 consecutive meetings and access to any correspondence will be revoked. 

 Chair the Committee meetings EGM, SGM and AGMs 

 Work alongside the secretary to plan meetings and devise the agendas 

 Strategic planning and key decision-making duties 

 Uphold Club Constitution, Policies and procedures, andNational Governing Bodyregulations 

 Delegating, leading and motivating club volunteers towards club goals/objectives 

Ensure that the club provides a safe and friendly environment for players to enjoy football 

 Provide strong leadership and guidance to steer the club forward 

 Work with all club officials to provide information on the running of the club 

 Be a good role model for all and teach good habits 

 Encourage continued development of all members/officials 

 Provide information, instruction and feed back to all members in a constructed manner. 

 Ensure player welfare is looked after 

 Becomes the Club’s Designated Liaison Person (DLP) 

 Develops the club and positions the club to achieve its goals and objectives. 

 Assistant Chairperson deputises for Chairperson in their absence and supports them in their role. 

Secretary and Assistant Secretary Roles and Responsibilities: 

 The day-to-day running of the club’s administration 

 Work alongside the Chairperson to devise meeting agendas, communicate meeting details to attendees.  

 Take minutes of all meetings and circulate these to relevant parties. Keep all records and meeting minutes in compliance with GDPR 

 Ensure meetings follow protocol e.g. quorums and votes 

 Follow up with actions outstanding from previous meetings 

 Uphold the club constitution and codes of practice 

 Ensure that the club and its officials/members function effectively. 

 Provide the main point of contact within the club for all issues relating to the club. 

 Work with all to provide information, instruction on club issues and topics. 

 Be a good role model for all and teach good habits 

 Encourage continued development of all members 

 Provide constructive feedback to members, parents and team managers. 

 Continue to develop as a general secretary 

Assistant Secretary deputises for Secretary in their absence and supports them in their role. 

 Provide up to date accounts on the finances of the club 

 Manage and maintain the club’s bank account 

 Creating and maintaining the Club’s annual budget 

 Uphold the club constitution and codes of Practice 

 Provide summary of accounts to the executive committee on a regular basis 

 Work with the executive committee to provide information to team managers and members of financial issues including outstanding membership fees etc. 

 Liaise with registrar regarding Membership Fees 

 Responsible for payments to third parties e.g. kits, equipment, services. 

 Issue payment reminders 

 Seek approval from Executive committee for substantial spends 

 Prepare financial statement for the A.G.M and report on same at A.G.M. 

 Be a good role model 

 Encourage continued development and improvement of all financial matters  Provide information, instruction and feed back to the executive committee. 

 Continue to develop as treasurer 

 Assistant Treasurer deputises for Treasurer in their absence and supports them in their role. 

 Managing the club registration and membership renewals processes 

 Processing membership applications for new members 

 Maintaining accurate and up-to-date membership records including Members Register 

 Works with the club treasurer to reconcile membership payments, discounts, refunds etc. 

 Contacts members in payment arrears to pay club membership dues  

 Updates coach each season on who has paid their membership and is eligible to play Ensuring data privacy and meeting GDPR obligations 

 Reporting to the club secretary on the progress of memberships etc. 

Child Welfare Officer Roles and Responsibilities: 

 Be familiar with the FAI Child Welfare and Safeguarding policy, Complaints and Disciplinary procedures, 

 Social Media Policy and any other relevant guidelines. 

 Implement Child centred policies and procedures within the football organisation 

 Ensure safe recruitment procedures are in place for volunteers and players 

 Have completed the Risk Assessment and Child Safeguarding Statement. If there is already a Risk Assessment and Safeguarding Statement, The C.W.O. must review these annually amend as necessary. 

 Promotion of Child Safeguarding Statement and be the first point of call for it 

 Host regular information meetings and get parental involvement 

 Ensure that Club members are adequately trained and adhere to the Child Welfare and Safeguarding Policy 

 Ensure that there are accurate and up to date records of coaches and volunteers training and Garda Vetting Clearance 

 Monitor movement and drop out of players and volunteers. 

 Handle any complaints received regarding poor practise. 

 Make contact with League, Affiliate and National Bodies 

b. Each Club Officer and Club Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment to the next Annual General Meeting unless otherwise resolved at a Special General Meeting. One adult member may hold no more than one position 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. The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer or Secretary shall chair meetings of the Club Committee.  

c.  Only adult members (over 18) can be officers of the Club or be entitled to vote 

d. The quorum for the transaction of business of the Club Committee shall be half the number on the committee plus one. 

e. Decisions of Club Committee Meetings shall be entered into the Minutes of the Club to be maintained by the Club Secretary or Assistant Secretary.  

f.   Any member of the Club Committee may call a meeting of the Club Committee by giving not less than seven clear days' notice to all members of the Club Committee. The Club Committee shall hold not less than 8 meetings in each calendar year.  However, it is at the discretion of the incumbent committee to decide on the number and frequency of meetings.  

g. An outgoing member of the Club Committee may be re-elected. A member proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining Club Committee Members and approved by a simple majority of the remaining Club Committee Members shall fill any vacancy on the Club Committee which arises between Annual General Meetings. Committee members must be registered members of the club. 

h. Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of the Football Association and the NDSL/DDSL the Club Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules. 

a.  An AGM will be held annually so as to- 

 Receive a report on the activities of the Club over the previous year 

Receive a report of the Club's finances over the previous year  Elect the Members of the Club Committee. 

 Consider any other business. 

b.  Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Club Committee can be made in advance, by the proposer and seconder, both of whom must be existing adult members of the Club, to the Club Secretary not less than 7 days before the AGM. Nominations by way of proposer and seconder will also be accepted at the meeting.  Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than seven (7) 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 20 adult members stating the purpose for which the meeting is required and the agenda proposed. Business at a SGM may be business that may be transacted at an AGM.  

d.  The Secretary shall notify each adult member of the date and venue of a General Meeting / SGM together with the agenda to be proposed at least seven (7) days before the meeting. 

e.  The quorum for a general meeting shall be 25 adult members. 

f.    The Chairperson of the Club, or in their absence an adult member selected by the Club Committee, shall take the chair. Each adult member present shall have one vote, and a simple majority shall pass resolutions. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the meeting shall have the casting vote.  

g.  The Club Secretary, Assistant Secretary or in their absence a member of the Club Committee, shall record Minutes of General Meetings.  

h.  Notice of the AGM or an SGM shall be given to all adult members by the Secretary no later than 7 clear days before the meeting is scheduled to take place. Notice should be in writing and through any local newspaper, bulletin or the Club website. 

 9. Club Teams: 

a. 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 and for team selection. The appointed members shall present to the Club Committee a report on the activities of the team as and when required by the Club Committee.  

b. The Committee are empowered, depending on representations to decide on the Rules and Regulations regarding all aspects of team coaching / management.  Where possible this will be done at a meeting of all managers / coaches. 

c.  The Committee, with the assistance of all coaches shall endeavour to promote a “COACHING 

ETHOS” for both senior and junior players 

d. The Committee / Club will where possible support all coaches through appropriate training courses (all expenses to be met by the Club). All coaches must have Safe Guarding 1 completed 

a. A bank account(s) shall be opened and maintained in the name of the Club (the Club Account(s)). 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 deposited in the Club Account(s) as soon as possible or given to the Treasurer to deposit in the Club Account(s). 

The committee can at times authorise the opening of specific accounts for projects as appropriate however, the rules concerning the running of such accounts shall be as stated above.  

b. All income received by Managers, Coaches, Committee Members or Persons operating on behalf of Liffeybank F.C. should be lodged in a Club bank account by the Treasurer  

c. The income and assets of the Club (the Club Property) shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club.  

d. The Club Committee shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club and to any person for services rendered to the Club on production of valid receipts and/ or invoices. 

e. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual Financial Statement and shall present it at the AGM.  At all committee meetings the summary of accounts of the club will be available for inspection.  

f. The Club Committee shall have power to borrow funds (loans) on behalf of the club whereby either an AGM or SGM has been held and the motion to borrow passed by a 2/3 majority.   

In the event that any member feels that he or she has suffered discrimination in any way, or that the Club Policies, Rules or Codes of Conduct and Ethics have been broken, should follow the procedures below. 

a. They should report the matter to the Club Secretary or another Member of the Club Committee, Managers or Coaches detailing:         

1. What, where and when the incident occurred 

2. Witness details 

3. Names of others with a similar complaint              
4. A preference for a solution to the incident.  

b. The Club Disciplinary Committee will sit for any hearings requested and will be made up of three people appointed by the committee and who have no vested interest in the matter before them.    

c.  The Club Disciplinary Committee will have the power to:             

1. Warn as to future conduct 

2. Suspend from membership              
3. Remove from membership. 

4. Fine. 

5. Or any other action they deem appropriate 

A person found to have broken the Club's Policies or Codes of Conduct. 

Notification of the Disciplinary Committee’s decision will in the first instance be verbal to all parties, followed by notification in writing (within 7 days) to the party/parties involved.  A copy of the minutes of the hearing and the basis for the decisions will be forwarded to the Club Secretaries for Club records. 

Right of Appeal 

An appeal against any decision of the Disciplinary Committee must be made in writing to the Chairperson (or in their absence, any sitting member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Club) within seven days of the initial decision. The Disciplinary Committee may review their decision but will only do so in circumstances where new evidence or a change in circumstances would deem the original decision to be grossly unfair. The Appeal decision will be binding and be delivered in writing within seven days to the concerned parties. 

All “Special Events”, meaning events or activities outside the normal day to day functions of the Club, should be notified to the Club Committee in writing or by presentation to the Executive Committee. All such events must be approved in advance by the Executive Committee.  

Special events will include items such as competitions, tournaments (home or away), fundraising events, training events, player assessments, training courses, trips etc. This list is not exhaustive but is to give an indication of the type of events that must be notified to and approved by the Executive Committee before the planning and conducting of any special events or activities.  

All finances in relation to special events or activities should be transacted in accordance with Section 10 above. 

 

These can be formed when necessary and by co-option by the committee.  In instances where sub-committees are formed non-members can be elected however, they will have no voting rights should the subject of the Sub-Committee go before an AGM or SGM.  They will however, be allowed the courtesy of presenting the case of the sub-committee. 

All coaches should meet regularly to discuss;  

 Their needs and the Clubs needs 

 Problems, existing and foreseen 

 Coach and Player Development 

 Training, Rules of the Game, League, Club 

(The term Coaches will be deemed to cover all Committee Members, Managers, Assistant Managers, Coaches or any other member or non-member involved in the running of a team or teams within the Club.)