1. Name
1.1 The organisation shall be called the Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Pool League and shall consist of divisions playing 8 ball pool according to such rules and regulations as decided by the Executive Committee.
1. 2 Individual seasons may be named after a business providing sponsorship as approved by the Executive Committee.
2. Aim of the League
2.1 The aim of the League shall be to promote and support the game of pool in North East Lincolnshire.
2.2 The League will operate on a division basis with the addition of team knockout, individual knockout and doubles knockout competitions, as shall be
determined by the Executive Commitee.
2.3 It shall deal with all matters affecting such games and their players, and shall take such action as deemed expedient.
3. The Executive Committee
3.1 The League shall be governed by an Executive Committee, which will consist of a Chairperson, a Secretary, a Treasurer and additional committee
members. Members of the Executive Committee are obliged to safeguard the interests of the League.
3.2 Only members of the League or honorary life members of the League may serve on the Executive Committee.
3.3 Once appointed members of the Executive Committee will remain in place until they stand down, pass away or their positions are challenged. Any
such challenge must be made in writing to the League Secretary. The challenge will then be put to a vote of the League’s membership within 14 days.
3.4 In the event of any positions becoming vacant, the Executive Committee will have the power to appoint a successor.
3.5 Each member of the Executive Committee will be entitled to one vote. In the event of the vote being equal, the Chairperson’s vote will carry.
3.6 Members of the Executive Committee will be unable to vote on any issue where they are considered to have a conflict of interest regarding the
matter being voted upon.
4. Power of the Executive Committee
4.1 The Executive Committee will have the power to arrange for appointments of any committee and to delegate to such a committee any business it
deems necessary.
4.2 The Executive Committee is empowered to change the rules for the benefit of the League and take such action as considered necessary to achieve
the aim of the League without a vote by the League’s members.
4.3 The Executive Committee has full power to deal with any offending individuals, teams or organisations and infringements of the rules. The Executive
Committee’s decision on all such matters will be final.
5. Finances
5.1 The Executive Committee is responsible for administering the finances of the League and will maintain a bank account in the League’s name.
5.2 The Treasurer shall receive all monies due to the League and make payments on its behalf. The Treasurer shall keep a full and proper account of
monies and produce a statement of accounts annually or at such time as may be required by the Executive Committee.
5.3 League fees and fines shall be levied at a rate decided by the Executive Committee.
6. Membership
6.1 The League shall consist of teams from Grimsby, Cleethorpes and the district of North East Lincolnshire as approved by the Executive Committee.
Teams outside this area may be admitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
6.2 Upon registering for the forthcoming season teams are agreeing to abide by the Rules of the Constitution.
6.3 Each team will pay a fee of £50.00 upon registering for the forthcoming season. This includes entry into the team knockout competitions and the
registration of all players.
6.4 Each new team will be required to pay a £25.00 bond upon registering for the forthcoming season to guarantee that the complete season’s fixtures
are played. The bond will be refunded upon the successful completion of their first season, but teams failing to complete their fixtures or with outstanding
debts will forfeit their bond.
6.5 Entry to the League may be restricted to a limited number of teams in order to maintain an even number of teams in each division.
6.6 Any team not wishing to enter the team knockout competitions will be required to inform the League Secretary when registering their team.
6.7 The Executive Committee reserve the right to refuse any team or player entry to the League without having to give a reason. Any venue which bars
female players will automatically be refused entry to the League.
6.8 Registration for the forthcoming season will not be secured until a completed team registration and registration fee have been received. Select
venues will be invoiced for their teams at the discretion of the Executive Committee. If an invoiced venue fails to pay, any outstanding fees are the full
responsibility of the teams who play from that venue.
6.9 Teams with outstanding fees or fines from the previous season will be refused entry until such fees or fines have been paid in full.
6.10 Teams with outstanding fees or fines from the Grimsby Summer Pool League will be refused entry until such fees or fines have been paid in full.
6.11 Honorary life membership of the League shall be awarded to members who have given outstanding service to the League as nominated and ratified
by the Executive Committee.
7. Player Registration
7.1 Any team may register additional players at any time during the season apart from players wishing to transfer from an existing registered team (see
Rule 7.2). New players must be registered no later than the official start time on the evening of a match to be eligible to play in that match. Any player
registered after the official match start time who then proceeds to play will have any frames won docked and awarded to the opposing team.
7.2 Each player is permitted a maximum of two transfers per season at the cost of £5.00 for the first transfer and £10.00 for the second transfer. The
deadline date for player transfers is the 31st January. No player transfers are permitted after this date. Any team wishing to transfer a player from
another team must inform the League Secretary prior to the transfer being made.
7.3 The playing of a player under a false name is deemed to be a most serious offence and may result in the offending player and the offending team
captain being banned from all League activities for the remainder of the current season. In addition, any frames won by the offending player will be
awarded to the opposing team and any points won by the offending team will be lost. The offending team will also receive a £20.00 fine.
7.4 Players are allowed to play for both a Tuesday team and a Wednesday team, but they are not permitted to play for more than one team on the same
night.
8. League Structure
8.1 The League will be composed of divisions of teams playing on a Tuesday or Wednesday night with a maximum of twelve teams per division.
8.2 At the end of the season the top two teams in each division will be promoted and the bottom two teams in each division will be relegated, should
there be a division for them to move into.
8.3 Accrued points will determine the position of each team in their respective divisions with three points awarded for a win and one point for a draw.
8.4 Where two or more teams tie on points the team with the greater frame difference will be placed in the higher position.
8.5 If still equal, results of matches between the two teams will determine which team finishes in the higher position.
8.6 If still equal, a play-off match will be played at a neutral venue and on a date to be decided by the Executive Committee.
8.7 Should any team fail to register for a new season, the Executive Committee have the power to do either of the following in order to fill empty
positions:
a) Cancel the relegation of any team based on the final standings from the previous season.
b) Promote the next highest placed team from the division below based on the final standings from the previous season.
8.8 Upon registering for a new season, any team that wishes to change the night it competes on will be placed in an appropriate division, should there be
space available, based on the ability of their team as decided by the Executive Committee.
8.9 Upon registering for a new season, any new team that is composed of established players will be placed in an appropriate division, should there be space available, based on the ability of their team as decided by the Executive Committee.
8.10 Any team attempting to manipulate the division they are placed in will be severely punished. Examples of such manipulation include, but are not
limited to, the following;
a) Refusing to accept a promotion in accordance with Rule 8.2 or Rule 8.7.
b) Threatening to withdraw your team from the League if you are not placed in a specific division.
c) Withdrawing your team from the League and then signing en masse for a different team in a lower division.
d) Registering a team of lower ability players in order to be placed in a lower division only to register higher ability players after the season has started.
9. Fixtures
9.1 Home and away matches shall be played throughout the course of a season with all matches being played on the date and time specified on the
fixture list.
9.2 Any team wishing to postpone a match must provide a minimum of 24 hours notice to both the captain of the opposing team and the League
Secretary.
9.3 Any matches postponed during the first half of the season must be played before the second half of the season begins. An extension may be granted
by the Executive Committee if a justified reason is provided. Any matches postponed during the second half of the season must be played before the
final designated league match of the season for the division in which the match was postponed.
9.4 It is the responsibility of the team postponing a match to provide a suitable new date for the opposing team on which to play it. Failure to agree a new
date or failure to play the match before the required deadline will result in the match being forfeited and the rules for forfeiting matches will be applied
unless it can be shown that a genuine attempt was made to agree a new date. If neither team can agree a new date on which to play the match it will be
played on a date determined by the Executive Committee.
9.5 Any matches postponed in the team knockout competitions must be played before the next round is scheduled to be played. Failure to do so will
result in both teams being disqualified unless either side can show that they made a genuine attempt to agree a new date.
9.6 Any team which forfeits a match during the course of the season will be fined £20.00 per forfeited match and their opponents will be awarded a 20-0
win for matches in the Wednesday Premier Division, a 14-0 win for matches in all other divisions and an 8-0 win for matches in the team knockout
competitions.
9.7 Any team failing to play three fixtures throughout the course of a season without a justified reason will be expelled from the League. All of their
results up to that point will be annulled and their remaining fixtures will be cancelled. A team suspended from the League will automatically forfeit any
prize money or trophies won during the course of the season.
10. Matches
10.1 All matches are to commence at 19:30. If the opposing team has not arrived by 19:45, the first frame may be claimed. The second frame may be
claimed at 19:50 and the third frame may be claimed at 19:55. If the opposing team has not arrived by 20:00 the full match may be claimed.
10.2 Matches are to be played strictly in the order on the scorecard as set by the team captains. The away team is to fill in the scorecard at the start of
each section with the order of their players first. Neither section will commence until both teams have filled in the scorecard with the order of their
players. Teams cannot fill in the scorecard with the order of their players on a frame-by-frame basis as the match progresses. Changes to the scorecard
are permitted for legitimate reasons outside the control of the team, e.g. a player has had to leave, but they are not permitted for tactical reasons. Should
a team need to make a change to the scorecard they must inform the opposing team captain of any such changes beforehand.
10.3 Matches in the Wednesday Premier Division will consist of twenty frames. Matches in all other divisions will consist of fourteen frames. Matches
must flow continuously, but a short interval may be taken at the midway point.
10.4 Matches in the Wednesday Premier Division require a minimum of five players per team with no player able to play more than four frames. Matches
in all other divisions require a minimum of five players per team. Four players per team can play a maximum of three frames each with all other players
able to play a maximum of two frames each.
10.5 Matches in the team knockout competitions are best of fifteen frames with a minimum of five players per team. No player is able to play more than
three frames.
10.6 A minimum of three players can attempt to play a match in all competitions as a result can still be achieved.
10.7 Any team attempting to play a fixture with less than the minimum number of required players will be penalised by having unplayed frames awarded
to the opposing team. In this instance the opposing team must still fill in their side of the scorecard if they wish to claim any unplayed frames. If both
teams have less than the minimum number of required players, any unplayed frames will be shared equally between both teams.
10.8 Any unplayed frames must be left until the end of the scorecard.
10.9 If a player should turn up late for a match they will be allowed to play providing they arrive before the end of the sixteenth frame in the Wednesday
Premier Division and the eleventh frame in all other divisions.
10.10 Scorecards will be completed by both team captains on the night and submitted as being correct.
11. Knockout Competitions
11.1 The League will operate team knockout competitions to run in conjunction with regular fixtures throughout the course of the season. Each night will
have its own team knockout competition.
11.2 Entry to the team knockout competitions may be restricted to a limited number of teams in order to maintain an even number of teams in the draws.
11.3 All teams that lose in the first round of the team knockout competitions will be automatically entered into secondary team plate knockout
competitions. Any team which forfeits their match in the first round of the team knockout competitions will not be entered into these competitions.
11.4 Matches in the team knockout competitions are the best of fifteen frames with a minimum of five players per team. No player is able to play more
than three frames.
11.5 The League will operate additional individual knockout and doubles knockout competitions throughout the course of the season. Entry fees to these
competitions will be levied at a rate decided by the Executive Committee.
11.6 The winning teams of each division from both nights will be entered into the Champion of Champions knockout competition at the end of the
season. Additional places will be awarded to the winners of the team knockout competitions to bring the total number of teams in this competition to
eight. Should a team win both their division and their night’s team knockout competition, the place in the Champion of Champions will be awarded to the
runner up from their night’s team knockout competition. Should the runner up have also won their division, the place in the Champion of Champions will
be awarded to the team that finished in second place in the highest division for that night.
11.7 The semi finals and final of the team knockout competitions and the semi final and final of the Champion of Champions knockout competition will be
played on fixed dates to be decided by the Executive Committee. Failure by a team to play their match on these dates without a justified reason will
result in that team forfeiting the match and the rules for forfeiting matches will apply.
12. Meetings
12.1 Should the Executive Committee deem it necessary, an Annual General Meeting will be held before the commencement of a new season. At least
fourteen days notice of such a meeting shall be given.
12.2 Upon registering for a new season a team may submit any proposed changes in writing to the League Secretary. The Executive Committee will
review all proposed changes and any that they deem to be worthwhile will then be put to a vote of the registered teams. Each team will be entitled to one
vote per team.
12.3 The Executive Committee is empowered to make changes that they deem are beneficial to the League. Such changes will not require a vote by the
League’s members.
12.4 Once a change has been implemented it will be in place for the entirety of the forthcoming season. It may only be reversed when the next Annual
General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting is held, or if the Executive Committee deems that it is having a detrimental impact on the League.
12.5 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Executive Committee or at the request of six member teams of the League.
12.6 Such a request is to be made in writing to the League Secretary stating the reasons for doing so. The Secretary will then convene a meeting giving
at least fourteen days notice and the meeting shall have the power of an Annual General Meeting.
13. Presentation Night
13.1 A presentation night will be held at the end of each season for the awarding of prizes won by teams and individuals. The venue and date will be
decided by the Executive Committee.
14. Complaints
14.1 Any member having a complaint should send details of that complaint to the League Secretary with a £10.00 fee within seven days of the
misdemeanour.
14.2 Should the Executive Committee judge the complaint to be frivolous the fee will be forfeited. The fee will be returned if the complaint is upheld.
15. Appeals
15.1 Any member wishing to appeal a decision made by the Executive Committee should send details of that appeal to the League Secretary with a
£10.00 fee within seven days of the decision.
15.2 Should the Executive Committee judge the appeal to be frivolous the fee will be forfeited. The fee will be returned if the appeal is upheld.
16. Conduct of Players
16.1 Any player causing a disturbance through drink, drugs, intimidation, abusive language or acts of violence during an official League match or
competition whereby bringing the game or the League itself into disrepute will be indefinitely suspended from the League forthwith.
17. Withdrawal of Teams
17.1 In the event of any team withdrawing from the League all of their results will be removed as if the matches had never been played and the
respective table updated accordingly.
17.2 A team withdrawing from the League during the course of the season will automatically terminate the right of every player in that team from taking
further part in any League activity for the remainder of the season. Should any player in that team wish to register for a new team then they should
contact the League Secretary and every assistance will be given (note: Rules 7.1 and 7.2 also apply).
17.3 A team withdrawing from the League will automatically forfeit any prize money or trophies won during the course of the season.
18. Change of Venue
18.1 Any established League team that changes its home venue and/or team name for a new season will maintain the position in their respective
division from the previous season.
18.2 Should a team wish to change their home venue and/or team name whilst a season is in progress, they must ask the League Secretary first for
approval to do so.
19. Fees & Fines
19.1 Fines for misdemeanours must be paid within 28 days of an official Executive Committee ruling. Failure to comply with this ruling may result in the
offending team being expelled from the League forthwith.
19.2 It is the responsibility of the team captain to ensure that all fees and fines are paid in full.
19.3 Teams that accrue what the Executive Committee deems to be an unacceptable amount of unpaid fees and/or fines during the course of a season
will have a player registration embargo placed upon them until all outstanding fees and/or fines are paid in full.
19.4 All outstanding fees and fines from a previous season must be paid in full before registering for a new season.
19.5 All outstanding fees and fines owed to the Grimsby Summer Pool League must be paid in full before registering for a new season.
19.6 All fines gathered during the course of a season will be donated to a local charity as decided by the Executive Committee.
20. Venues
20.1 It is a traditional courtesy for the home venue to provide food for both teams during the interval of match (not including matches in the team
knockout competitions). The provision of food is at the discretion of the home venue.
20.2 If teams are handing out a name card during a match we advise that it is offered to the away team to fill in first in order to prevent any arguments.
20.3 Venues will be required to display any posters provided by the League in close proximity to their pool table(s).
20.4 Venues are required to maintain their tables to a playable standard including, but not limited to, a brushed and level playing service, adequate room
to cue from all sides, the use of match balls and the provision of a rest and spider. Multiple complaints regarding the standard of a table will be
investigated by members of the Executive Committee. Should it be deemed that a table is not in a playable condition, any teams that play from that
venue may be required to play their home matches from a neutral venue until any such problems with the table are resolved.
20.5 The Executive Committee will not intervene in any disputes between teams and venues regarding barred players, the payment of League fees,
venue membership fees or the provision of food.
20.6 Any venue which bars female players will automatically be refused entry to the League.
20.7 There is no age limit on players in the League, but any teams with underage players will be required to contact venues beforehand to confirm that
they will be permitted entry.