Effective date: November 17, 2024
Every member of the Tigers JFC is bound by one or more Codes of Conduct and is expected to maintain a high standard of behaviour. However, Codes of Conduct can only be effective if there is a disciplinary process to support them as it is essential that the club is seen to be fair
and consistent in dealing with incidences of misconduct.
The club committee will appoint a Disciplinary Committee to deal with serious breaches of Codes of Conduct and club rules as and when they arise. The disciplinary committee will have several options available to it depending on the seriousness of the actual case it is considering.
Possible sanctions to all members include:
• No further action
• Verbal and written warning
• Exclusion from specified number of matches or training sessions
• Removal from team for remainder of current season
• Refusal to register with team for future season
• Expulsion from the club
Disciplinary Procedures depending on the incident:
Stage 1 - Verbal Warning
If the conduct is deemed to be in breach of the standards laid down in the Code of Conduct, a member will in the first instance be given a verbal warning. The member and their parent/guardian will be advised of the reason for the warning and notified that this is the first stage of the Disciplinary Procedure. A note of the verbal warning will be kept by the Club Secretary, but will be discarded after 12 months.
Stage 2 - Written Warning
If the matter is more serious or there is a further breach of the Code of Conduct, then a written warning will be given to the member. This will explain the reason for the warning, the improvement in conduct required and the timescale. Further, if there is no improvement that action detailed in Stage 3 may be considered. The right of appeal against this decision will be advised and explained to the member. A copy of the written warning will be kept by the Club Secretary, but will be discarded for disciplinary purposes after 12 months subject to satisfactory conduct.
Stage 3 – Final Written Warning
If there is still a failure to improve and conduct is still unsatisfactory, or if the matter is sufficiently serious to warrant only one written warning but insufficiently serious to justify dismissal from the Club, a final written warning will be given by the Committee. This will explain the reason for the warning, the improvement required and the timescale. It will also warn that dismissal from the Club will result if there is no improvement and will advise the right of appeal. The Club Secretary will hold a copy of the final written warning, but it will be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after 12 months subject to satisfactory conduct.
Stage 4 – Dismissal from the Club
If the conduct is still unsatisfactory and the member still fails to reach the required standards, dismissal from the Club will usually result. Only the Club Committee with a quorum of at least five can take the decision to dismiss the member. The member will be provided with, as soon as practicable, a written explanation for dismissal, the date upon which membership will terminate and the right of appeal.
Gross Misconduct
The following list gives examples of behaviour that are normally regarded as gross misconduct:
1. Fighting
2. Assault on another person
3. Deliberate damage to Club property
Any player or parent/carer who is unhappy with the decision of the disciplinary committee has the right to appeal in writing to the club General Committee within 7 days. The decision of the appeal committee will be final. Ultimately, of course, our club is required to follow the rules and regulations of the leagues to which we are affiliated as well as to County Association and FA rules.
Tigers JFC Disciplinary Policy
Our disciplinary measures apply to players, parents/carers, spectators, Tigers JFC club officers, coaches, assistants, and match officials alike. Every member of the club is bound by one or more Codes of Conduct and is expected to maintain a high standard of behaviour.
The club will also adhere to all disciplinary procedures set by the Essex FA and local leagues.
To reduce the number of offences, by illustrating to members the seriousness with which the Club Committee view discipline, to ensure the good name of the club and to maintain the standards of discipline expected by the FA, Tigers JFC has developed clear policies and Respect Codes of Conduct to establish expected standards of discipline.
Codes of Conduct can only be effective if there is a disciplinary process to support them. It is essential that any process is seen to be fair and consistent in dealing with incidences of misconduct.
Discipline Procedures
No disciplinary action will be taken until a full investigation has been conducted by the Discipline Committee.
Youth Players When a player receives a yellow or red card in any game.
• The manager/ coach MUST report the incident to the Club Secretary on the same day as the game.
• The attending coach will provide the Club Secretary with a brief explanation of the incident and any supporting information, details of the individual concerned, i.e. name of the player and match details including location and opposition team name.
• The Club Secretary will keep a record of any players who receive red or yellow cards and this will be made available to the Committee on request
• The Club Secretary shall advise the Club Treasurer of any decision where the payment of a fine is involved and the Club Treasurer shall ensure the fine is fully paid.
• On a monthly basis the Club Secretary will provide relevant information to the Committee who will monitor and review receipt of red and yellow cards on a player-by-player basis
• Should the Committee consider any player to have an excess number of red or yellow cards, or combination of both, the player and parent may be called to appear in front of a disciplinary Committee.
• The manager may also be called to speak but will not be party to the decision making process.
Mini Soccer players
If during a training session or match a player’s poor behaviour becomes a problem then the attending coach will discipline the child in accordance with our Respect Codes of Conduct and where necessary the parents will be consulted over any action to be taken.
Any incident involving mini soccer players must also be reported in the normal way to the Club Secretary.
Discipline Committee
The club committee will appoint a Disciplinary Committee to deal with serious breaches of Codes of Conduct and club rules and also to investigate and take any necessary action resulting from instances of poor practice or poor behaviour by players, coaches, parents/carers and spectators. The disciplinary committee will have a number of options available to it depending on the seriousness of the case it is considering. The Discipline Committee shall be chaired by the Assistant CWO Wayne Freeman, and up to three other Officers from the Club Mark Shields, Billy Green & Charlotte Di Palma. The only exception will be when the occurrence being considered involves a member of the Discipline Committee. Decisions made by the Disciplinary Committee are deemed to be final, but can be appealed if submitted within 7 days.
Those called before a disciplinary meeting will be notified of the time, date and venue for the meeting, no later than 7 days prior to the date of the meeting. Further meetings may be held if circumstances require. If the member is under 18 years of age then they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, or other representative agreed with the Discipline
Committee. The member and/or their representative will be given an opportunity to state their case prior to any decision being made. The Discipline Committee will also hear evidence (verbally or in writing) from any other person that may have witnessed the incident.
Disciplinary Hearing
• A report of the incident is read
• The player/member/spectator/coach is invited to make their statement
• Witnesses are invited to make their statement.
• Representative is invited to contribute any relevant information
• Committee Members will question those in attendance about the incident
• The meeting will close and the Committee will consider the action to be taken
• The Discipline Committee shall report its findings to all parties (and authorities where appropriate) within 7 days of the date of the hearing.
• Any penalties awarded against any player, member, parent or carer should be recorded and presented at the next Committee Meeting.
The Discipline Committee will exercise this power in a fair and open manner and without prejudice. If a member fails to attend the Disciplinary hearing, the Committee will meet and a decision will be made in their absence.
Sanctions, Penalties and Fines
Any member, coach, player, club official, parent, carer or spectator who behaves in a way that is contrary to our Policies and Codes of Conduct, may face any of the following sanctions and penalties. Whenever appropriate the committee will seek to show restraint and impose lighter sanctions initially with the option of adding additional sanctions or increasing the duration of a penalty.
Sanctions may include:
• No further action
• The Player or member may be cautioned as to their conduct (verbal or written warning)
• Fines and suspensions imposed by Essex FA
• Exclusion from specified number of matches or training sessions
• Removal from team for remainder of current season
• Refusal to register with team for future season
• Expulsion from the club
• Any other penalties or suspensions as decided by the Discipline Committee.
Please note:
The parents / carer of any player facing a Essex FA disciplinary will be personably liable for any fines or charges imposed on the club by the Essex FA. If a player chooses to appeal against a decision made by the ECFA, they do so at their own cost.
Any player who is fined by the ECFA and does not pay the fine within the agreed timescales will be suspended from playing until the fine has been paid in full.
Appeals Process
Any player or parent/carer who is unhappy with the decision of the disciplinary committee has the right to appeal in writing to the Club Secretary within 7 days.
The Club Secretary shall immediately appoint a Club Appeal Board made up of 5 Club Officers. At least 3 of them will not have sat on the original Discipline Committee.
The Appeals Board shall consider the detail of the appeal and decide whether the appeal should be upheld, changed or annulled. No appeal will be heard unless the player or parent concerned appears personally before the Appeals Board. The decision of the appeal committee will be final.
Ultimately, of course, our club is required to follow the rules and regulations of the leagues to which we are affiliated as well as to County Association and FA rules.
