Annual subs are currently set at £15, and are needed to meet the bills the club faces over the close season period - league and cup entrance fees, FA affiliation, pitch rental, etc. They should be paid to the Treasurer before the end of July, and must be paid by the end of August. Anyone who hasn’t paid up once the season starts is letting everyone else down, and is liable to be left out of the team without further explanation.

  Weekly subs are set at £3 for training and £3 per game. These are required to meet such expenses as hire of school premises, changing room costs, referees’ fees, etc, and should be paid every week, to the Treasurer or to whomever is standing in for him. Substitutes pay on a pro-rata basis with the player replaced, e.g., if the substitution was made at half time, both players pay half each. The level of these subs may decrease as and when organised fund raising gets under way - but that is something else for which we need your help!

  Subs should be paid to the Treasurer without him having to come looking for the money. You can catch him either before the game, or after it, or in the pub, but it’s your responsibility to seek him out and pay him, not for him to chase you.

  If you are one these people who insist on paying with a ten or twenty pound note every few weeks rather than when the subs actually fall due, then please note, we are not running a credit facility. Block payment of subs should please be made in advance, not in arrears.

  Anyone having genuine difficulty in keeping up to date with payments can come to an arrangement with the Treasurer to pay off an outstanding debt in stages. Assuming the club is itself on an even keel financially, we are always willing to make such an arrangement with anyone, but, having made such an arrangement, we will insist on you sticking to it.

  If the Treasurer cannot get subs off particular players, he has a duty to the rest of us to raise the matter with the Manager and the Secretary. If no arrangement can be made, the Manager will be expected to leave the player concerned out of the team unless and until payment is forthcoming. As a rough guide, four weeks in arrears with subs is the point at which this should happen.

  You must fill in and sign the appropriate League signing-on form before playing for this club. If you have already signed for another club in the Wharfedale Triangle this season, you will need a transfer form, and this needs the signature of an official of the club you’re leaving.

  It can take up to a couple of weeks for signing-on forms to be processed by the Wharfedale Triangle League and returned, and we’re not allowed to play you until your form is back in our hands - you can’t sign players on Sunday mornings any more. Also, the eligibility rules for the cup competitions which we enter are somewhat varied, but a good rule of thumb is the sooner you sign on the sooner you are allowed to play - and this club does not field ineligible players as a matter of policy. So please don’t delay in filling in the form and getting it back to the club Secretary.

  It doesn't cost anything to register players in Wharfedale (if you sign before November), but it does take up time and effort, so please don’t waste our time by filling in a form if you’ve no intention of playing for us.

  Contrary to rumours, you don’t actually need to have paid your annual subs to sign on. It helps of course, but some players are always signed at the club’s expense just in case they’re needed, so, if in doubt, sign the form, and leave it to us to decide if and when you are registered.

  We must have your home address, and telephone number. It’s not fair to expect us to run the club without this information. An office hours number might be helpful, and will only be used with discretion and when absolutely necessary.

  We need a date of birth from all players (not just the under-18s), as the County FA require the information for disciplinary purposes.

  The manager’s phone numbers are printed in every newssheet. Claiming you don’t know how to contact him is the most pathetic excuse imaginable.

  If you have a point to make to the Manager, about team selection or whatever, that’s your right, but please don’t rant at him on the touchline in front of the opposition on a Sunday morning. Ring him, or see him at training, or talk to him in the pub, or something. But let’s not wash our dirty linen in public.

  If you know you’re not going to be at training, ring the Manager with your excuse in advance, not three days later.

  If you weren’t at training, ring to find out whether you’re in the team or squad for Sunday, and what arrangements have been made for meeting, getting changed, etc.

  If you need to know anything about where we’re meeting, who’s in the team, etc, ring the Manager - don’t sit there waiting for him to ring you. It’s far more equitable for everyone to make one phone call than for one person to make about twenty.

  The earlier in the week you ring the Manager, the better, Thursday being the latest you should normally leave it to confirm your availability or otherwise - but a call on Sunday morning is better than none at all.

  Serious contenders for places in the team are expected to attend training regularly and punctually - it’s as simple as that. We go training for a purpose, namely to get fit. It follows that, if you’re not at training regularly, you can’t be as fit as you need to be.

  For training sessions, we provide you with bibs in fluorescent shades of green and orange. These are to you identify team-mates, so wearing bright green or vivid orange tops underneath might cause you a problem. Better to stick to plain colours.

  The school where we train has a no-smoking policy: please respect it.

  We play in shinpads, so training without them is unrealistic, as well as being dangerous.

  Similarly, we don’t wear baseball caps during games, so wearing them for training just makes you look silly. They are also dangerous in heading situations, and you are risking injury to your team-mates if you persist in wearing them.

  On Sunday mornings, arrive at the place stipulated at the correct time (9.45 for home games), erring on the side of caution if necessary. If you are going to be late, ring the Manager and let him know (use his mobile number if necessary). Failure to follow this rule may lead to your being left out of the side without further explanation.

  Anyone who turns up, obviously the worse for wear from the previous night’s socialising, don’t be surprised if you get dropped.

  If you’re giving or accepting a lift to the game, note that it’s a joint responsibility to arrive on time, i.e., if you’re late, both driver and passenger are at fault. So, if you’re a driver and your passenger is making you late, tell him to ask someone else for a lift next week and tell him why; if you’re a passenger and your lift is late, try to make alternative arrangements next week.

  If you’re going to be late for training, again, ring the Manager before the event and let him know. If you’re regularly missing from training, you can expect to be dropped, and this goes for people who are persistently late. And, as on Sundays, drivers and passengers are equally culpable.

  For home games, all the selected players help to put the nets up. Anyone who shirks this task is saying to his team-mates, "I think I’m better than you", and deserves no sympathy if taken to task and/or disciplined for lack of team spirit. After the game, win, lose or draw, all eleven players on the field at the end are to help take the nets down. This is to be done before helping yourselves to drinks, nattering to your mates, etc. If everyone joins in, this takes about two minutes, but, if half of you think you're too good to be bothered, it can take much longer and lead to erosion of team morale.

  Players who are not picked for any given match are encouraged to turn up and watch. It’s more fun than staying in bed, and it might fool the Manager into thinking you’ve got a good attitude. If you do turn up, please bring your boots, and turn up five minutes before kick-off time, rather than five minutes after. You never know, we may be unexpectedly short, and, if we are, we can name you as one of the subs, but only if you’re there on time - we have to give the subs’ names to the referee before kick-off.

  One of the substitutes is to run the line, if required, and one is to run on with the first aid kit when necessary. The main reason for this is that they are the ones with the boots on.

  As far as is reasonably possible, substitutes and supporters are asked to help with getting the ball back, especially when it’s for our team and, most important, especially when we’re a goal down! OK, we can’t expect you to form an impenetrable cordon round the field, and we acknowledge that not everybody who turns up on Sundays does so in order to chase stray footballs over the edge of cliffs and into clumps of nettles and that, but it really helps the morale of the players on the field to know they’re getting effective support from those off it.

  Players who have been substituted are expected to behave with dignity, and to contribute to the above duties if at all possible. Only injury can excuse failure to do so.

  During the Manager’s team talks, before the game and at half time, do him the courtesy of listening to what he has to say. He only has a couple of minutes to put his points across, so please don’t interrupt him or start a rival conversation. This applies to supporters as well as to the team!

  Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, we all agree, but, if you come to support us, please do so. Supporters, please try to leave any necessary criticism to the Manager - that’s what he’s there for! Players, don’t forget no-one turns up hoping the team loses, so please take what’s said on the touchline in the heat of the moment in the spirit it’s intended.

  We need the following equipment for home games (person responsible in brackets): goal nets (Steve), corner flags (Woody), two match quality balls and the pump (Woody), track suits (Woody), the green & black strip (whoever washed it last week), linesmen’s flags (Steve), money for referee (Jamie).

  We need the following for away games: track suits (Woody), green/black or yellow strip as appropriate (both kits if in doubt) (Steve).

  For all matches, and for training, we need: practice balls (Woody), first aid kit (John).

  If you’re responsible for any of these items, it goes without saying you’re expected to bring them every week without being reminded. But also, if for whatever reason you’re not there any particular week, it’s your responsibility to arrange for someone else to take them off you and bring them to the match.

  If you think there’s a lot of responsibility spread around a small number of people, you’re right. Anyone who wants to volunteer for any of these jobs, your offer would be gratefully received.

  You are expected to treat all the club’s equipment as if it were your own - which, in fact, it effectively is! When it’s lost or worn out, it has to be replaced, and the cost of this, one way or another, will come from your pocket, so please don’t misuse anything that belongs to the club.

  Treat the kit with the care it deserves. It cost a lot of money and it has to last a long time. Put it in the kit bag after the game, shirts and socks the right way round please (it’s no fun unfolding 14 pairs of sweaty socks on a Sunday afternoon!), and don’t use the shirts as towels.

  Irrespective of where we’re playing, whether there are changing rooms, etc, the kit is to be handed in directly after the game, either in the changing rooms or at the side of the pitch. No-one takes any item of kit home without first clearing it with the kit manager (Steve), and no-one takes a shirt away under any circumstances whatsoever. It doesn’t take a leap of imagination to work out that, if we relax this rule, we could soon start losing irreplaceable items.

  The black bag that lives on the touchline during games is principally for spare items of kit that may be needed by the players. If you must use it to store keys, mobile phones, etc, it is your responsibility to pick them up afterwards. And it is definitely not for use as a waste paper basket.

  If you’re one of these people who can’t play without extra pairs of socks, t-shirts or cycling shorts, please get them in the team colours! For extra shorts, this is an FA rule - they must be the same colour as the shorts, i.e. plain black.

  This club is justly proud of its disciplinary record, and it should go without saying that those who undermine our efforts in this area are risking their future with the club. We don’t tolerate players getting booked or sent off. It gets the club a bad name, and, contrary to what some might believe, doesn’t help us to win matches.

  We expect referees to be treated with respect before, during and after the game.

  This also goes for groundsmen, caretakers, league officials, local residents, and in fact anybody else we come into contact with as a result of being with this club.

  Assuming they conduct themselves in a similar manner, we must also treat players and officials of other clubs with due civility. Unprovoked aggression, intimidation and verbal abuse are not acceptable at this club.

  Irrespective of the opposition’s conduct, racist abuse will not be tolerated.

  Please be advised that "using offensive, insulting or abusive language" (formerly "foul and abusive language") is a sending-off offence. This applies whether it is directed towards the opposition, the referee, the touchline, your own team or even yourself. The usual punishment for this offence is suspension for 5 weeks, in addition to a substantial fine. Don’t say you weren’t told!

  If there are toilet facilities provided, use them! If not, please use a little discretion before marking your lamppost - this is something which really does infuriate residents, especially at Bedquilts.

  If you get cautioned or sent off, you will pay the fine yourself, promptly. [Cheque payable to "West Riding County FA", value £8 for a caution this season; for a sending-off, we’ll let you know the amount.] If you don’t pay the fine, we are obligated to pay it for you, but we have the power to ask the County FA to suspend you from all football until you reimburse us, and will not shrink from doing this if necessary.

  If you get suspended, we won’t play you. If you play for another club while suspended, and the County FA get to hear of it, you’ll be out of the game for a very long time.

  Suspensions incurred playing for other affiliated clubs in FA-sanctioned competitions do prevent you from playing in the Wharfedale League - these include Saturday football and teams in organised 5-a-side leagues. You must tell us if you get suspended playing for another club (whether through being sent off or accumulating cautions), as we are liable to disciplinary action if you get caught playing for us while banned.

  Finally, if you’re not happy and decide to leave (hopefully not after reading this!), please note that, to be eligible to play for another club in the Wharfedale Triangle, you need to fill in a transfer form. These are available from the Secretary of your new club (not me!), and will be completed by us without undue delay, assuming you don’t owe us money. But please - talk to us about it first!

  Any (polite!) suggestions, for additions, amendments or deletions, are always welcomed.

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