1. Name
   The club shall be called CN Sports FC, hereafter referred to as the “Club”.

   
   2. Objectives
   The objectives of the Club shall be to provide association football for its members, both male and female, and such social and recreational pursuits deemed desirable by the Management Committee.

   3. Status of Rules
   The club rules form a binding agreement between each member of the Club.

   4. Rules and Regulations
   (a) The Club shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of The Football Association by virtue of its affiliation to the Lancashire Football Association. The Rules and Regulations of The Football Association Limited, the Lancashire Football Association and any League or Competition to which the Club is affiliated for the time being shall be deemed to be incorporated into the Club Rules.
   (b) No alteration to the Rules shall be made except at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for that purpose and only if supported by a majority of those eligible members present and voting at such meeting.
   (c) The Club will also abide by The Football Association’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and Equal Opportunities & Anti-Discrimination Policies and implement these within its own individual policies. These policies are considered to be part of the Club rules and in association with the Safeguarding Policy already adopted by the Football Club.

   5. Club Membership.

(a) Membership will consist of Officers, Managers, Coaches, Volunteers and members of the club. A member of the club is defined as a registered and fully paid parent/legal guardian of any child player.

(b) All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the club has adopted.

(c)Members will be enrolled in the following categories:

• Junior member – any child registered with the Club.
• Full Member is any parent/ legal guardian of a child player

(d) Full members shall have one vote at the AGM.

(e) Junior members shall not be entitled to vote.

6. Annual Membership Fee and Match Subscriptions

1. Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Executive Committee or determined at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
   (b) Fees will be paid Monthly in advance via the Club’s Electronic system. Members may request to the Executive Committee via the Club Treasurer for an alternative payment method should their financial circumstances prevent them from doing so. Requests must be made in writing by confidential email or written letter.

   
   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 Management Committee of their resignation. 

(b) A member whose monthly standing order is more than 4 months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.
(c) The Management Committee shall have the power to warn, suspend, expel or take such other actions deemed appropriate against any other member of the Club deemed guilty of breach of club rules or conduct prejudicial to the good name of the Club. 

(d) A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the Club Property.
(e) A member who resigns or who is expelled shall return to the Club any and all playing kit, equipment or any such property of the Club within 7 days of the acceptance of their resignation or notification of their expulsion.

(f) There will be the right of appeal to the General Committee following disciplinary action being announced.

(g) The General Committee should consider the appeal within 14 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

8. Club Executive and Management Committees
(a) The Officers of the Club shall consist of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and Welfare Officer, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. This is the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules constitution. They will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

(b) The club shall be run by the Executive Committee in conjunction with the Club Management Committee, which shall consist of:
(i) The Officers of the Club (the Executive Committee).
(ii) Other members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. These members will normally comprise the Team Managers and Parent/Legal Guardian Representatives. This is the Management Committee.
(iii) Other members who, subsequent to the Annual General Meeting, are co-opted by the Management Committee for a fixed period to expire at the date of the next Annual General Meeting.

(c) Each Club Officer and Management Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting unless otherwise resolved at a Special General Meeting. 

One person may hold no more than two positions of Club Officer at any time. 

Officers will be elected annually at the AGM.All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-election.
(d) The Management Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Club including the property and/or assets of the Club. Decisions of the Management Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Management Committee meeting. 

The Chairperson of the Management Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. 

Meetings of the Management Committee shall be chaired by the Chairperson or in their absence the Vice-Chairperson. 

The quorum for the transaction of business of the Management Committee shall be five.

The Executive Committee may hold meetings outside of Management Committee as and when required.
(e) Proceedings of the Executive Committee and Management Committee shall be entered into the Minute record of the Club, which shall be maintained by the Club Secretary or their nominee.
(f) Any member of the Management Committee may call a meeting of the Management Committee by giving not less than 14 days’ notice to all members of the committee. The Management Committee shall normally meet every four months and will hold not less than three meetings a year.
(g) An outgoing member of the Management Committee may be re-elected. Any vacancy on the Management Committee arising between Annual General Meetings shall be filled by a member, proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining Management Committee members and approved by a simple majority of the remaining Management Committee members.
(h) Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association and the County Association to which the Club is affiliated, the Management Committee shall have the power to decide 

all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules.
(i) The Management Committee shall have the authority to appoint Sub-Committees as may from time-to-time be deemed necessary and shall receive reports of such sub-committees at its meetings.
(j) The Management Committee shall have the authority to appoint to Honorary Roles, those members and former members who it deems to have contributed significantly to the Club and /or its development.

9. Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings

1. (a) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held no later than the 30th of September in each year to transact the following business:
   (i) The minutes of the previous AGM shall be read and confirmed and any matters arising shall be dealt with
   (ii) Presentation of the Officer’s reports.
   (iii) Election of the Officers of the Club.
   (iv) Election of other Members of the Management Committee.
   (v) Proposed alterations to the Club Constitution.
   (vi) Any other business.
   (b) Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Management Committee shall be made in writing by the proposer and seconder, both of whom must be existing members of the Club, to the Club Secretary not less than 14 days before the AGM.
   (c) Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the Meeting.

(d) The Chairman, or in their absence a member selected by the Management Committee, shall take the chair. 

Voting rights will be given to the Club Officers, Team Managers, Members co-opted onto committees and one Parent / Guardian / Carer of playing members. 

Each member present shall have one vote only and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of those voting. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote. A register of names of attendees at General Meetings and the playing members whom they represent will be taken.
(e) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called at any time by the Management Committee and also upon written request of 10% of membership. 

The Club Secretary shall call an EGM within 21 days of receipt of a requisition in writing, stating the purposes for which the meeting is required and the resolutions proposed. 

Business at an EGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.
(g) The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 10% of members.

(h) The Club Secretary, or their nominee, shall enter Minutes of General Meetings into the Minute Record of the Club.

10. Club Finances

1. (a)A bank account shall be opened and maintained in the name of the Club (the Club Account). 

Designated account signatories shall be the Club Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and the Treasurer. 

No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account except by cheque signed by two of the four designated signatories. 

All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in the Club Account.

(b)The income and assets of the Club (the Club Property) shall be applied only in furtherance of the objectives of the Club.
(c) The Club Executive Committee shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.
(d) The Club shall prepare an annual Financial Statement in such form as shall be published by The Football Association from time to time and shall be prepared for the 12 months ending 31st July each year.
(e) The Club Property, other than the Club Account, shall be vested in Club Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and the Treasurer (the Custodians), who shall deal with the Club Property as directed by decisions of the Management Committee and entry in the Minute Record shall be conclusive evidence of such a decision.
(f) The Custodians shall be appointed by the Club in a General Meeting and shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed by a resolution passed at a General Meeting.
(g) On their removal or resignation a Custodian shall execute a Conveyance in such form as is published by The Football Association from time to time to a newly elected Custodian or the existing Custodians as directed by the Club Committee. 

On the death of a Custodian, any Club Property vested in them shall vest automatically in the surviving Custodians. If there is only one surviving Custodian, an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened as soon as possible to appoint another Custodian

11. Dissolution

1. (a) A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a two thirds majority of the members present.
   (b) The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Executive Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club. 

(c) In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become those of the Lancashire FA.

(d) Any decision to dissolve an individual age group must be sanctioned by the Management Committee. In the event of an individual age group within the club dissolving, any assets of that age group will become the property of CN Sports FC.

12. Eligibility

1. (a) A player’s eligibility will be strictly in accordance with the registration criteria of the League for 

which he/she has been registered.
(b) Players should normally play in the year group for which they qualified. Any other exceptions will be subject to League and FA rules and agreement by the Management Committee.

13. Complaints Procedure

Any member or Parent/Guardian/Carer who has a grievance or complaint should submit it in writing to the Secretary or any Officer of the Club. 

The written statement should address information requirements defined in the Club Complaints Procedure. The Executive Committee will consider the grievance / complaint at its next scheduled meeting, in accordance with the Club Complaints Procedure.

14. Other

1. Any matters not governed by the foregoing rules shall be dealt with by the Club Management Committee, the decision of which shall be final and binding.

   
   15. Amendments to the Constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

16. Constitution incorporation with Operations Manual

It is intended that this document must be read in conjunction with CN Sports FC Operations Manual, Chain of Command Structure, the Operations Policy Document and the Safeguarding Policy. Copies of which are incorporated into the Club Handbook.

17. Declaration

CN Sports FC hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.