Reminders :

There is No Smoking in any Council Changing Rooms or Buildings : Failure to comply with this may result in the loss of Council Facilities.

All Secretarys should have received a letter from the ECFA regarding foul and abusive language : Please remind all club members of their obligations and that again, failure to comply may well lead to further action being taken by the ECFA and/or clubs losing their facilities.

There have been reports of a number of thefts from changing rooms. For your own safety and peace of mind, please ensure that no valuables of any kind are left in any changing rooms.

A first class stamp must be used by the home team on the Referee Match Report Card given to the Referees - Rule 13j, it is not up to the Referee to supply the stamp.

Home teams, please ensure you have sufficient cash to pay the match official the correct money. It is not the referee's responsibility or a requirement to carry change.

A number of referees have reported that clubs are not bringing them the match balls and flags prior to the game but leaving them out on the pitch or centre circle. The rule requires clubs to present these to the ref prior to the game - please oblige.
Please ensure that as well as balls and flags, a list of your substitutes is provided to the referee in the changing rooms before the game.

This is for Secretarys, please take note of rule 10d - "at least three clear days prior to the playing of the match" - this means any club, playing at home, not contacting either (or both) the opposition Secretary (not Manager) and the Referee before Wednesday night will be liable for a Ł20.00 fine.
A number of clubs are not making contact before Thursday / Friday nights and this is unfair on other teams who have to notify their players of travel arrangements etc.

Use of text messages : Please ensure that if you send a text message to the opposition and/or referee to confirm a game, they do actually receive it ! Ask for a confirmation or ring only !

Unregistered Players (Ringers)
The Management Committee have over a number of seasons received a small number of anonymous pieces of correspondence regarding unregistered / banned players - although we appreciate this goes on and we are trying to clamp down on it by introducing spot checks at games, neither the League nor the ECFA are able to act on anonymous correspondence.

If a Club/Team has any suspicions of any opposition players being illegal by not being registered or under suspension, they must tell the Club concerned on the day that they are going to report them to the League for playing an unregistered / illegal player etc. Although the matter does not directly concern the match referee, it is worth making him aware that you will be putting in a protest.
You will then need to take the players details; name, shirt number and if you are able to get photographic evidence it will give more credence to your allegations.
The Club Secretary (and only the Club Secretary) must make a report, in writing to the League Secretary within 3 days of the match with the illegal players name.

Please be aware of the cup rules regarding player registration - Rule 8a.
A number of clubs have defaulted by not following this rule.

The League Management Committee wishes to remind all Clubs' of Rule 9a - 'Goalkeepers must wear colours which distinguish them from other players and the Referee. No player, including the goalkeeper shall be permitted to wear black or very dark shirts'.

Please note : It is an FA rule that any player wearing 'undershorts' must ensure they are either the same colour as the club shorts OR they are not visible below the club shorts. Referees are required to ensure clubs abide by this rule.

Urinating in a public place is forbidden and an offence by law where prosecution can result. Club Secretaries please remind your players and officials to use the facilities provided and not the hedge. Clubs are being fined by ECFA in excess of Ł20 per player !!

Please could all clubs collect all litter that has been left after your match, it takes only a few seconds to do or else we may lose pitch facilities.

Social Networking - FACEBOOK etc
Please be aware that any club or individual can be brought up on an ECFA charge of bringing the game into disrepute by posting overly negative or derogotary comments on social networking sites, blogs or websites.
Furthermore, any club found to be doing so will have their link from the Colchester & District Sunday League Website removed.

Referees have been reminded that the over-reaching priority upon arrival at any game is to ensure the pitch is up to standard and most importantly, to consider the safety of players who will be playing on it. As such, it is the referee to decide whether or not the game will go ahead. If you are using you 'own' pitch, please ensure every effort is made to make the ground playable as games that are postponed may not be able to be re-scheduled.