Terms of membership
1. Definition of a member
1.1 Players are considered members of Welwyn United Football Club once a completed
registration form, player photograph, signed acceptance of the codes of conduct from the player and their family and full registration fee payment has been received, or a payment plan set up for the season in agreement with our Club Treasurer.
1.2 Players registering at the start of the season must have all the above completed by 1st September each year. Players joining later during the season have until 1st February to sign for the club.
1.3 Whilst not negating our Equity Policy, we do highlight some terms of membership which we operate within.
1.4 For the purposes of voting rights at an AGM; a member’s voting right will be given by proxy to one parent/carer over the age of 18 years. One player vote shall be given per family, irrespective of the number of members per household.
2. Participation in club matches.
2.1 Players are only permitted to represent our club once a league registration card has been received by our Club Secretary. League rules do not permit any player to play in a match under their auspices without the coach or player being able to produce their card to confirm the player’s identity.
3. Membership Payments
3.1 We recognise that being a member of a football club can be expensive to the player, or more likely in the case of our players: their parents.
3.2 We make every effort to make football affordable, by splitting membership payments into four equal payments to be made by December. If you wish to request for a direct debit payment plan to be set up; then please contact our Club Treasurer.
3.3 We provide a sliding scale of registration fee payment throughout the season, reflective of at what stage in the season a player signs for us.
4. ‘No Pay, No Play’ Rule.
4.1 As a new club, ensuring that everyone has a playing kit, pitches are hired for training and matches,Referee payments, league subscriptions and affiliations are all made – is a very expensive business. We hope to have teams sponsored and we will work hard to fundraise as much as possible to ensure that costs to our players and families are kept as low as possible.
4.2 Should payment not be received in accordance with our payment timetable, or through an agreed payment plan; then we must enforce the ‘No pay, no play’ rule.
This means that a player cannot represent the club or attend training until payment has been made.
4.3 This rule will be invoked if:
4.3.1 The initial payment (due upon registration) has not been made, nor a payment plan agreed and the first payment received into the club account.
4.3.2 Payments in an agreed payment plan are not received in the club account for two consecutive periods.A period is defined as the time between payments as agreed with the Club Treasurer e.g monthly or weekly.
5. Cancellation of Membership
5.1 Membership to the club will be cancelled if:
5.1.1 The registration fee is partially paid, but the ‘No pay, no play’ is invoked without resolution for four weeks if weekly payments are agreed, or two months if monthly payments are agreed with the Club Treasurer.
5.1.2 If any outstanding payment from a previous season has not been paid in full, prior to the first payment deadline of the following season.
5.2 Notification of cancellation of membership will be sent to the first named contact on the player’s membership form (for members aged under 18) and to the player themselves if over 18.
5.3 A percentage of any fees paid for the current season may be returned to the player/family on the return of full kit and other club clothing (i.e. training top, rain jacket etc.).
5.4 The refund amounts are to be used as a guideline and the Committee retains the right to amend the amount refunded at its discretion.
5.5 Whilst we do not like to lose any members from our club; we recognise the choice that players and their families have and sometimes this means choosing to leave our club. Should you wish to request to leave the club, please contact the Club Secretary to organise return of full kit and club clothing and the club refund policy is usually enacted.