North of England Men’s Lacrosse Association

SENIOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

A.        Organisation

1.   The Competition shall be called the North of England Men’s Lacrosse Association (hereinafter referred to as NEMLA) Senior League Championship, and shall be limited to clubs, members of NEMLA

2.    Before 1st June in each year, all clubs wishing to compete shall give notice in writing to the Management Committee Fixtures’ Secretary, with appropriate details.

3.       Each season shall commence no later than the first Saturday in October.

4.       English Lacrosse Association (hereinafter referred to as the ELA) Rule 31.3 shall apply to all games.

5.       A win shall score two points, and a draw one point.

6.       The teams which have scored the highest number of points shall hold the Championship of their respective divisions.

7.       The Fixtures’ Secretary shall maintain complete league tables for all teams.

8.       If a match is not played, one team having conceded the match due to reasonable circumstances, its opponents shall be awarded two points as if it had won the game, and the records shall show the result of the match as one goal scored by the winners, none by the losers.

9.       If a match is not played, for reasons which the Management Committee consider inadequate or unreasonable, the Management Committee may deduct or allocate points at its discretion.

10.    In the event of an official non-league match (i.e. a match subject to the Flags and Cup Competition Rules) not being played, for reasons which the Management Committee consider inadequate or unreasonable, the Management Committee may deduct not more than two points from the teams’ league total.

11.    If a match is played, subsequent to which the management committee upholds a protest or claim for points made by the losing team, the records shall show the result of the match as one goal scored by the team whose protest or claim is upheld (being declared the winners), none by the losers, and the points for the match awarded to the winners.

12.    A trophy for each division shall be provided by the ELA, and the winning team shall have its name inscribed thereon.  The team shall be entitled to hold it until the first day of April in the following season, after which date it must be delivered to the General Secretary of the Management Committee upon request.  The holders shall in each case be held responsible for its safe custody and preservation.

B.        Promotion/Relegation

1.       At the close of each season the top two teams of each division within the Premier and North divisions respectively shall be promoted to the next higher division, circumstances permitting.

2.       At the close of each season the bottom two teams of each division within the Premier and North divisions respectively shall be relegated to the next lower division, circumstances permitting.

3.       No two teams of the same club shall, by virtue of promotion or relegation, be included in any division, with the exception of the lowest division.

4.       When only one team is eligible for promotion, it shall change places with the bottom team in the next higher division, but when no team so qualifies, the next highest eligible team shall play the lowest team in the next higher division, and the winner of this play-off shall be the team to play in the next higher division the following season.

5.       Should two or more teams be equal in points in any division at the end of the league programme, the placings for the Championship promotion or relegation will be determined as follows:

(i). Matches conceded will be taken into account. The team which has conceded more fixtures over the course of the entire season will be awarded the lower placing. If the teams concerned are still equal, then

(ii). The season’s records of the specific matches between the teams in question will be examined, i.e. if two teams have equal points, the records of two games will be examined; if three teams have equal points, the records of six games will be examined, etc.

The relevant match records will be reviewed as follows, stopping as soon as a team         establishes an advantage over the other team(s) involved in the tie: fewer matches conceded, best goal difference; highest number of away goals scored; highest number of home goals scored; lesser number of away goals conceded; lesser number of home goals conceded.

If all the above options have been exhausted and the teams involved are still equal, the process will be repeated using the entire divisional programme.

Notes.

a.        If any team in contention for the 1st or 2nd place in any division is unable to be promoted by virtue of a team from the same club being in the immediately higher division, the team(s) with the opportunity of promotion will be placed in the higher division for the following season.

b.       If the tie is for the first place, the current seasonal championship will be determined using the above sequence.

C.        Bona-fide Status of Players

1.   All players must, in the opinion of the Management Committee, be bona-fide playing members of the competing teams.  If players are determined by the Management Committee to be non bona-fide, not more than two points may be deducted from the defaulting team’s total and, whatever the result of the match, the opposing team shall be awarded the points for the game.  The score for the match shall be recorded as if the match had been conceded by the defaulting team.

D.        Referees

1.   It shall be mandatory for each team in all Premier divisions to provide one qualified referee for both home and away matches.

2.   It shall be mandatory for each team in all North divisions to provide one qualified referee for both home and away matches.

E.        Expulsions

1.   Any player being given an expulsion foul by a Basic Award referee (or higher) shall be automatically suspended from playing in the next match in which he would otherwise play (defined as League matches, Flags and Cup Competition matches, Under 19 League matches, Under 19 Cup and Shield Competition matches, or any combination thereof).

2.   The referee concerned shall notify the Secretary of the Disciplinary sub-committee in writing with details of the match, the player expelled, his club and the offence.

3.    In all cases following expulsions in circumstances which a referee may consider to be best dealt with by the Disciplinary sub-committee he shall submit a written report to the Secretary of the sub-committee, which shall then be dealt with by that sub-committee.

4.   In the case of an expulsion foul given by a referee below the Basic Award level, the

      referee concerned shall submit a written report to the Secretary of the Disciplinary sub-committee, which shall then be dealt with by that sub-committee.

5.  The Secretary of the Disciplinary sub-committee shall confirm in writing the suspension to the Secretary of the player’s club.

6.  The Secretary of the player’s club shall confirm in writing to the Secretary of the Disciplinary sub-committee the completion of the suspension as soon as possible, detailing the matches missed.

F.         General

1.       No-one under sixteen years of age shall be allowed to play in matches.

2.       When a club, for whatever reason, is unable to fulfill all its fixtures on the officially appointed date, preference must be given to the completion of its scheduled matches with priority given to Flags and Cup Competition matches, thereafter in order of seniority of its teams.

3.       No fixture shall be postponed on account of a participating team having one or two players engaged in an International, Territorial or other representative game.

4.       Clubs shall notify the results of all matches to the Fixtures’ Secretary by midnight on the day of the match.

5.       Clubs shall record the names of all players selected and played for all teams, and shall make such records available to the Management Committee upon request.

6.       When a senior team has no fixture, clubs shall select such a notional team, and the details shall be entered in the club’s records.

7.       No team shall be numerically stronger on a particular day than any of its club’s more senior teams, with the exception that up to fifteen players may play on the lowest playing team of a club in any division, provided that all its club’s higher teams field thirteen players.  Such a team may play more than fifteen players, provided the opponents’ agreement has been obtained prior to the start of the game, and the referee informed.

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15 May 2014 (AGM)