A Club will need to affiliate to a parent County Football Association and the appropriate league it wishes to join. Clubs are recommended to seek advice on suitable league membership from the County Headquarters.
Fixtures - League & Cup Competitions
Fixtures are administered by the appropriate competition which advises clubs of forthcoming matches. If it is a home match, the club secretary must arrange hire of a pitch, notify opponents and match officials of Kick-Off time and location of venue. For away games, arrange to inform your own team of venue, Kick-Off time and arrange for transport of players. All County Football Associations run cup competitions which give an opportunity for teams to play against clubs from different leagues or divisions.
Our league handbook covers the correct procedure for confirming all your HDJFL fixtures.
Join a League
Contact details for Junior Leagues are available from County FA's. Teams wishing to join the Halton & District JFL can download application forms from this website.
Pitches - useful contacts & advice
Apply to your Local Authority, other local teams, Parish Council or owner of a private ground to hire a pitch. Please note hire charges will vary.
Based in Runcorn or Widnes? Contact Halton Borough Council for pitch allocation. At present HBC do not charge junior teams for use of pitches.
Kit & Equipment
Purchase suitable equipment prior to the start of your fixtures and ensure you have sufficient equipment for all teams in your club. The necessary equipment will include, playing strip, first aid kit, nets and balls.
Results / Public Relations / Press
Ensure you pass on results of your matches to comply with competition regulations. All Clubs are recommended to establish good relationships with the local press to publish results, match reports and possibly just interesting stories about their club. Good PR will help raise the profile of the club; bring in new players and may even attract some sponsorship.
As per our league rules it is a requirement for the home team to report the result through to the appropriate fixture secretary ASAP, by 8.00pm in the evening for weekend games and by 9.00pm in the evening for mid-week games. The sooner the result is in the sooner the league tables and results are updated or if the match has been postponed. Short match reports and details of goal scorers etc can be sent in to the league for inclusion on our website.
Administration
PRE-SEASON
Players
Ensure each team has enough players to make up a team.
Affiliation
Complete and forward the appropriate documentation and fees to Cheshire County Football Association and League or other competitions.
Facilities
Arrange pitch(es) which comply with appropriate League regulations and specifications. It is also prudent to arrange/book training facilities early.
Meetings
Organise club/team meetings (eg. Weekly Training, Monthly Management Meeting, AGM). Also attend relevant League meetings when required.
Registration
Ensure all players are registered with the appropriate League. Up to date photographs may be required.
Friendly Fixtures
Arrange fixtures with Secretaries of affiliated Clubs.
Subscription
Set a subscription for players and members to meet your costs for the season. Carry out fundraising (appropriate to the club).
Delegation
Club Secretaries/Team Managers should seek support from other members to spread the administrative and volunteer workload where practical.
PRIOR TO THE DAY OF A GAME
Confirm Fixture (by Tuesday 8.00pm for week-end games!)
Kick-off time, colours, directions to ground, availability of pitch with groundsman, match officials etc.
ON THE DAY OF A GAME
Pitch
Ensure pitch is safe and correctly prepared with nets, flags, markings and access to appropriate changing facilities.
Match Officials
Ensure match officials have been paiIf the match official calls off your game due to bad weather/poor pitch condition etc., they are still entitled to claim half of their normal match fee.
Refreshments
Provide refreshments where appropriate.
Results
For our league - Ensure your team sheet is completed and posted to the appropriate Team Sheet Co-ordinator to arrive by designated time. The result of your match must be rung through or emailed to the appropriate fixture secretary by 8.00pm that evening for a weekend game, or by 9.00pm on the evening of a mid-week gam. Failure to send through the result on time will trigger a fine from the league.
Bad Weather
If the match official calls off your game due to bad weather/poor pitch condition etc., they are still entitled to claim half of their normal match fee. You must also still contact the appropriate fixture secretary by the deadline for results to inform them that the game has been postponed. This will enable the fixture to be rescheduled. Failure to inform the fixture secretary regarding a postponed fixture will trigger a fine from the league.
OTHER TASKS
Disciplinary Procedures
This is an ongoing task throughout the season. The Secretary and player must complete and return appropriate documentation with fines. A record should be kept of players' discipline and ensure any suspended players do not play. If you are unsure of how to complete any league forms or are unsure of any other tasks, please contact a member of the league committee who will be only too willing to help.
END OF THE SEASON
AGM & Presentation Evening
Arrange AGM and/or presentation evening.