Constitution

NAME

1. The name of the organisation is Aquinas Football Club, hereafter known as the club.

MISSION

2. The object of the club is to provide facilities for and promote participation of the whole community in the sport of football.

3. In carrying out its mission, the club will seek to:

i. ensure that there is a safe environment for members to participate in the club’s activities;
ii. develop sport by providing members with suitable competitions;
iii. assist members to improve their sporting standards;
iv. provide equal opportunities for members irrespective of their sex, religion, race or ability;
v. encourage fair play at all times.

AFFILIATION

4. The club shall be affiliated to the IFA, either directly or indirectly through participation in a league or leagues so affiliated. This article three does not restrict the club to participation solely in a league or leagues which are so affiliated.

MEMBERSHIP

5. Membership is open to all children between the ages of seven and eighteen without discrimination on any grounds, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of football as a particular sport. The club may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good and sufficient cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against such a decision may be made as detailed in articles 73 to 80.

6. The club will be run on behalf of, and in the interests of the members, by a committee of officers elected for that purpose.

7. Members will be enrolled in minisoccer or league teams strictly on the basis of the appropriate age rule and will
will be enrolled in the following categories:

i. minisoccer ( ages seven to ten);
ii. under 9s to under 17s;
iii. under 18s.

8. Membership will be based on the age rules of the league in which each of the club’s teams are registered.

9. Nothing at paragraphs five to eight precludes the club from enrolling children of any other ages or adult members.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP

10. The club may award honorary life membership to any member, manager, coach, or official of the club or to any person whom the club feels has made an exceptional or outstanding contribution to the club.

TRUSTEES

11. The appointment of trustees shall take place at the club’s annual general meeting. The club may appoint up to four trustees. The appointment of further trustees requires the approval of a two thirds majority of those present and eligible to vote at the annual general meeting of the club.

PROPERTY

12. All property and assets of the club, including any property owned or to be owned or leased or acquired by the club, the club name, the club badge, design, all football kits and equipment is vested and shall remain vested in the trustees of the club.

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

13. The club shall abide by the child protection policy as recommended by PSNI or Social Services and any other relevant statutory body and shall formally adopt at the annual general meeting of the club a child protection policy which shall be binding on all trustees, officials, members, employees, parents and guardians involved in the club.

OFFICERS OF THE CLUB

14. The officers of the club shall be:

chairman
deputy chairman
secretary
treasurer

CHAIRMAN

15. The chairman shall be responsible for ensuring that the club has in place the governance arrangements necessary for the good management of the club.

16. In addition, the chairman shall ensure that the club operates within a child protection culture, including detailed child protection policies that ensure the welfare of the child is paramount within the club.

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN

17. The deputy chairman will have particular responsibility for the external relations of the club. In addition, he will deputise, on a routine basis, for the chairman and take the chair in the chairman’s absence.

SECRETARY

18. The secretary shall service the officers’ committee, the management committee and the club committee as they

shall from time to time require. The secretary will perform this duty by making and keeping a record of all meetings, dealing with all correspondence and maintaining a register of all members.

19. The secretary shall notify committee members of all committee meetings no less than two weeks prior to the meeting.

20. The secretary shall issue an agenda for committee meetings no less than two weeks prior to the meeting.

21. The secretary will issue a note of all meetings to committee members and place a copy of the note on the club’s website within one week of all meetings, or within an appropriate and reasonable period.

TREASURER

22. The treasurer shall present annual accounts, detailing the income and expenditure of the club.

23. The treasurer will be responsible for the maintenance of the club’s bank account or accounts.

24. The treasurer will chair the Fund Raising committee.

MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

25. General management of the club shall be entrusted to three committees, namely:

the executive committee
the management committee
the club committee

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

26. Day to day management of the club shall reside in the executive committee. The executive committee shall consist of the officers elected to run the affairs of the club for one year at the annual general meeting, namely, the chairman, the deputy chairman, the secretary and the treasurer.

27. The chairman of the club shall call meetings of the executive committee.

28. Two members of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum.

29. The executive committee shall meet not more than fortnightly. The committee may meet more regularly if it feels it is necessary, appropriate or advisable for the good governance of the club.

30. The executive committee may invite other members of the club’s management structure to be present at and give evidence to its meetings, as it feels necessary or appropriate.

31. The executive committee may co-opt additional members in an advisory capacity and appoint such sub-committees as it deems necessary.

32. The executive committee may fill vacancies on a temporary basis that may arise during its term of office. All temporary vacancies must be approved at the next
management and club committee meetings that follow the appointment.

33. The executive committee may suspend or expel any member of the club who has infringed the club’s constitution or whose conduct, in the opinion of the executive committee, has brought or is likely to bring the club into disrepute. Suspensions and expulsions must be ratified by the management committee at its first meeting after the suspension or expulsion.

34. The executive committee shall take whatever action it deems necessary to pursue or resolve any dispute or objection arising from any club or league competition.

35. The executive committee may levy any additional charge or fee as may from time to time become necessary. Such additional charges or levies must be approved by the management committee at its first meeting following the additional charge or levy.

36. The executive committee may appoint or dismiss team managers and coaches.

37. the executive committee will appoint any delegates to bodies to which the club is affiliated which may from time to time seek representation.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

38. The management committee shall consist of seven members.

39. The chairman of the club shall call meetings of the management committee.

40. Three members of the management committee shall constitute a quorum.

41. Membership of the management committee shall be the members of the executive committee, two members from teams enrolled in competitive leagues and one member from the club’s minisoccer teams.

42. The management committee may appoint such sub-committees as it deems necessary.

43. The management committee shall be chaired by the chairman of the club, or, in his absence, the deputy chairman.

44. The appointment of the representatives from the competitive leagues and the representative from the minisoccer teams will be made at the annual general meeting.

45. The management committee will meet not more than once every six weeks. The committee may meet more regularly if it is felt to be necessary, appropriate or advisable for the good governance of the club.

46. The management committee shall exercise the functions reserved for it at paragraphs 32, 33 and 35.

CLUB COMMITTEE

47. The club committee shall consist of the management committee and of any other managers, coaches and officials of the club and any other person or persons that the committee shall appoint to itself.

48. The chairman of the club shall call meetings of the club committee.

49. Eight members of the club committee shall constitute a quorum.

50. The club committee shall meet three times every season, in September, February and in June as the annual general meeting. The club committee may be called to meet more regularly if it is felt to be necessary, appropriate or advisable for the good governance of the club.

51. The club committee shall approve the appointment on a temporary basis of persons to the executive and management committee to fill vacancies arising during the terms of office of these committees.

52. The club committee shall hold the executive and management committees accountable for their decisions and actions and may instruct either to revisit any if its previous decisions or actions.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

53. There shall be an annual general meeting of the club each year. The annual general meeting shall take place on the
second Sunday in June each year, or as near to that date as is practicable.

54. The chairman of the club shall chair the annual general meeting.

55. The annual general meeting shall be advertised fully and on the club’s website, and the parents or guardians of all members shall be encouraged to attend.

56. A parent or guardian of all fully paid up members of the club will be entitled to attend the annual general meeting and be heard.

57. All members of the club committee shall be entitled to attend the annual general meeting and be heard.

58. Eight persons eligible to attend the annual general meeting shall constitute a quorum.

59. The annual general meeting shall receive a report from the chairman, the secretary and the treasurer on the season’s activities.

60. The annual general meeting shall elect the officers for the year ahead. Terms of office shall run from the end of the annual general meeting to the end of the following annual general meeting.