The league shall be called the North Hockey Women’s League (NHWL) and must be so referred to in all correspondence and publicity in which the name of the League is used.
2. Management/Liaison
The NHWL shall be administered by a committee, which shall be appointed annually by the Competitions Committee of the North Hockey Association (NHA) and ratified by the NHA Council. The NHWL Committee shall consist of the following: Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Divisional Secretaries and a representative nominated by the North Hockey Umpires’ Association (NHUA). The committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members but they shall have no voting rights.
No phone calls on league business shall be made to any League official after 10pm.
By 1st July each year, the Liaison Officer of each club must inform the League Secretary of all the club details as requested for the North Handbook. Failure to do this will incur a fine of £30.
By 16th September, the liaison officer must have put all match details on Fixtures Live. Failure to do so may incur a fine of £30.
The NHWL Committee may call a meeting of clubs by giving at least 21 days notice. One such meeting called “The Summer Meeting” must be held prior to 30th June each year for the purpose of reviewing the previous season and advising clubs of any changes for the following season. Every club is expected to be represented at any such meeting - failure to attend will incur a fine of £50.
3. Membership
No club shall be eligible to take part in the League unless it is affiliated to England Hockey, NHA and its appropriate County Association in the relevant season. The League shall be open to any team, which has qualified for entry via its County League and is part of a club affiliated to that County or as advised by the NHA Council, save that no club may have more than one team in any division. To achieve this, a 2nd team may be denied promotion or be relegated to a lower league. This highlighted change will take effect from season 2011/12.
Please note: England Hockey League rules do not allow more than one team per affiliated club to take part in the competition. Therefore, should a North League Club, which already has a team competing in the EHL win the North Premier League then that team could not be promoted to the EHL and the highest placed eligible team will represent the North
4. Fee
All clubs participating in the League shall pay an entry fee by the 16th September of the relevant year. Any team failing to remit its fee by the due date shall be fined. This fine added to the entry fee must be paid by 16th October of the relevant year or the team will be disqualified and any games played will be declared null and void.
The entry fee for Season 2010/2011 shall be:-
Premier & Division 1 £400 per team. Fine for late payment £50.00
Division 2 £30 per team. Fine for late payment £20.00
At the end of the season, should the funds at the disposal of the league be insufficient to meet its expenses, the teams shall be required to make up the deficiency by equal levy (pro-rata to entry fee).
5. Structure
The League shall consist of four divisions of twelve teams, a Premier Division, Division 1, Division 2 East and Division 2 West.
6. Promotion/Relegation
Generally, the champions of each division or league will be promoted and the lowest team relegated.
Premier: The North Premier Division champion team shall be promoted to the EHL. North teams relegated from the EHL shall rejoin the NHWL Premier Division. The number of teams to be relegated to Division One will depend on the number of teams relegated from EHL.
Provided that no more than one team is relegated from the EHL, the second placed team in Division One shall be promoted to the Premier Division. In this case, the bottom two teams shall be relegated from the Premier Division.
Division 1: The teams relegated from the Premier Division shall be joined by the top team from each Division 2 . After ensuring that the division has twelve teams, the surplus number of teams shall be relegated to their respective Division 2 for the following season, after which, they must either gain promotion back to Division One or qualify via their County.
Division 2: There shall be two Division 2s made up from clubs in the following counties:
(a) Division 2 East – Durham, Humberside, Northumberland, Sheffield & District and Yorkshire.
(b) Division 2 West – Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Lancashire Central.
When promotions to and demotions from Division 1 have taken place, the county league winners, who must be a team from a club affiliated wholly to that county, will be promoted to their respective Division 2. The Division 2 teams finishing 2nd place downwards will fill the remaining places until there is a maximum of 12 teams in each division 2. Teams below that position will be relegated to their county league.
If a county league winner does not wish to take up the place in the Division 2 place, then the County Association should find a suitable replacement from clubs affiliated wholly to that county. If this is not possible, then one less team will be relegated from the feeder league.
7. Scoring System
Three points will be awarded for a win and one point for a draw in all league matches. In the event of teams being level on points at the end of the season, places shall be determined by consideration of the following in order:
1. Goal Difference
2. Highest number of goals for
3. Result of games between the teams concerned
4. Play off(s)
If Rule 15 has been applied and might affect the promotion/relegation decisions then the score and goals awarded of any game played against any team which has conceded a game shall be disregarded before using the criteria 1 to 4 above to decide the team(s) to be promoted or relegated.
8. Umpires
Premier & Division 1:
(a) Umpires shall be appointed by the North Hockey Umpires Association (NHUA). Where the NHUA is unable to appoint an umpire then the teams must appoint an EH Level 1 or above umpire. In this case, EH Registration Number must be entered on the match report form. Failure to do this will result in the club facing a fine of £10.
(b) The Liaison Officer shall be notified of these appointments and the home team shall then be responsible for confirming the venue and start time to the appointed umpires at least three days before the game.
(c) Should the appointed umpire become unavailable and teams are not able to provide a Level 1 umpire then the game may be postponed and the Divisional Secretary informed.
(d) Appointed umpires travel expenses shall be the responsibility of the North League.
Divisions 2:
(a) NHUA will not appoint umpires to the Division 2 League games.
(b) Each team must provide an umpire to officiate at each game who must be qualified to minimum EH Level 1. EH Registration Number must be entered on the match report form. Failure to do this will result in the club facing a fine of £10.
(c) Where an umpire is not qualified to a minimum EH level 1 standard, then the result of the game shall stand but the team using that umpire shall lose three points.
(d) Travel expenses for the umpires shall be the responsibility of the teams.
9. Registration of Players
(a) By 16th September annually, each Club shall submit, by email, to the Divisional Secretary, a list showing full names, in alphabetical order, of their members eligible to play in the League. Amendments (including change of name) must be received by the Divisional Secretary by the Monday prior to the player(s) concerned playing in a League match.. No new registrations shall be permitted after 1st February in any season. However, goalkeepers are the exception to this time limit provided that it is a new registration due to a medical or physical incapacity of the club’s existing registered goalkeepers and not a transfer. Evidence of such incapacity should be provided in writing by the club who, by submitting any registration, shall assume responsibility for any incorrect or false information provided in support of this registration.
(b) Only bona-fide members of a League club who are 13 years of age or older on the date of the game shall be entitled to be registered and to play in League matches for that club.
(c) A club registering the transfer of a player from any other Club must submit a completed transfer form confirming that a genuine change of club has taken place, including agreement from the player’s previous Club. The Divisional Secretary will inform these Clubs of the date from which the player may play in the League. A player registered for a North League Club may transfer to another North League Club once only in a season. Transfer requests must be lodged with the Divisional Secretary by 1st February.
(d) A NHWL team shall not be allowed to register more than one player who does not:
(i) Hold a European Union Passport, or
(ii) Hold or be able to apply for and obtain a United Kingdom Passport or
(iii) Have a right of abode as defined by Sections 1 and 2 of the Immigration Act 1971. If you require further information regarding “Right of Abode”, it may be found on the Home Office website www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk and search for right of abode.
(iv) Hold a current work permit, as defined by the Immigration Act 1971, as a hockey player or player coach in the United Kingdom and hold a passport for a country with whom the European Union has an agreement containing provisions prohibiting discrimination in employment.
Players from the Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Gibraltar together with those holding dual passport eligibility where one such eligibility is that of a European Union member state will be considered to have no limitations as to their eligibility to be registered.
A player who does not hold any passport must be eligible to hold a passport of a European Union State.
The onus of proof regarding eligibility is on the registering team. The NHWL committee shall decide any dispute regarding eligibility and shall be entitled to request such written or oral evidence, as it considers necessary.
An appeal against a decision of the NHWL committee shall be made in accordance with Rule 21. An individual shall not play in a NHWL game pending the outcome of an appeal.
(e) Any club with a second team in the North Hockey Women’s League must, at least 4 days before the first league match, provide a list of eleven starred first team players, selected on merit, to include one goalkeeper. These starred players are excluded from playing for the second team. In addition, no player shall play in more than one League or EHL game in a day. A copy of the list of starred players must be sent to both Divisional Secretaries responsible for their teams.
(f) Clubs may be permitted to de-star players by written application to the Divisional Secretary giving the name of the player to be de-starred and the name of the player replacing this player. Reasons for the change must be given and the league must approve the change before the player being de-starred can play for a lower team. Once destarred a player cannot be restarred within 4 weeks of the date of destarring, other than a goalkeeper. The league committee reserves the right to change a club’s starred players.
(g) Clubs who have teams that play in EHL are required to provide details of the players who played in each match. A copy of the team sheet showing the starting line up, signed by the Match Delegate, shall be sent to the divisional match secretary responsible for the division in which their lower team is playing by the Wednesday following the day on which the EHL team played. Failure to supply this sheet will result in a fine of £15.
(i) A club contravening 9(a) will be fined £15 for each occasion. A club contravening 9(b) to 9(f) of this rule shall be deemed to have played an ineligible player and shall be penalised with the deduction of three points. In exceptional circumstances, the league committee may impose additional penalties.
10. Conduct
(a) The Disciplinary Code of England Hockey shall be applied at all League matches.
The issue of disciplinary cards will be recorded and regularly reviewed by the committee. Further action will be considered for what are seen as persistent offenders.
(b) For each Player or Official on the “bench” who receives a Red or Yellow Card, the team whose Player or Official received the Card must remove a player from the pitch.
(c) The NHA Code of Pitchside Conduct set out in the handbook must be followed at all League matches. Contravention of the Code of Pitchside Conduct should be included in any report. Umpires should advise County and League Officials of any abuse of this code.
11. Uniform
(a) Players participating in League matches shall wear club uniform. In the event of a clash of colours, the second named team shall always change shirts and socks as necessary. The second named team should always carry an alternative strip.
(b) Players participating in a game shall wear on the back of their shirt, clearly visible, the number allocated to their team sheet (see match regulations)
(c) Goalkeepers shall wear a colour contrasting with those worn by both teams and shall wear their number on the front and back.
(d) Captains must be clearly identifiable by wearing an armband of contrasting colour to the shirt.
12. Matches
All league matches shall be played:
(a) In accordance with the current rules of the game of hockey as published by the Hockey Rules Board.
(b) on the agreed dates made by the NHA Council
(c) on a synthetic turf pitch arranged by the first named team
(d) Not less than 10 minutes before the start of the League match the captain, or nominated official, of each team shall hand to the umpires a list of the players showing their shirt numbers and the starting line up. After the game substitutes who have played must be indicated on the team sheet. A team shall be entitled to nominate up to 16 players in its squad for each match. The team sheet shall be signed by the captain or nominated official and in doing so will be deemed to have confirmed that each player listed is eligible to play.
(e) A team must have a minimum of seven players on the pitch at the start of the game for the match to commence.
All teams must notify their opponents of the start time 14 days prior to the fixture if it is different from the time printed in the handbook.
All NHWL matches should start between 11am and 4pm. In exceptional circumstances, application can be made to the Divisional Secretary for a start time outside of this range.
13. Postponement
Postponement of matches shall occur only in the event of adverse weather conditions or ground conditions (or non-arrival of the appointed umpire). In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may grant a postponement and shall normally require clubs to submit their reasons for postponement in writing at least eight days before the date of the match. Fitness of weather or ground conditions shall be decided as follows:
(a) Up to one hour before the designated starting time of the match by the captain of the first named team who must inform the opposition, the umpires, the Divisional Secretary and the Umpires Appointment Secretary.
(b) After that time by the umpires.
(c) A postponed fixture shall be replayed within eight days, but it may be replayed outside this time scale with the express permission of the Committee. The home club must advise the Divisional Match Secretary and the Umpires Appointments Secretary at least five days before the rescheduled date. If agreement over the replay date cannot be reached then the match shall be replayed on the Sunday of the weekend following the scheduled date.
(d) In the case of bad weather, the home team should follow the procedure detailed below.
(i) The home Liaison Officer or Captain should ascertain the visiting team‘s departure time from their home base; if relevant this will take into account any planned overnight stay.
(ii) The home Liaison Officer or Captain must inspect the pitch before this departure time. A realistic view must be taken at this stage. Enquiries should be made of any local meteorological office to confirm weather conditions for the next 24 or 48 hours.
(iii) If the pitch is unfit and is likely to remain so, the game should be postponed and the travelling team informed before their departure time.
(iv) Consideration should also be given to travel conditions.
14. Abandonments
In the event of a match having to be abandoned as a result of serious injury to a player or adverse weather conditions, a report shall be submitted by the umpires to the Divisional Secretary. The League Committee shall decide on the action to be taken. Such a decision may necessitate a replay of the fixture depending upon the circumstances at the time of the abandonment. In the event of a replay of an abandoned match, the new date shall be arranged by the clubs concerned in consultation with the Divisional Secretary and decided upon within 10 days of the decision. Any failure to agree a date will be decided by the committee. All re-arranged matches must be played before the designated last date of the League season.
15. Failure to honour a fixture
If a club fails to honour a fixture or forfeits a game, it shall be deemed to have lost the game 0-3 and the opposing team shall be deemed to have won the game 3-0.
The offending team shall meet any reasonable expenses incurred by their opponents including pitch costs. In addition, a fine of £40 will be imposed by the North Women’s League.
If a club has more than one team representing that club in any Division of the North League, then the team playing in the lowest division shall be the team which forfeits their game in the event of any team from that club failing to honour a fixture.
NOTE: Any club failing to honour fixtures three times in any one season shall be expelled from the North/Feeder League for the following season and may only qualify for re-entry via its County rules.
16. Notification of results
(a) Results of matches or postponement/abandonment must be telephoned by the first named team to the Divisional Secretary immediately after the match. Failure of the first named team to telephone the result of the match within an hour of the end of the match shall incur a fine of £10.
(b) A completed match report shall be sent to the Divisional Secretary by the first named club to reach the Secretary by the Wednesday following the fixture. Both captains and both umpires shall sign the report. Any club failing to forward the match report by the required date shall be fined £15.
17. Fixture Cards
If there is a sponsor, clubs must refer to the League’s Sponsor at all times and include the name and, if possible, the Sponsor’s official logo in fixture cards and/or handbooks.
18. Hospitality
First named clubs are expected to offer hospitality before and after the match to visiting clubs, umpires and press.
19. Fines
Fines must be paid within 14 days of being notified by the Divisional Secretary. Failure to do so will result in the fine being doubled. If, after a further 28 days, the fine is still not paid, then further action will be considered by the League Committee including whether the team’s league status should be revoked and all results for that team removed from the table.
20. Binding force of the regulations
Each club, by its entry into the League, shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the League Regulations and any amendments, which may from time to time be adopted by the Council of the NHA. The committee has the powers to determine any matter not covered by these rules. It also may, at its discretion, waive, reduce or increase an applicable penalty.
21. Disputes/Appeals
Clubs have the right to appeal to the North Hockey Association Council against a decision of the League Committee. Such appeals, together with a deposit of £100.00, refundable at the discretion of the Appeal Committee, must be sent in writing to the Hon. Secretary of NHA within 14 days of the League Committee’s decision being notified to the club. The decision of the Appeal Committee shall be final and binding on all.