SEASON 2008-9
(Note amendments in blue text in 5.1 and 5.2)
LEAGUE RULES: SUMMARY OF DEADLINES
AND PENALTIES
This
note summarises some of the Rules. It is
recommended that you read the Rules in full.
Amendments for 2008-9 in
italics.
The Season
·
Pay league fees and outstanding fines by start of
league season or lose all matches 0-3 until paid.
·
EML Prem A and EWL Prem teams to register all players
before season. Only 1 overseas player in
season.
·
Ask
League Manager for indoor postponements before season starts.
·
Submit Captains’ details before first league Saturday
to all your League Managers – or £20 fine per team.
·
Put details of all match venues and times on the East
Hockey website by start of the season for all games up to Christmas, and by Nov
30th for all other games. Failure to do so may lead to penalties.
·
Player transfers not allowed after Feb 1st - for using
ineligible player, lose 0-3
·
Last season’s cup winners return trophies by 30th
March - or £50 fine.
·
Division winners attend Presentation Day – or £100
fine
Matches
·
Telephone results for EML Prem A and B and Div 1 to
Results Co-ordinator within 15 min of match end. Telephone results for all other Men’s
Divisions to League Manager By 6 p.m. on match day. Add EWL results to East website by 8pm on day
of match (Prem) or by noon the following
day (all other divisions)
·
Home team to send Teamsheets to League Manager by 1st
class post to arrive by Wednesday after match.
EHL Clubs to send copy of EHL
teamsheet to 2nd team League Manager by same deadline.
·
For failing any telephone or postal results deadline:
£10 fine in EWL and point deduction in EML
·
Start match within 15 min of agreed time or later when
pitch becomes free – lose 0-3 if not ready by then.
·
Fail to honour a fixture: Lose 0-3. May have to pay opposition costs. May be removed from league.
·
Agree within 2 weeks on a new date for postponed
matches – or £20 fines for both clubs
Umpires
·
Clubs with teams in EML Prem A, Prem B, 1, 2N, 2S and
EWL Prem, 1N and 1S must provide umpires to East and/or
·
All Clubs must Update their list of Level 1 and
probationer Level 1 umpires on the East Hockey website before start of the
season. Club umpires must be L1 (probationer L1 in specified lower divisions)
and should be members of a CHUA. Use an unlisted or unqualified umpire - lose
match 0 – 3.
GENERAL GUIDANCE TO CLUBS
These Guidelines are not Rules, but
Clubs are advised to follow them– and should also read Rule 7.2.
All
Clubs:
·
are responsible for the actions of their players,
officials, members and supporters, and must ensure that all players and
officials are fully conversant with the League Rules by the start of the
season. Disparaging remarks about
leagues or opponents in press reports or on the internet will not be tolerated.
·
must comply with League rules and abide by the
intended spirit of how the game should be played
·
must observe EHA guidelines and procedures for player
discipline and pitch-side conduct
·
must ensure that all players, officials and spectators
treat umpires with respect at all times, before, during and after matches. The Leagues will apply severe penalties in
cases of umpire abuse.
Home
Clubs:
·
must ensure that pitch, pitch markings, goals, lights,
etc are adequate. Umpires may cancel the
game if this is not the case and the home club will be fined £20.
·
must ensure that visiting clubs are given two clear
weeks notice of the venue, push back time and any relevant details relating to
the match including confirmation of club colours.
·
must consider the distance the away side has to travel
when setting start times for matches, and must ensure that an adequate warm up
period on the playing surface is available to the visiting side.
·
must always provide acceptable post-match hospitality
to visiting teams, officials and umpires
Away
Clubs:
·
should if necessary be proactive in contacting home
clubs for match details
·
must always inform the Home Club at least two days in
advance of the match if full teas are not required; failure to do say may result in a charge
being levied by the Home Club.
Umpires
·
match umpires must not adjudicate on league rules
(unless they are also East League officials). Any dispute on the interpretation
of league rules should be referred to the relevant League Manager
·
the Leagues will not adjudicate on match decisions
made by umpires
Amendments for 2008-9 in italics.
1.
CONSTITUTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE EAST LEAGUES
1.1
Name
The Leagues shall be known as the
East Men’s League (EML), the
East Men’s Veteran’s League (EMVL),
and the East Women’s League (EWL) preceded by the name of the East
Region Hockey Association’s current main sponsor if applicable, and shall be
named as such in all publicity material issued by the Leagues or their
constituent clubs. However, in the event that the East Leagues become
part of any England Hockey League structure, grouping, or federation, the
1.2 Management
Committees and Officers
The Leagues shall
be managed by an East League Management Committee consisting of the Officers of
the two Leagues and a Representative of the East Region Hockey Umpires
Association. The Officers
shall be a Chairman, a Budgets Officer, and a Secretary and the League Managers
and Results Coordinators of the Leagues, and all shall be elected at an Annual
General Meeting. Their periods of office shall commence at the end of the AGM
and run until the end of the next AGM. All Officers shall be eligible for
re‑election annually.
Nominations for Officer appointments may be made by the League
Committee, or by a Club participating in the League. Nominations shall be
submitted in writing to the Leagues no later than 30 April and must include the
written consent of the nominee. Nominations by a participating Club must be
seconded by another participating Club. No nominations will be accepted
after 30 April, nor accepted at the meeting.
Only clubs playing in the EWL may vote on League Manager and
Results Coordinator nominations for the EWL, and likewise only clubs playing in
the EML for the EML Managers and Coordinator, and in the EMVL for the EMVL
League Manager.
The Committee shall meet at least four times in each
year, and a quorum shall be four members at least one of whom shall be the
Chairman or Secretary of the Committee. Proposals shall be passed by a
majority of those present and
voting, with the Chairman having a casting vote. In the absence of the
Chairman, the Committee shall elect a Chairman for the meeting from the members
present.
The Committee shall fill any vacancies arising within its membership, by
vote if necessary.
1.3 Annual
General Meeting
1.3.1 Organisation of the meeting
The Annual General Meeting shall be held
in each year by 30 June on a date and at a venue to be decided by the League
Committees. Notice of the Annual General Meeting, a list of nominations
for Officers, a copy of the agenda, the annual accounts and minutes of the
previous AGM shall be sent to each participating club at least 14 days before
the date of such meeting.
Business to be transacted:
Those entitled to attend a General Meeting and to vote:
A Quorum shall be a total of 25 votes
present (as defined in 1.3.5)
The chair shall be taken throughout the meeting by the Chairman of
the League Committee. In the absence of this Officer, the meeting shall
elect a member of the League Committee to the chair.
Proposals from Clubs to make
amendments to League Rules can be submitted at any time during the season to
League Chairmen, East League Secretaries, or League Managers, but in any case
no later than 31 March. All proposals will be reviewed at the April
meeting of the League Management Committee along with rule changes proposed by
the Committee, and a composite draft Rules Proposal will be prepared and posted
for comment on the East website as much in advance of the AGM as possible,
amended as necessary, and a final version circulated with the AGM papers.
Agreed rule changes will usually be implemented in the season following, but
with the agreement of the AGM major changes may be implemented in the season
after that.
Other motions may be submitted
to the Annual General Meeting by the League Committee or by a Club
participating in the League. Such proposals must be received by the
East League Secretary no later than 30 April and shall be accompanied by
the names of the proposing and seconding Clubs. Proposals from a League
Committee shall not require seconding. No Proposals will be accepted
after 30 April, nor accepted at the meeting. Proposals will be posted on
the East website as much in advance of the AGM as possible, and circulated with
the AGM papers.
1.3.4 Amendments to Proposals
To maintain the validity of postal
votes no amendments to proposals will be allowed. However, the meeting
may agree minor changes to wording that do not substantially change the intent
of the proposal and do not invalidate the basis on which postal votes were
cast. The Chairman of the meeting shall be the sole arbiter of what constitutes
such acceptable changes.
Original proposals may also include
alternatives, on each of which postal votes may be cast.
To be passed, proposals require a simple
majority of those voting, except for proposals for changes in Rule 1, which
require a majority of 75% of those voting.
Votes may be cast at the meeting or by
post. Postal voting papers will be circulated with the Notice of the AGM,
and must be completed, authorised and returned in time to be received by the
East League Secretary at least 3 days before the date of the meeting.
Voting will be organised so that clubs not playing in a particular League do
not vote on matters affecting only that league.
1.4 Special General Meetings
A Special General Meeting may be called at
any time by order of the League Committee, or upon receipt of a requisition
signed by the Chairmen of no fewer than 25 participating clubs (Men’s,
Women’s and Joint Clubs being counted each as one club), such requisition
clearly stating the reasons for calling the meeting.
An SGM shall be held as soon as
possible and in any event within 1 month of the receipt of a Club requisition
or Committee order. At least 14 days notice of a Special General Meeting
and of all resolutions to be proposed shall he given to all those entitled to
vote. No other business shall be conducted at the meeting. All the
requirements of an AGM specified in Section 1.3 shall apply to an SGM.
1.5 Financial Policies
The financial policies of the Leagues
shall be:
·
fines
not to be treated as income for budget purposes, but to be used in the
following season as directed by the AGM.
1.6 Management of the Leagues
1.6.1 League Management Committee
At its regular meetings the Committee shall review League
performance, resolve problems, and adjudicate on any unresolved matters arising
from the implementation of the League Rules, and will also adjudicate on any
matter not covered by the Rules. The Committee will endeavour to operate by
consensus, but in the event of a vote Men’s League Managers and the Men’s
Results Coordinator will not vote on Women’s League business, and vice versa,
but all will vote on joint business. The
Chairman, Secretary and Budgets Officer may vote on any business.
The Committee may revise the structure of
the EML or EWL from time to time in the interest of all clubs and for the
benefit of hockey in the East, consulting with clubs and submitting any league
structure revision to a League AGM or SGM. The Committee shall also
organise the AGM, any SGM, and the annual joint Presentation Day for the
awarding of League trophies.
The League Management Committee is solely responsible for making
decisions and imposing penalties under the following rules: discretion on deadlines (Rule 3.5), pool umpires (5.1), promotions and relegations
(6), and discipline and penalties (7).
1.6.2 League Managers
Each Division of the League shall be
administered by its League Manager, whose duties will include the monitoring
and keeping of accurate records of all results and disciplinary cards, advising
Clubs on matters that arise during the season, ensuring that Clubs observe the
Rules of the League, applying penalties as appropriate, making other rulings
and decisions as are required to ensure the smooth running of the League, and
attending League Management Committee Meetings.
EML and EWL League Managers are solely responsible for making decisions
and imposing penalties under the following rules: player eligibility (rules 3.1 – 3.3), matches
(4.1 – 4.6), club umpires (5.2 – 5.5), press reports (8.4), and team
information (8.5). The EMVL League
Manager is solely responsible for making decisions and imposing penalties under
Rule 12 except club affiliation.
1.6.3 East League Secretary
The League shall be administered in its
entirety by the East League Secretary, whose duties include ensuring that all
Divisions are efficiently administered in accordance with the East League
rules, administering League Club affiliations, producing the League section of
the ERHA Handbook, ensuring that League results and tables are passed to the
media and the East Hockey website, liaising with the East sponsors through the
ERHA Public Relations and Sponsorship Officer, calling meetings of the League
Management Committee on a regular basis with a minimum of four per year and
circulating the minutes, and publishing Newsletters and/or submitting relevant
news and information to the East Hockey website to ensure that Clubs are kept
informed of relevant matters and are prompted to provide opinions on East
League issues.
The East League Secretary is solely
responsible for making decisions and imposing penalties under the following
rules: club eligibility (rules 2 and 12)
and club administration (8.1 – 8.6, except 8.4).
1.6.4 Relationship to the
East Region Hockey Association
The Chairman of the League Management
Committee is a member of the ERHA Management Committee and submits reports on
League matters to all meetings of that Committee and to the ERHA AGM.
1.6.5 Layout of the East League Rules
Rules 2 - 11 apply
solely to the East Men’s League and East Women’s League.
Rule 12 applies solely to the East Veterans League.
2. CLUB
ELIGIBILITY
Men’s or joint
clubs from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire,
Norfolk, and Suffolk are eligible to play in the EML, with no limitation on
numbers of teams. Women’s or joint clubs from Cambridgeshire, Essex,
Hertfordshire,
A club shall not
be eligible to play in a League unless its East League fees and other payments
due to the East Leagues have been paid before the start of the league season. Clubs with overdue financial
payments of any sort outstanding to an East League at the start of, or arising
during, the league season shall not be eligible to play or continue playing in
the League if the payment is not made within a week of the Club being notified
of the overdue payment. (See also Rule 7). Clubs disaffiliated by a County, Region or
3. PLAYER
ELIGIBILITY All players must be bone fide, fully paid-up members
of their clubs, and must be male to participate in the EML and female in the
EWL.
3.1 Premier Division registration and
eligibility
A team playing in EML Premier A or EWL Premier must
register all its players with the appropriate East League Manager before the
start of the season, using the official Registration Form published by the
Leagues. There is no limit to the number of players, and additions can be made
throughout the season providing there is compliance with the transfer rule
(rule 3.3) and providing only one player is registered in a season who would
not comply with the current England Hockey League regulations on eligible
overseas players.
(These regulations currently define an eligible player
as holding a European Union Passport; or holding or being able to apply for and
obtain a United Kingdom Passport; or having a right of abode as defined by
Sections 1 and 2 of the Immigration Act 1971; or holding a current work permit
as defined by the Immigration Act 1971 as a hockey player or player coach in
the United Kingdom as well as holding 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
3.3 Team Selection
3.3.1 All teams must be
selected on playing strength so that the strongest available side is put out at
each level commencing with the highest team. If a team has a lack of available
regular players, it shall use players from lower teams to make up the
deficiency, and so on down the Club. Clubs must not strengthen lower sides to
gain an unfair advantage at any time or to affect promotion or relegation
issues. This will be closely monitored by the League Committees. If any of a Club’s
teams are not involved in a match, the Club shall select its East League teams
as if all teams were in fact playing, and shall not unfairly strengthen lower
sides by including the members of the team without a match.
EHL Clubs may not play 12 of the 1st team players listed on an EHL
Teamsheet (including all 11 starting players) in an East League match in the
same weekend. If there is no EHL match
in a particular weekend the restriction must be based on the teamsheet for the
last EHL match played, except that during the Dec-Jan break in the EHL, none of
the starting players on the last two EHL Teamsheets in November may play in the
East League. League Managers will
monitor compliance by checking weekly EHL Teamsheets.
Notes: (1) When EHL matches are played
on a Sunday, the Saturday team selection must anticipate the Sunday EHL
Teamsheet; (2) 1st team players allowed
under this rule to play for a lower team may only do so subject to Rule 3.3.2.
3.3.2 A
regular bench player in Division 2 or above who
does not usually have significant pitch time may play for a lower team in the same weekend. This is only to allow the player necessary
match practice.
3.3.3 A team
in Division 3 or below with less than 11
players may add players as follows:
(a) a goalkeeper
may play any number of games in a day playing as a goalkeeper.
(b) a team short of a field player may
include one player from one other team playing on the same day, but the
providing team must not be more than two teams higher in club ranking, e.g. a
2nd team player can double up in the 4th but not the 5th team.
(c) the bottom team of a club may include
up to four players from other teams to make up 11 players provided it and the
other teams are not more than two teams apart in club ranking, and providing
approval is obtained from the relevant Divisional League Manager not later than
8 pm on the Friday prior to the match.
The arrangements
in Rule 3.2.4 are only intended to enable lower sides to fulfill fixtures when
a team would otherwise have less than 11 players. Doubling up of field players
in this way must not result in the team having more than 11 players including a
goalkeeper, i.e. no substitutes are allowed.
The League will monitor the application of this Rule very closely to
ensure that there is no unfair strengthening.
Clubs are advised to consult
the League Manager
in advance if in any doubt whatsoever.
In all circumstances the Captain of the team using a player from another
team must advise the opposing Captain of this before the match.
In the event of a
dispute, the onus is on the club to prove that its doubling up was due to a
genuine shortage of players and was not planned in advance to achieve an unfair
advantage.
3.4 Movement of Players between Clubs. This
Rule does not apply to players changing clubs between seasons.
A player may only play for one East League club at a
time. Players joining an East Club during the season must give seven days
notice to the League using the East
Hockey website Player Transfer system before playing East League hockey for the new
club if they are moving from another East League club, or moving from a club in
the UK for which they have played outdoor league hockey in the current season,
or last played league hockey for a club outside the UK.
A player may not play East League hockey again for a
previous club during the season, and no player may play East League hockey for
more than two clubs in one season. No
transfers will be accepted after February 1st.
An incoming player that has been registered to play in
the English Hockey League (EHL) in the current season by a non-East League club
must be deregistered by the EHL before participating in the East League.
3.5 Penalties If a
team or squad includes a player ineligible under any part of Rule 3, the minimum
penalty will be the award of the match to the opposition, either 3-0 or the
actual score to nil, whichever is the greater. If a Club cancels a league match
for lack of players but still fields lower teams, this penalty will also be
applied to each lower East League team. The League Management Committee may
also apply additional penalties according to circumstances.
3.6. Extension of
deadlines The League Management Committees will consider
approaches from Clubs with regard to new players, transfers and registrations
and have the power to extend the deadlines specified in Rule 3, judging each
request on the facts provided.
4. MATCHES
4.1 Rules All
matches shall be played in accordance with the current rules of hockey as
published by the Hockey Rules Board for the FIH.
4.2 Dates, Start times, and Playing Surfaces.
Dates
At least 4 weeks before
the start of the season, the home club must input to the league website details
of the venues and start times of all its
East League matches to be played up to the mid-season break. The same
information must be provided by the end of November for all matches after the
break.
Changes during the season must be input as soon as known and
opposition clubs and umpiring pool organisers if applicable notified directly
and immediately. Clubs failing to comply may be subject to penalties under rule
7.2.
Matches must be played on the dates and slip dates specified by the League
Management Committee. However, League Managers may on request
allow teams to switch a match to a League Saturday that is blank if the
Division has less than 12 teams
Times
Unless otherwise agreed by the League Manager, matches in EML Prem A, Prem B, 1, 2N, and 2S and all matches in EWL
must have a starting time between 11 am and 4 pm in Sept, Oct, Feb, Mar, and
Apr and between 11 am and 3 pm in Nov, Dec, and Jan. For all other
Divisions starting times must be between 10.30 a.m. and 5.00 p.m.
If a team is not ready to play the match because of lack of players or
lack of goalkeeping equipment 15 minutes after the official start time or by
the time the pitch is free for use, whichever is the later, the match shall be
awarded to the opposition 3-0. The umpires shall inform the home team Captain
when 15 minutes after the official start time is reached. The Home Captain
shall be responsible for informing the League Manager of the forfeit of the
game.
Pitches
All matches in all divisions must be played on astro. The
home team must ensure that pitch facilities, including marking, goals, nets,
and condition of floodlighting, are adequate. If in the opinion of the Umpires
pitch facilities are inadequate, they may direct that the match be
postponed. The home Club shall then
incur a fine of £20.
4.3 Playing
Colours and Numbers. Teams shall normally wear their club colours
as notified to the League at the start of the season. The away team must take
alternative colour shirts and socks to a match and, if required by either
umpire to do so, shall wear them. Players participating in a game shall wear on
the back of their shirt, clearly visible, the shirt number allocated on their
team sheet. Goalkeepers shall wear a colour contrasting with those worn by both
teams and shall wear their number on their back. All shirt numbers shall be no
less than 8” (20 cm) in height and shall contrast with the colour of the shirt.
Captains must wear a contrasting armband.
4.4 Results Notifications and Teamsheets. The
home club in the EWL must input the match result to the East website as
follows: Premier Division, no later than 8 pm on the day of the match; all
other Divisions no later than 12 noon on the day after the match.
The
home club in the EML in Premier A, Premier B, and Division 1 must telephone the
match result to the Results Coordinator within 15 minutes of the end of the
match. In all other EML Divisions the home club must telephone the result to
the League Manager by 6 p.m. on the day of the match or within 15 minutes of
the end of the match if it finishes after 5.45 p.m.
If a
match in either League is postponed or abandoned on the day of the match,
details shall be input to the website for EWL or telephoned to the appropriate
person for EML by the same deadlines.
A team
shall be entitled to nominate up to 16 players in its squad for each match. An
official Teamsheet must be completed
with all player details, signed by the Captain or nominated team official to
confirm that each player listed is eligible to play, and be handed to the
umpires before the start of the match. After the match the remaining details
must be added to the Teamsheets (including scores, scorers, and details of red
and yellow cards) which shall then be signed by the umpires. Both completed
Teamsheets shall then be sent by the Home Club to the League Manager to arrive
by the Wednesday following the match. EHL
Clubs must also send the 1st team EHL Teamsheet from the same weekend to the
League Manager responsible for the East League division in which their 2nd team
plays to arrive by the same deadline.
An EWL team failing to input a
match result, abandonment, or postponement to the website on time, or an EML
team failing likewise by telephone, or a team in either league failing to send
in a teamsheet on time or failing to fully complete a teamsheet shall be given a warning by the League Manager and
for each failure thereafter shall be fined £10 if in the EWL or shall be deducted 1 point if in the EML.
4.5 Postponements
and Abandonments.
Planned
postponements are allowed in advance of the match at the discretion of the
League Manager responsible for the Division in which the team plays. Application for a postponement should be made
as far in advance as possible. Short
notice will usually lead to the postponement being denied.
Abandonments
just before or during the match are allowed for such events as the pitch being
deemed unplayable by the Home Club because of weather conditions during the day
before the match and on the day of the match up until the start of the game, an
umpire failing to arrive and no replacement being found (see Rule 5.3), the
majority of the visiting team failing to arrive because of major travel
problems outside its control, or the umpires deciding that the game cannot
start or continue because of weather conditions, loss of light, injury to a
player, etc.
When
matches are abandoned or postponed the League Manager is the sole judge of
whether the match should be rearranged, awarded 0-3 or voided. In the event of a match being postponed, the
two teams must within two weeks of the League Manager agreeing the postponement
agree a revised date and venue. If the
match is not rearranged within those two weeks, both clubs will be fined
£20. Matches rearranged from the first
half of the season must if at all possible be rearranged and played before the
start of the second half of the league season.
All rearranged matches must be played by the League cut-off date.
Indoor Hockey: A Club entering the East Indoor
Qualifying Tournament or playing by right in the East Indoor Championship or
playing by right in the EH Indoor League may postpone its 1st team match in the
East League on the same date, and the match will be played on a slip date as
follows: East Indoor competition -1st slip in January; EH Indoor – 1st slip
after the end of the season.
The Club must notify the other Club, the
League Manager, the League Results Coordinator, and the relevant Umpiring Pool
Secretary and must include the change in the League website venues & times
section, all before the start of the East League season. Failure to fully and
promptly notify the change will be penalised by the deduction of one point.
If a Club playing in an East or
Note: Club 2nd teams, including EHL Club
2nd teams, have no right of postponement because of senior indoor
commitments. However, at the discretion
of the League Manager postponements may be given to the 2nd teams of Clubs
playing in EH Indoor Junior Finals, if the East League 2nd team normally
includes a significant number of the junior players.
4.6 Failure to Honour a Fixture.
When
matches are not honoured the League Manager is the sole judge of whether the
match should be rearranged, awarded 0-3, voided, or forfeited. If a team forfeits a fixture in Division 2 or
higher, the match will be awarded 0-3 to the opposition and the defaulting team
will additionally suffer a 3 point deduction.
A team
that forfeits four matches will be automatically withdrawn from the League and
all previous results will be rendered void. Participation of that team in the
league in the following season will be at League Management Committee
discretion.
The
Home Club is entitled to charge the cost of pitch hire to a visiting side that
has failed to honour a fixture and has notified the Home Club of this less than
48 hours before the scheduled start time.
5. UMPIRES
5.1 Pool appointed umpires.
5.1.1 Mandatory Divisions: East
Region Hockey Umpires Association (ERHUA) and County Hockey Umpires
Associations (CHUA) will appoint to all matches in these divisions:
Divisions covered by Pools 2007-8
|
EWL Prem |
ERHUA |
|
EWL 1N, 1S |
CHUA |
|
EML Prem A, Prem B |
ERHUA |
|
EML 1, 2N, 2S |
CHUA |
For each team playing in EWL Premier
and in EML Prem A and Prem B, a club must provide either a level 2 umpire
to the ERHUA pool or an appropriately qualified umpire to its CHUA pool.
For each team
playing in EWL Div 1N and Div 1S and EML Div 1, 2N, and 2S a club must provide
an appropriately qualified umpire to its CHUA pool on a weekly basis.
(1) The umpire provided must be named to the
pool organiser in time for inclusion in published pool sheets, but need not be
the same umpire each week (late changes to umpires are acceptable when club or
personal circumstances change);
(2) An umpire promoted to
regular appointments in the National League will count towards these
requirements only in the season of promotion;
(3) If a club is
contributing more umpires to the ERHUA pool than is required by this rule, any
requirement it may have to also contribute umpires to a county pool will be
reduced by one;
(4) To minimize travel,
the home CHUA may appoint both umpires;
(5) Umpires will not
normally be appointed to their own clubs.
(6) If there is no
A pool may refuse umpires to a club that
regularly fails to provide umpires to the pool, or that fails to provide start
and venue information as required under Rule 4.2. If an umpire is not provided
for such a disciplinary reason to a match in a division listed in the Table
above, whether or not actually played using another umpire, the league will
review the circumstances and may award the result of the match against the
offending club. Persistently offending
clubs may incur further penalties at the discretion of League Management.
5.1.2 Other
Divisions: CHUA pools with sufficient resources may wish
to cover additional lower divisions. If a division spans more than one county,
it will be acceptable for it to be pool umpired in one county whilst being club
umpired or mixed pool/club umpired in another county (probably on a two-home
umpire basis). Local arrangements must take precedence. Clubs
should accept that umpiring arrangements may differ between counties, and
should support their local CHUA pools as fully as possible. The League Management
Committee will work together with CHUA’s to agree additional coverage
arrangements before a season starts.
5.1.3 Umpiring Liaison Officers: Clubs must
appoint an Umpiring Liaison Officer (ULO) with whom ERHUA and CHUA Pool
Secretaries will communicate on the provision of umpires for matches. Details
of the Club ULO must be included in the club’s annual application to join the
League. The ULO must operate according to the ULO job definition document as
published by the ERHUA, and must always have a current email address.
5.2 Club appointed
umpires. When the ERHUA and CHUA are unable to appoint to a
match, the opposing clubs must provide suitably qualified umpires. All club
umpires officiating in East League matches must be full Level 1 for matches in
divisions 3NE, 4NW, 6SE, and 4SW and above (explanatory note added after rules published: this includes all matches in EWL), and in other divisions the umpire
may be either Level 1 or Probationer Level 1 (having passed the Level 1
examination but not yet been assessed and graded).
Clubs must confirm
before the start of the season that they have at least two Level 1 umpires per
East League team, of which up to half may be Probationers. Before the start of the
season, all clubs must provide a complete list of their Level 1 and Probationer
Level 1 umpires to the Leagues
using a system on the East Hockey website, including Level 1 registration
numbers. This list must be kept up to date during the
season. All such umpires should be paid‑up members of their
CHUA. Using a club umpire that has not been listed or is not a CHUA member will
result in the match being awarded to the opposing side.
5.3 Umpire
Replacements. When an umpire unexpectedly fails to fulfill an
appointment, the captains of both sides shall endeavour to find an appropriate
replacement and thus fulfill the fixture. If a Level One umpire is required and
only an unqualified umpire is available but is acceptable to both teams, the
match may proceed. If both captains cannot reach an agreement regarding a
replacement umpire prior to the start of the game, the League fixture must be
rearranged. If a replacement umpire is used, a written explanation of the
circumstances must be sent by the home team and received by their League
Manager within seven days of the date of the match. If the problem arose from a
genuine late withdrawal by an appointed umpire, the League Committee
subsequently may consider to apply no penalty.
5.4 Umpires and
League Rules. In no circumstances should umpires be asked to
adjudicate on League rules (unless
they are also East League officials).
5.5 Changing Umpires
during a Match Except in the case of incapacity, or of a temporary umpire being used whilst
the appointed umpire arrives, umpires may not be changed during any
match in the EWL nor in any match in the EML in Divisions 4NE, 4NW, 5SE, and
5SW and above. Any change of umpire during a game in a lower EML division can
only take place with the agreement of both captains made prior to the start of
the game, the umpires cannot be rotated with rolling substitutes, and there can
only be one such change during a match.
6. LEAGUE
STRUCTURE, PROMOTIONS, RELEGATIONS
6.1 League positions
League positions will be determined by the award of
3 points for a Win, 1 for a Draw and 0 for a Loss. For divisions where not all teams play equal
numbers of matches, percentages may be substituted for points.
Where teams are equal on points or percentages,
their relative positions will be determined first by goal difference, then by
goals for, then by the aggregate result of matches between the two clubs with
away goals counting double. Teams that are still equal will share the position,
except in the case of a championship, promotion or relegation issue, when a
play-off will be arranged by the League Management Committee on a neutral
ground on the first available date. If in any play-off match the scores are
level at full time, no extra time shall be played, but a penalty stroke
competition shall be used to determine the winner. In the event of more than two teams being
involved in a play-off: for 3 teams there shall be a draw with 1 team receiving
a bye, and this team shall play a deciding match with the winner of the
play-off between the other two; for 4 teams, there shall be a draw for 2
play-off matches with a deciding match between the winners; and for 5 teams
there shall be a draw for one “quarter final” play-off match and then 2
“semi-finals” and a “final”.
6.2 Promotions and Relegations
Teams eligible for promotion to a higher division,
including teams eligible for promotion from county leagues into the East
League, shall normally be those finishing the season in the top places in their
divisions. However in the event of a team being unable or unwilling to
accept promotion, the next highest placed eligible team(s) may be offered
promotion at the discretion of the League Management Committee. In
determining this the Committee will have regard only to the playing strength of
proposed alternative promotion candidates based on their performance in the
season just finished. If a sufficiently strong candidate is not
available a promotion will not be made, and the Committee may decide to
reduce the number of relegations from the higher division or may take other
actions to adjust divisional sizes.
Only East League Club 1st teams and EHL Club 2nd
teams can join EWL Premier or EML Premier A. At the end of the season the
champions of those divisions (or the highest placed 1st team if EHL Club 2nd
teams occupy one or more top positions) will be promoted to the EHL and one or
more East clubs in the EHL may be relegated back to the East League. If
this results in a net gain of clubs to either of these divisions, there will be
a corresponding number of additional relegations from these and appropriate
lower Divisions to maintain as many as possible at their normal size (usually
12 teams). If there is a net loss of clubs, there will be a corresponding
number of additional promotions from these and other Divisions maintain as many
as possible at 12 teams at their normal size.
If it is necessary to choose between teams in
equivalent Divisions to take relegation or promotion places, selection will be
based on point totals or percentages, as appropriate. If these are equal,
selection will be determined as described in 6.1.
No more than two teams from one club may play in
the same division. If the relegation of
a team causes there to be more than two teams in a division, the lowest ranking
of those teams will be relegated irrespective of finishing position. If the promotion of a team causes there to be
more than two teams in a division, the promotion will not be allowed. (It is
noted that the bottom division of a quadrant may not always be compliant).
6.3 East Women’s League
The East Women’s
League is structured as shown below, including end of season promotions and
relegations. This is based on the
assumption that there is a relegation of one team from the EHL back into the
East League. Divisions will normally
consist of 12 teams.
|
Division |
Promotion |
Relegation |
|
Premier |
1 |
4 |
|
Division 1N and 1S |
2 |
4 |
|
Divisions 2E, 2N, 2S, 2W |
2 |
7 in
total |
If there is no
relegation from the EHL, there will be one extra promotion from Divs 1 (the
better of the two third-placed teams), one similar extra promotion from Divs 2,
and only six relegations from Divs 2 (all in 12th plus the lowest 2 of the 11th
placed teams).
If there are two
relegations from the EHL, there will be one extra relegation from Divs 1 (the
worst of the two 10th-placed teams) and one similar extra relegation from Divs
2 (and so on if there are more than two EHL relegations).
The seven champion
teams from the
Following
promotions and relegations from and into Divisions 1N and 1S and 2NE, 2NW, 2SE,
and 2SW, the clubs will be arranged between divisions to minimise travel.
This may mean a club being switched from one division to another.
6.4 East Men's league
The East
Men’s League is structured as shown below, including end of season promotions
and relegations. This is based on the assumption that there is a relegation
of one team from the EHL back into the East League. Divisions will normally consist of 12 teams, although any of the three
lowest divisions in each quadrant may consist of 7-14 teams with fixtures
organised to give each club as many matches as season as possible. Where divisions have less than 12 teams,
promotion and relegation numbers will be reduced by one for divisions with 9 or
10 teams, and by two for divisions with 7 or 8 teams. The bottom division in
each quadrant will have no relegations unless a new lower division is formed
for the following season.
|
Division |
Prom |