Club Affiliation 2020/21
Please find information regarding Club Affiliation from Hampshire FA’s Operations Manager, Darren Parker.
The FA’s announcement on 16th March 2020 to suspend grassroots football in respect of the Governments lockdown measures, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Club Affiliation window was delayed from 1st April 2020.
At this time of writing, we are still unaware of when grassroots football can commence for 2020/21 season, but we have been monitoring Government and FA announcements on a regular basis.
FREE CLUB AFFILIATION
To support all of our clubs, we are offering FREE affiliation for 2020/21 season. As a County FA we want to ensure that as many of our clubs can re-affiliate as possible for when it is safe for football to return. We hope that clubs will be able to continue offering the high-quality football environment that so many players, referees, volunteers and spectators enjoy.
From 1st June 2020 the club affiliation window will be open and club secretaries will be able to apply for affiliation through the Whole Game System.
A large proportion of our staff remain on furlough leave, so if you do have any queries on the club affiliation application please contact Darren Parker or Sam Charles.
PA & PL INSURANCE
We are working with our partners Bluefin Insurance to provide savings to clubs in terms of Personal Accident (PA) Insurance for the 2020/21 season. Whilst this has yet to be formally agreed and announced, we are hoping that premiums will be discounted in recognition of the 2019/20 season being cut short due to the COVID-19.
Unfortunately, the premiums for Public Liability (PL) Insurance has been increased from £24 to £25 by Bluefin due to the increased costs of defending cases. We continue to offer the PL insurance through the club affiliation application but PA insurance will need to be made separate either by contacting our national game insurance provider, Bluefin Sport on 0345 8725060 or www.bluefinsport.co.uk/ngis or email nationalgame@bluefinsport.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can purchase with an alternative insurance provider so long as they meet the minimum requirements.
Bluefin Sport now offer Countycover Plus to Clubs. The Countycover plus includes legal defence for player v player claims and awards. Clubs can choose the Countycover Plus option during the club affiliation process.
COUNTY CUP COMPETITIONS
Due to ongoing uncertainty around Covid-19 and the impact this will have on the return of grassroots football, we will be delaying entry into Hampshire FA County Cup Competitions. We will review the position in the coming months to consider whether these competitions will run as usual, be held at the end of season or not contested for season 2020/21.
Entries to the Hampshire FA Cup Competitions will not be made available on the club affiliation renewals through the Whole Game Portal. However, the system will automatically add the previous cup you entered for 2019/20 season. Please can you ensure that you remove this entry to save any admin further down the line.
DBS SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
At present, The FA have suspended DBS applications through the Whole Game System due to the current Governments implementation of the lockdown and social distancing requirements of Covid-19. All individuals whose DBS checks are due to expire between 1st March and 1st October 2020 will not be required to renew and will have one-year extension on their date of expiry.
However, The FA have lifted the requirements within the affiliation application to enable clubs to add individuals to teams where a Coach/Manager/Assistant does not hold an in date accepted DBS.
For any individual carrying out regulated activity with U18’s without an accepted DBS will not be permitted to do so until they have obtained a DBS check.
SAFEGUARDING FOR OPEN AGE “ADULT” CLUBS
If an open age club has Just one or more than one 16/17 year old in a team the Manager/Coach/Assistant will require an accepted DBS check.
Open age clubs will need to adopt the FA safeguarding Children’s Policy (which can be downloaded from HampshireFA.com – Safeguarding) to assist Clubs meet the requirement.
For details on open age clubs having a Club Welfare Officer (Adult Safeguarding Lead), please contact the office for further details.
The FA have lifted the requirements of an accepted DBS, completed safeguarding training (Safeguarding Children Workshop, Welfare Officer Workshop) and online Safeguarding Children for Committee members.
CLUB ACCOUNTS
- Senior Clubs (Grade A) must submit audited financial statements for the last financial year unless they are exempt from audit under the Companies Act 2006 or not constituted as limited companies.
- Senior Clubs (Grade B-D and Grade A clubs exempt from the forgoing provision) shall submit as a minimum unaudited financial statements, including a balance sheet and detailed income and expenditure account that have been verified by an appropriately qualified accountant.
- Charter Standard, Step 7 (or equivalent) and Youth Clubs shall prepare an annual financial statement, in such format as shall be available from Hampshire FA (downloadable from HampshireFA.com – affiliations page. This statement shall be verified by an independent person with appropriate financial experience.
- All other clubs (including new clubs) must prepare a finance statement at their financial year end but does not need to be submitted to Hampshire FA. However, this may be requested by the Association at any time.
Completed financial statements/balance sheets must be submitted through the Whole Game Portal when completing your club affiliation application or sent direct via email to Sam.Charles@HampshireFA.com before the 1st July 2020.
PLAYER REGISTRATION
As we continue to see the benefits of having players registered through the Whole Game System, we are aiming to have all email addresses registered for every player registered online. It would be extremely helpful to us and leagues if you or your assigned club official to their respect team could enter the players email address (for players u16 and below you will need to add parent/guardian email address which can be located within the players profile of the Whole Game System).
CHANGES FOR 2020/21 SEASON
The FA have confirmed that U10 ball size to be changed from Size 4 to Size 3 and information relating to heading within youth football has already been communicated to Clubs and Leagues accordingly. If you wish to receive a copy of the FA’s Heading Guidance document, please email Darren Parker or Sam Charles.
NEW CLUBS
If you are affiliating a new club, please fill the below form out and send it to Darren Parker or Sam Charles.