Rules:
1. The Organisation shall be known as Ashford Town FC Supporters Club. The management and control of the Supporters Club shall vest in the Supporters Club Committee (“The Committee”), The Supporters Club is wholly independent of Ashford Town FC.
2. The objects of the Supporters Club shall be:
a. The organisation of support and encouragement for Ashford Town FC.
b. To enable such support and encouragement at both home and away matches of Ashford Town FC.
c. To raise funds for the enablement of (a) and (b) above in addition to the general running of the Supporters Club
d. To encourage the support of junior members and
e. Any other activities deemed in the interests of Ashford Town FC.
3. Application for membership of the Supporters Club shall be open to any
Supporter, but admission as a member of the Supporters Club is at the sole discretion of the Committee. Any successful applicant must pay the current season’s subscription due on 1st July each year at a rate to be fixed by the Committee from time to time. On payment of the subscription the applicant becomes a member of the Supporters Club for the current season. Full members are those members of 16 years of age and over, junior members are those members below 16 years of age
4. The Committee shall comprise of not less than six and not more than fourteen of its members. The Committee shall be appointed at the Supporters Club Annual General Meeting for a term of one year, at the end of which they may offer themselves for re-election. Only full members are eligible for election to the Committee.
5. The Committee shall appoint from its members a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Junior Supporters Secretary and Membership Secretary. Their roles are defined below but may be extended by agreement of the Committee to include other duties as deemed necessary.
Chairman To chair meetings of the Committee. To sign minutes of all meetings and to represent the Supporters club at any external event.
Vice Chairman To assist the Chairman and to assume the Chairman’s role in the absence of the Chairman
Secretary To maintain the General paperwork of the club, to organise Committee meetings every 8 weeks
Convene the Supporters Club AGM, to supply agendas for all meetings and to prepare and preserve the minutes of such meetings.
Treasurer To maintain the accounting records of The Supporters Club to operate the bank current and deposit
accounts. To be one of the signatories on such bank accounts. To provide a balance sheet for each meeting and
to prepare full accounts for the AGM.
Junior Supporters Secretary: To organise junior supporter’s activities. To act as a focal point for the junior
Supporters
Membership Secretary To maintain the membership records of The Supporter’s Club.
6. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member
a. To replace an elected member who for any reason ceases to be on the committee or
b. To carry out a nominated task or responsibility, provided that at no time shall the maximum Committee size be exceeded.
7. The Committee shall meet every two months with ad hoc meetings if necessary to discuss supporters’ club business, and at no time shall a period of three months elapse between two successive meetings. The minutes of such meetings shall be open to examination by any member provided that at least 10 day’s notice is given.
8. The Supporters Club shall maintain a general account at a bank and a deposit account at a building society or bank. All cheques drawn and all withdrawals from the deposit account shall bear the signatures of two members of the Committee. There shall at all times be remained a minimum credit balance of £500.00.
9. The AGM shall be held in September immediately before the first Saturday home game. Additionally, the Committee may at its discretion, or at the request of not less than 10 members of the Supporters Club, call a Special General Meeting at 14 days notice. The venue of all General Meetings shall be given to all current members, and such meetings shall not proceed to business unless 10 members are present within 15 minutes of the time publicised for the meeting. Voting shall be by a show of hands or ballot paper, the Chairman deems whichever procedure expedient. The Chairman will have no vote, except in the case of a tie.
10. No rule may be added, deleted or amended except by vote taken at a General Meeting. A simple majority of the votes cast must support any change.
11. The Committee shall have the power to reprimand, suspend or expel any member who infringes on any rule, or whose conduct shall in their opinion, render him or her unfit for membership. Before any such suspension the member concerned shall be given the opportunity to explain his or her conduct to the Committee. A suspended member shall forfeit all rights of membership during suspension. No expelled or suspended member will be entitled to return any part of his or her subscription.
12. In the event of a member making payment to the Supporters Club for an excursion fare, match ticket or other organised event and subsequently failing to turn up, any repayment of the monies received will be at the discretion of the Committee.
13. If payment made by a member is by cheque and is for any reason dishonoured upon presentation then in addition to making good the payment still due the member concerned will be liable to meet any administrative or bank charges incurred in consequence of the cheque not being met in full at the first presentation.
14. The authority to pledge the credit of the Supporters Club, and to enter into any contracts or agreements and to make payments by or on behalf of the Supporters Club is vested solely in the Committee.
15. No member may use the name, style or title of the Supporters Club without the authority of the Committee. Other than for travel arrangements made by the official authorised for that purpose, no financial liability will be accepted by the Supporters Club for any transport arranged by a member or any group of members nor will any such arrangements fall within the scope of any insurance cover arranged by the Committee.
16. In the event of a winding up of the Supporters Club, all it’s surplus monies, assets and other securities after payment of it’s liabilities shall be donated to Ashford Town FC. or Ashford Town FC trust should the football club have been wound up previously.