CONSTITUTION AND RULES - REVISED JUNE 2019Click on a heading to view a rule
Rule 1 - Official Name of the League
Rule 2 - Joining the League
Rule 3 - Entrance Fees and Subscriptions
Rule 4 - Trophies Guarantors Indemnification
Rule 5 - AGM and Monthly Meetings
Rule 6 - League Officials
Rule 7 - Management of the League
Rule 8 - Powers of the Management Committee
Rule 9 - Protests and Complaints
Rule 10 - Registration of Players
Rule 11 - Method of Deciding Matches
Rule 12 - Team and Player Handicaps
Rule 13 - Playing of Matches
Rule 14 - Match Report
Rule 15 - Tables
Rule 16 - Fines
Rule 17 - Monies
Rule 18 - Definitions
Rule 19 - Communications
Rule 20 - Alteration of Rules
Rule 21 - Team Competitions
Rule 22 - Individual and Pairs Competitions
Rule 1 - Name
a) The name of the organisation shall be the LIVERPOOL SNOOKER LEAGUE.
b) The organisation will be registered to the UK League Snooker Community (UKLS).
Rule 2 – Membership
a) Clubs desirous of becoming members must be proposed and seconded at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and accepted by a majority of the clubs present and voting.
b) The Management Committee shall have the power to allocate clubs to their respective division. Any club dissatisfied with the allocation may appeal to the general meeting of clubs prior to the fixtures being drawn up.
c) Promotion may apply to the Champions, Runners-Up and third place teams in the division below the first division.
d) Clubs must give written notice that they wish to resign before the AGM. Failure to do so will render clubs liable to payment of subscriptions.
Rule 3 - Entrance Fees and Subscriptions
a) The annual subscription is £160-00 per team.
b) Any club not paying their dues by the February meeting will be fined £10-00 and barred from entering the team and individual cup competitions. A further £10 fine will be imposed each month that fees remain outstanding.
Rule 4 - Trophies Guarantors Indemnification
a) The holding of all trophies shall be the subject to the rules of the Liverpool Snooker League, in which the property is vested. All trophies must be returned to the League Secretary or a Committee member by the April meeting or clubs shall be fined £10-00.
b) Clubs/Individuals have a responsibilty to return trophies in good condition when required to do so. Clubs/Individuals will be liable for costs of any repairs to damaged trophies and the replacement of any trophies not returned.
Rule 5 - General Meetings and Annual General Meetings
a) The AGM shall be held not later than the 30th June to receive, and if approved adopt, the report and accounts, to elect clubs, Officers, Committee, and one auditor who shall not be a member of the Committee and to transact any other business of which due notice has been given.
b) Motions of special business shall not be placed on the agenda unless specific notice has been given in writing not later than fourteen days before the AGM. To be passed it must gain two thirds of the votes of all clubs present at the AGM. A copy of the accounts, duly audited, shall be presented at the AGM.
c) Each club must attend the AGM and shall have the power to vote. Any club that does not attend will be fined £2-00.
d) A general meeting shall be held on the as and when required/necessary at the committee's discretion. Clubs not represented will be fined £2-00.
e) The Management Committee may convene a special meeting. Not less than seven days notice shall be given of all special meetings.
f) All meetings to start at 7-30pm prompt, unless specifically stated.
Rule 6 – Officers
a) The Officers shall be Chairman, Vice Chairman, League Secretary and League Treasurer.
b) The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of all sub-Committees.
c) A President shall be elected and each may nominate a Vice President. Life Vice President may also be elected.
d) The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer may receive special expenses voted on at the AGM.
Rule 7 – Management
a) The Management of the League shall be vested in the control of a Committee consisting of the Officers and up to four members.
b) Election of candidates to the Management Committee shall be by vote at the AGM. The Committee shall meet as and when required. Four elected members, including two Officers, shall form a quorum.
c) All decisions of the Committee shall be final.
Rule 8 - Powers of the Management Committee
a) The Management Committee shall have the power to deal with any infringement of the rules and regulations of the League, and in the absence of a satisfactory explanation, to impose a fine and/or penalty including the deduction and/or award of points and/or the payment of out of pocket expenses to the disappointed club.
Rule 9 - Protests and Complaints
a) Protests shall be lodged in duplicate within three days (Sunday excepted) of the match in question together with a deposit of £5-00. The latter being returned if the protest is upheld. The protesting club shall send a copy of the protest and other particulars to the club against which the protest is made. The Management Committee shall deal with all protests and their decision is final.
b) Complaints regarding tables etc. must be lodged before the games, otherwise they will not be entertained.
Rule 10 – Registration of Players
a) Players must be registered on an official form of the League which must be forwarded to the League Secretary and only play for the team shown as registered. The registration of a player may be declined by the Committee without a reason being given.
b) Clubs cannot register players after the 31st December unless under extreme circumstances and agreed by the Management Committee.
Rule 11 - Method of Deciding Matches
a) Teams consisting of six players to play home and away matches with other teams in their division, presently run on a handicap basis. One point shall be awarded for each frame of snooker won in the match and an aggregate point shall be awarded to the team scoring the most points in a match. In the event of a tie in team competitions the black ball shall be re-spotted at the end of the last frame to decide the match winners. In the event of an individual snooker frame being tied, the black ball shall be re-spotted to decide the winner of the frame and will count seven points, except in team competitions. The team having the highest number of points in each division shall be the winners of the League trophy for their respective divisions for the current season. In the event of one division, a scratch league will operate in conjunction with the handicap league.
b) If after the completion of regular matches two or more teams have an equal number of points for the first or second places in a division, a deciding match or matches shall be played on neutral tables.
c) A prize will be awarded to the player making the highest break in the League and the highest break in the team cup competitions (CH Jones and N Beeby Trophies).
d) An ‘Order of Merit’ trophy will be awarded to the player who has won the most league matches.
Rule 12 - Method of Deciding League Handicaps
a) Teams will be allocated a points handicap based on their previous season’s final scratch league position. The league champions will begin the season on zero points, all other teams will receive the points difference between them and the league champions at the end of the previous season, e.g. a team finishing 20 points behind the champions would begin the next season with a 20 point start etc. New teams applying to the league, would be given a handicap by the committee, based on player/team knowledge. In the absence of any knowledge zero points will be awarded for their first season.
b) Players individual league handicaps will be discussed and set by the Handicap Committee and Secretaries prior to the start of the season, based on the players performance from the last quarter of the previous season. New players to the league, will be assessed by the Handicap Committee, based on knowledge of the new player, and in the absence of any knowledge, a starting handicap of scratch will be awarded.
c) Handicaps will be adjusted after each quarter. These adjustments will be based on the win/loss ratio of each player irrespective of number of games played in that quarter. One point will be added/deducted from the handicap for each differential. E.g. if a player wins four and loses two games, handicap will be reduced by 2 points, if a player wins one and loses four, the handicap will be increased by 3 points. Any player who wins or loses all games in any quarter will have their handicap increased or reduced by an extra 3 points.
d) New players to the league will be subject to 2 point adjustments per win/loss ratio in their first season so that they attain their true handicap at the earliest opportunity. Players who join the league in the latter half of the season retain their double point adjustment until the halfway stage of the next season.
e) All players’ individual league handicaps will be set between –40pts and +50pts
f) The maximum handicap to be conceded in any frame will be 60pts this includes both the Billiards Supply handicap and Pairs trophies.
g) Any proposed changes to handicaps by Secretaries for any league player, must be put in writing to the league Secretary prior to the review meeting(s). Handicaps will not be changed once the season has started until the next review date, not withstanding the committee discretion that already exists
h) Individual player handicaps will apply to all league matches and the Noel Beeby Trophy. The CH Jones Trophy will be played for using a Team Handicap only.
i) The CH Jones handicaps will be calculated as follows:-
- all eligible players handicaps are added together;
- divide the above total by the number of eligible players;
- multiply the total above by six;
- each team, other than the scratch league winners, will receive additional points equivalent to the number of points they finished behind the scratch league winners.
j) The decision of the Handicap Committee is final.
k) The league Secretary will issue handicap sheets after each review point.
Rule 13 - Playing of Matches
a) Matches will be played on the date arranged in accordance with the rules and regulations of the League. Teams shall consist of six players, each player to play one frame of snooker.
b) All matches will start at 7.30pm (unless otherwise stated).
c) All players must be present to play by 9.30pm or 10-00pm for 8-00pm starts matches (within 2 hours of start).
d) All frames in league and CH Jones to be played to a conclusion. No concessions are allowed in the CH Jones.
e) In all team matches, league and cup, the home captain is required to nominate the first player, then alternate nomination thereafter.
f) Teams failing to play on the date arranged shall be liable to a fine not less than £2-00.
g) Teams short of players shall forfeit 100 points for each player short. In addition the club will also be fined £2-00 for each absent player.
h) Teams can loan players to another team subject to:-- max one player to another team
- may loan players to different teams
- loan player cannot play against parent club
- max of two loan appearances per season
- handicap retained whilst on loan
- all games count towards handicap review
- applies to league games only, players cannot be loaned for team cup competitions
i) Teams responsible for a late start to a match shall forfeit 50 points if a match starts 15 minutes late and 100 points if a match starts 30 minutes late.
j) No matches to be postponed after 9-00pm on the Monday prior to the match in question unless in extreme circumstances and agreed by the League Secretary and the opposing team.
k) All postponed matches must be played within 28 days of the cancellation or when applicable, on the nearest designated free week.
l) The team who did not cancel the match will provide three separate dates, excluding normal match nights, to play the game; the opposing team must accept one of these dates. Any matches postponed after agreement, or not played within the stipulated period, teams may be liable to deductions of points and/or fines subject to Management Committee meeting.
m) An efficient referee shall be delegated by both clubs on an alternate basis. The referee's decision shall be final.
n) Players who will be taking part in a match are prohibited from playing on other tables once the match has started. Any player who does so will not be allowed to play in that match.
o) If any venue does not possess required standard sets of balls, opposition may provide balls of such a standard for use in the match
p) Aggregate point - all frames are to be played to a conclusion, an aggregate point is awarded to the team scoring the most points in a match.
q) The unscrewing or putting away of a cue whilst opposing player is in play is to be regarded as ungentlemanly conduct and be treated as a concession. The referee shall award the frame and any remaining points to the opponent of the person displaying such conduct. Referees have the power to punish other instances of ungentlemanly conduct in the same way.
Rule 14 - Match Report
a) Winning Captains/Secretaries must send results electronically (via email, text, WhatsApp message) to the UKLS website administrator on the day following the match, recording each frame score and including all breaks of 30 and over.
b) A team which willfully includes in its list of players the name of one who did not take part in the match or one who is not registered, may be expelled from the League or otherwise dealt with by the Management Committee.
Rule 15 – Tables
a) No club shall be allowed to play a home match on other than their own table(s) without the prior consent of the League.
Rule 16 – Fines
a) Except where otherwise stated the fine for any breach of these rules shall not be less than £2-00.
Rule 17 – Monies
a) The monies of the League shall be 1lodged in Barclays Bank Ltd in the name of the Liverpool Snooker League.
Rule 18 – Definitions
a) The word 'Club' shall mean the first or other team of a club playing in the League. The word 'Committee' shall mean the Management Committee of the League.
Rule 19 – Communications
a) All communications, except those containing cash must be made in writing to the League Secretary. All communications containing cash should be sent to the League Treasurer. Most League officials can be contacted by telephone on League business.
Rule 20 - Alteration of Rules
a) The League Committee have the power to look into the general structure of the League rules and make recommendations regarding possible changes to the rules.
Rule 21 - Team Competitions
a) The cup/shield competitions shall be team knockout handicaps for which all teams shall compete. Players must have played at least three games in one team to be eligible for the team cup/shield competitions, before the preliminary or first round is due to be played. Teams can withdraw players from their squads prior to the commencement of the cup competitions. Any player withdrawn cannot play in any team competitions that season. All games including semi-finals will be played on the tables of the club drawn first. Finals to be played on neutral tables.
b) In team matches on neutral tables the first team drawn will nominate the first players name, thereafter alternate names will apply. The first team drawn will have choice of tables. In other ties normal procedures will be followed.
c) Suitable prizes may be awarded to the Winners and Runners-Up. All League rules bearing on these competitions are applicable.
d) Teams failing to attend any cup match will be excluded from all team cup competitions for the current season.
C H Jones Trophy
A team competition to be run on a knockout handicap basis. Team handicaps will be calculated as follows:-- the handicaps of all eligible players, (who have not been withdrawn from squads), are added together;
- divide the above total by the number of eligible/available players;
- multiply the total above by six;
- each team, other than the scratch league winners, will receive additional points equivalent to the number of points they finished behind the scratch league winners.
Noel Beeby Trophy
A team competition to be run on a knockout handicap basis. All registered teams will be entered. Matches to be played applying players individual league handicaps only. The team that wins four frames will be the winner, in the event of a 3-3 tie a deciding frame will be played. Captains to write the name of their play off player on paper and exchange with opposing captain.
Rule 22 - Competition Fees and Details
a) Players must have played at least one League game to enter these competitions before the draw for the first rounds are made.
b) All dates and venues for semi finals and finals of the individual competitions to be decided at the start of each season.
Clare Cup
a) An individual scratch championship. All games prior to the semi-finals best of three frames, semi-finals and final best of five frames. All games prior to the semi-finals to be played on the table of the first drawn player. Home player must send opponent three dates, over a period of not less than ten days, excluding weekends, opponent must accept one of these dates.
b) All results to be sent to the results Secretary, in writing or by telephone, by the winner, before or immediately following the closing date. Claims must be in writing to be put before the League Committee.
c) All matches to start by the toss of a coin to determine the order of play. The break off order to remain alternate throughout.
Billiards Supply Handicap
a) All games, including the semi-finals and final, best of three frames. Same rules apply as for the Clare Cup.
b) The maximum handicap to be conceded in any frame will be 60pts
Hall and Brown Pairs Competition Cup Handicap
a) All games, including the semi-finals and final, best of three frames. Same rules apply as for the Clare Cup and Billiards Supply Cup.
b) The maximum handicap to be conceded in any frame will be 60pts
Norman Clare Memorial Trophy (Secretaries Cup)
a) Free entry. All games, including the semi-finals and final, best of three frames. Same rules apply as for the Clare Cup and Billiards Supply Cup, except, final only to be played on neutral venue.
b) The Management Committee shall determine the handicaps and also make the draws for all competitions.
c) All Games must be played by the closing dates set by the Committee.
FAILURE TO PLAY BY THE SET DATE, OR SUBMIT A CLAIM, WILL RESULT IN BOTH PLAYERS / PAIRS BEING SCRATCHED
