Guidelines for Matches Played at Neutral Venues.

Every season, numerous matches under the control of the Cheltenham League are played at Neutral Venues. In normal circumstances, these games will include the Finals and Semi Finals of the three Charity Cup Competitions but it is also within the remit of the League's Management Committee to require other matches to be played at neutral venues in circumstances that it deems to be appropriate.

For all matches that are played at Neutral Venues, the League requires the following.

· That respect for the property of the host club, or the host club's landlords, is shown at all times
· That an inspection is carried out when the competing team first occupies the changing room, involving representatives of that team, the host club and the League and that an accepted list of existing defects is agreed with relation to the facilities provided
· That changing facilities are left in the same state of repair at the end of the match, when they are vacated, as they were when the facilities were first occupied before the match
· That any damage to the facilities being used, however it was incurred, is reported to a representative of both the host club and the League as soon as possible but in any event before the facilities are vacated.
· That all visiting teams accept that they will be held responsible for all damage inflicted upon the host facilities during the course of their usage and that they will be required to meet all reasonable expenses incurred to affect a repair.
· That all visiting teams agree to abide by the rules of the host club and their landlords, as appropriate, during the course of their usage of the hosts facilities.

In addition, where dug out facilities or designated technical areas are provided, the League will require adherence to the following protocol.

· Personnel permitted within the dugout during the course of the match will be restricted to the following: Manager; Coach; Physio; Named substitutes, up to a maximum of 5, each of whom must be registered as a player with the club concerned for the current season and each of whom must be named on the official triplicated teamsheet for the match in question
· The names and positions of the personnel to be in occupancy of the dugout during the course of the match must be entered on the prescribed pro forma and handed to the 4th official before the kick-off. This pro-forma will be provided to each team by the League in advance of the day of the match
· No persons not named on the pro-forma, as completed and forwarded to the 4th official before the match, will be permitted in the Dug Out or technical area at any time during the match
· At any given time during the match, it will only be permissible for one person to stand in the technical area to offer coaching.
· Substitutes who leave the dug-outs and technical area to warm up must do so only as directed by the 4th official and in accordance with any specific instructions issued by the host club.
· Abusive behaviour in the form of gesticulation or the use of foul, offensive or abusive language will not be tolerated. Anyone engaging in any form of unacceptable behaviour will be dismissed from the dug out and will be removed to an area, as designated by the match officials, from whence they will take no further part in proceedings or have any influence on the match. (Please be aware that GFA disciplinary proceedings are also a likely consequence for any individual(s) engaging in this type of behaviour)

The League undertakes to send a copy of these guidelines to each competing club in advance of all matches that are scheduled to be played at a neutral venue. Thereafter, any club that fails to follow the requirements of these guidelines will be deemed to have transgressed the provisions of League Rule 5(h) and will be dealt with accordingly, at the discretion of the League Management Committee