1. Name of Cup Competition· Eligible Teams

(a) There will be five competitions, each known as the Southern Amateur League Challenge Cup. Teams will be entered into the different cups as follows:

(b) A team entering more than two other cup competitions will not be eligible for entry.

(c) Only Teams participating in the relevant sections of the League Competition shall be eligible for entry.

(d) A Club or Team that has been excluded from AFA Cup Competitions in accordance with the AFA Cup Competition rule 3(f) will not be eligible for entry.

2. Eligible Players

(a) Each playing member of a Team must be a bona fide member of the Club.

(b) Clubs shall field teams, including substitutes, of relative sectional strength for each tie.

3. Management of the Competitions

(a) All matters concerning the competitions shall be addressed to the Cup Competitions Secretary.

(b) The competitions shall be run by a Cup Committee which shall be a Sub-Committee of the League Management Committee. The Cup Committee shall comprise three (3) members, nominated by and from members of the League Management Committee. Two members shall be League Officers, one of whom shall act as the Chairman, and the third member shall act as the Secretary.

(e) If it becomes apparent that to continue a Cup Competition will further aggravate the congestion of League fixtures, then the League Competition shall have priority and the Cup Competition be cancelled.

4. Entries

(a) Entry into each of the Cup Competitions will be by application. Each application will be considered and its acceptance, or otherwise, duly confirmed by the Cup Committee.

(b) An Entrance Fee, set by the League Management Committee, will be charged for each Team accepted.

(c) Entry Forms, indicating the Entrance Fee payable per team will be issued to each Club by the 1st of May each year. The form, together with the fee shall be returned to reach the Secretary of the Cup Competition by the 31st of May, on which date entries shall close. The fee/for a Team whose application is not accepted will be returned.

5. Organisation of the Competitions

(a) To proceed in any of the Cup Competitions a minimum entry of sixteen (16) teams shall normally be required.

(b) As soon' as possible, after the closing date for entries, teams will be drawn in pairs by ballot in the required number of rounds through to the Final Tie.

(c) The first ties will be staged in December and when practical the subsequent rounds will be staged on the same dates as the AFA County Divisional Cup Ties. The dates and kick-off times will be determined by the Cup Committee.

(d) Notification of the cup tie dates and kick-off times, together with the draw format for the entire competition will be sent to all clubs prior to the League Fixture Meeting.

(e) Where the first-named team does not have a pitch available on the due date, ground advantage must be conceded and the tie played on the opponents ground.

(f) If unavoidable circumstances prevent a team playing a tie on the due date, then with the agreement of the opponents, and the prior approval of the Cup Committee, the tie may be brought forward or deferred for one week.

6. Match Officials

(a) Except for the semi-final and final ties either Club will be required to provide the Officials, but it will be the responsibility of the first-named Club to appoint, confirm and notify the officials of the match details. For the semi-final and final ties the League Referees' Secretaries will appoint, confirm and notify the officials of the match details.

(b) The Fees paid to the Match Officials shall be the same as those set out in the current League handbook. The first-named team will be responsible for payment of the fees.

7. Match Arrangements

The first-named Team in each tie is responsible for match arrangements:-

(i) The Challenge Cup ties will normally take precedence over League games. Any postponement of matches in this competition by a club shall normally be from the bottom team upwards. However, as not to compromise the League Fixtures programme and create any fixture congestion, the League Match Secretary can decide that a League fixture or fixtures takes priority over a Challenge Cup tie.

(ii) Seeking the prior approval of the Cup Committee where there is a reason agreed with the opponents to vary the date of the tie.

(iii) Where feasible, making prior arrangements to switch grounds in the event of an unfit home pitch.

(iv) Confirming the arrangements with the opposing team.

8. Match Play Conditions

(a) The duration of play shall be 90 minutes and extra time of 30 minutes. The referee shall have discretion to reduce these times to no less than 60 and 20 minutes respectively.

(b) The half-time interval shall be of 10 minutes and may only be altered with the consent of the referee. An interval before extra time shall be no less than 5 minutes.

(e) Unless abandoned by the referee, each tie must be played to a conclusion on the prescribed date. If the scores are level at the end of extra time the result shall be determined by kicks taken from the penalty mark, in the manner prescribed as an appendix to the Laws of the Game.

(d) If in the opinion of the referee conditions do not allow sufficient time for the minimum allowed period of extra time (i.e. 20 minutes) then the match may be decided by penalty kicks immediately after the end of normal time.

(e) An abandoned tie must be reported to the Cup Competition Secretary, together with the details. A subsequent decision of the Cup Committee as to the determination of the tie shall be made in accordance with AFA Cup Rule 8(e).

(f) A team unable to fulfil a tie without valid reason, or a team not ready to commence play 30 minutes after the scheduled kick-off time, will be liable, at the discretion of the Cup Committee, to be disqualified from the competition and the tie awarded to their opponents.

9. Substitutes

A team may nominate and use up to THREE substitute players in any match, except to replace player(s) who have been suspended from the game by the referee. Substitution(s) can be made only when play has been stopped for any reason and the Referee has given permission. The substitute player(s) must be nominated to the referee prior to the commencement of the game.

10. Reporting Results

(a) Both Clubs must complete a Result Card in full, including the scores at full time, and extra time and kicks from the penalty mark, where relevant.

(b) A Result Card, must be sent by first class post, to the Secretary of the Cup Competition, not later than the first collection on the Monday following the tie.

11. Trophies

The winning finalist of each Competition will be presented with a Cup, and both the winning and losing finalists will be presented with a commemorative plaque. Each player playing in the final tie, including substitutes, will receive medals. Each match official for the final tie will be presented with a commemorative trophy, in addition to a match fee.

12. Further Provisions

(a) In any matter not provided for in these rules the relevant League rule shall apply where the context permits.

(b) The Cup Committee is empowered to deal with any matters not provided for in these rules, and to make such arrangements for the proper conduct of the Competitions as is thought fit. The AFA Cup Competition rules will be used as a guide for settling any matters not otherwise provided for herein.

13. Appeals procedures

(a) An appeal against a decision of the Cup Committee may be made to the League Management Committee in accordance with Southern Amateur League Rules.

(b) A further appeal may be made to the Amateur Football Alliance under the provisions of AFA rule 12, where, in accordance with the Football Association rules, the decision will be final and binding.