Supporters Behaviour Policy

1.         INTRODUCTION

This policy is written in relation to the FA handbook rule referring to “Attendance at and Participation in Matches”:

Rule E20: Each Affiliated Club shall be responsible for ensuring:

a)                  that its directors, players, officials, employees, servants, representatives, spectators and all persons purporting to be its supporters or followers, conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and refrain from any one of the following: racist, violent, threatening, abusive, obscene or provocative behaviour, conduct or language whilst attending or taking part in a match in which it is involved, whether on its own ground or elsewhere; and

b)                  that no spectators or unauthorised persons are permitted to encroach onto the pitch area, save for reasons of crowd safety, or to throw missiles, bottles or other potentially harmful or dangerous objects at or on to the pitch.

Scarborough Athletic FC will be referred to as “the Club”.

2.         INITIATION OF DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

Initiation of disciplinary procedures can occur from a referee report, an official written protest, as the result of a police report (with or without charges being filed), from a report by a Club official, or as a result of independent complaints by other spectators witnessing an offence.

3.         DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

All offences listed in FA Rule E20 are considered serious breaches of conduct. 

a.       Where any supporter has been reported under section 2 (above) or is deemed to have committed a disciplinary offence, or has otherwise acted in a way which a majority of the Board believe is in contrast to the spirit of the club and/or of football, the Board shall be at liberty to constitute a disciplinary committee (“the Committee”) to determine the facts and take such measures as the Committee sees fit. 

b.       The Committee will consist of the then Chairman and/or Vice Chairman of the Board unless one or both of them is the subject of the disciplinary, in which case another member of the Board will be selected by the Board as Chairman of the Committee and (s)he shall have the casting vote, if necessary.  In addition up to 3 but no less than 2 other Board members (who shall not be the subject of the disciplinary or serve of the same sub-committee as the member who is the subject of the disciplinary) shall sit on the Committee. 

c.       The Committee has the right to suspend the supporter from attending matches until the investigation and hearing is complete.

d.       The Committee shall meet as soon as is practicable (where possible within 7 days) after the Board has constituted the Committee and shall invite the supporter concerned to attend or submit his/her version of events or mitigating circumstances.   The supporter concerned will be contacted preferably by mail but by whatever means possible, as to any disciplinary action taken against him/her. The Committee also has the right to contact any necessary individual involved in an incident, advising of the time and place of a hearing for additional clarification of an incident, prior to making a ruling. The Committee shall act honestly in assessing the facts of the disciplinary case before them and shall impose such sanction as it sees fit.  Failure to appear at a scheduled hearing will result in a forfeiture of all rights to protest or appeal the decision of the Committee and the hearing will continue.

Where the Committee have confirmed that a spectator has committed an offence, he/she can be disciplined as follows depending on the severity of the incident:

a)                  Adults (over 18 years): 

i.      No sanction

ii.      Written warning

iii.      Ban from home matches and from official Club travel to away matches for up to 12 calendar months.  If, after this period has elapsed, appropriate letters of apology are submitted by the individual in question to parties specified by the Committee, the individual will be allowed to return to Scarborough Athletic FC matches

iv.      Sine die ban from home matches and from official Club travel to away matches.

b)                  Minors (under 18 years): 

i.      No sanction

ii.      Written warning

iii.      Depending on the severity of the incident (to be decided by the Executive Board), minors will be banned from home matches and official Club travel to away matches for up to 6 calendar months.  If, after this period has elapsed, appropriate letters of apology are submitted by the individual in question to parties specified by the Committee, the individual will be allowed to return to Scarborough Athletic FC matches.

A record of any written warnings issued will be kept by the Chairman of the Committee and can be used as evidence in any future investigations. 

4.         FURTHER PENALTIES

All spectators may also be subject to additional investigation by relevant police authorities.

5.         APPEALS

The supporter subject to the disciplinary hearing may appeal the decision of the Committee within 14 days of being notified of the decision.  The appeal will be made to an employee of Supporters’ Direct whose decision will be binding on all parties.  The appeal will take place as soon as possible after the member concerned has requested it.  As Supporters’ Direct is deemed to be independent of the Trust there will be no further right of appeal by any party.

6.         REFUNDS

Refunds will not be granted for any games missed due to enforcement of the spectator behaviour policy.