Football club constitution template

About this document

This is a comprehensive legal document setting out the terms and conditions for a football club or association. Associations of this type are called ‘unincorporated associations’.

An unincorporated association means any two or more people, who have come together to form a club to pursue some common purpose. Mutual rights and responsibilities arise from the rules which members agree to – that is, this agreement. This agreement sets out the terms on which the club will be constituted, who controls the administration and its funds and specifies its purpose and goals.

Unlike a company, this association has not been ‘incorporated’. It therefore has no legal identity of its own and cannot own property, except through its members as trustees. However, there are ways of dealing with this, as illustrated by this agreement.

This document has been drawn specifically for a football club of any kind. As members of many such groups and clubs will want to drink alcohol when they attend the club, we have included an alcohol licence and paragraphs relating to property ownership.

Application and features

• Sets out a clear and logical structure by which to manage your organisation, association, club or group;
• Suitable for any football club, small or large, professional or social;
• Written in plain English;
• Includes explanatory notes.

Contents

• Name and objects of Club;
• Qualifications for membership;
• Constitution;
• Admission of ordinary members;
• Proposal of candidates;
• Order of election and procedure after election;
• Delay in taking up membership;
• Entrance fee and subscription;
• Member types – town and country, honorary and temporary, life;
• Payment of subscriptions; when and how;
• Subscriptions in arrears;
• Supply of alcohol and provision of regulated entertainment and election of refreshment committee;
• Resignation, expulsion and bankruptcy of members;
• Effect of ceasing to be a member;
• General Management Committee: election, meetings, vacancies and so on;
• Sub-committees;
• Secretary and other employees;
• Borrowing and other powers;
• Annual general meeting;
• Meetings, when where, special procedures and so on;
• Audit of accounts (optional);
• Opening of Club premises;
• Permitted hours for the supply of alcohol;
• Members not to make profit out of Club;
• Purchase and supply of alcohol;
• Interpretation and amendment of rules;
• Dissolution;
• Appropriate legal provisions to protect your interests.