Romford FC Supporters Club Constitution

1. Name

The club shall be called Romford FC Supporters' Club. From this point on, the supporters' club will be referred to as 'we' or 'the committee'. We are are separate group to Romford Football Club who from now on will be addressed as 'the main club.'

2. Objectives of the Supporters Club

2.1 The supporters' club will arrange fundraising activities at football matches. other events and social events for it's members.

2.2 The supporters club will help with organising the support, encouragement  & fundraising for the supporters' club of Romford FC.

2.3 The supporters club will promote the interests of the supporters club & it's members and provide or arrange facilities for meetings, gatherings or events linked directly to the supporters club.

2.4 The supporters club will organise social events, competitions and any such fundraising that meet the supporters club & it's members desires and aims. This will allow the supporters club to make donations to Romford FC for specific activities with the provisional consent of the committee & the members.*

2.5 All members are encouraged to have friendly relations with other football clubs, particularly when playing Romford FC. 

2.6 Each member has a duty to try and grow the supporters club and may receive a reduction in fees for bringing in new members.

2.7 Each member has a duty to do all such things that may be deemed required or necessary to facilitate the objectives of the supporters club. 

2.8 Each member must encourage closer links between players, supporters, supporters club members, those running the main club of Romford FC and the wider community near the home ground.

*This includes the running of the club shop

3. The Committee

3.1 The supporters' club committee shall consist of the following club officers: Chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, membership secretary and up to three other committee members (making a total of 9 committee members maximum), either elected at the annual general meeting (AGM), or proposed by an existing committee member at a committee meeting, which is then voted upon.

3.2 Unelected committee members- When a space is available of the committee member places any existing committee members can invite & suggest a new person to the committee at a committee meeting with the prior knowledge of the Chair. There is no time limit set aside for this to happen. This will be by majority vote with the introducer abstaining.

3.3 Each club officer and club committee member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next annual general meeting (AGM), unless they resign or die in office. 

3.4 No one person  can hold more than two positions of club officer at any time.

i) If any one person hold  more than 1 committee post the committee may be extended to 9 persons but no more than 9 positions within the supporters club committee should exist at the same time.

ii) If any 1 person holds more than 1 post at any one time then this person will only be entitled to 1 vote at meetings.

iii) The Chair, secretary and treasurer may not hold more than that office or committee post at any one time. Save that in emergency then it must be with the unanimous consent & approval of the whole committee at a committee meeting.

iv)The Chair must vote vote on all motions. Should this not be possible, a proxy Chair may be a  nominated committee member by the Chair in case of incapacity. *The Chair does not have the power to unilaterally act on any motion without a vote.

v) In the event of a tied vote at a meeting, the Chair of that meeting has the casting vote and may, if they wish, change their initial vote. 

3.5 Committee meeting minutes-All meetings must be kept a record of and these minutes shall be entered into the minute book of the supporters club or onto a hard paper copy to be maintained by the secretary. The secretary will distribute the latest meeting's minutes upon request by a member.

3.6 The supporters club committee shall not hold less than 4 meetings a year. Ideally, these should be held tri-monthly.

4. Annual, Special or Emergency General Meetings

4.1 An annual general meeting (AGM) shall be held in each year to:

i) Receive an update from the supporters club committee of the activities of the club over the previous year summarised by the Chair .

ii) Receive a report of the club's finances over the previous year from the treasurer.

iii) Discuss new fundraising ideas & future events in the calendar.

iv) Discuss the running of the main club (not supporters club) and

v) Elect from those members present a new supporters club committee.

4.2 Notice of any constitution or rule change resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the club secretary prior to the meeting. This may be proposed at a previous meeting.

4.3 An extraordinary general meeting (EGM) may be requested at any time by any member with the supporting signatures, names & addresses of 5 other members, which must include 2 committee members.

4.4 The secretary shall inform each member of the date of an AGM giving 21 days notice and committee members of forthcoming committee meetings.

4.5 The quorum for a general meeting of any sort shall be not less than 10 members.

4.6 The Chair, vice Chair, or in their absence, a member elected by the club committee, shall take the Chair.

Each member present shall have one vote and a simple majority shall pass resolutions. In the event of a tied vote, the chair shall have the casting vote and, as above, may choose to change their mind.

4.7 The secretary, or in their absence, a member of the committee, shall enter minutes of such general meetings into the minute book of the club or keep a hard paper copy. 

4.8 If at any AGM or SGM (special general meeting- this option has not yet been identified by the committee) the quorum of 10 is not met, the committee may call an EGM (emergency general meeting). If this meeting is called by the committee, the members will be asked to attend an urgent meeting within 14 days & vote on the dissolution of the club. To pass this vote a 75% or three quarters majority in agreement is required.  

5. Rules

5.1 The supporters' club committee will draw up & make available to each fully paid up member  no less than 21 days in advance of an AGM a copy of the code of conduct & such rules that will be applied to membership of this supporters club. This may be made available on this website at a later date.

5.2  These rules can be amended at a committee meeting & must then be passed at the subsequent or forthcoming AGM with a vote of the members.

5.3  Consideration should be given to the removal of membership from a member breaking the rules after receiving an initial verbal warning from the Chair, secretary or treasurer. The second occasion should be given written notice of such violation of the rules and for a third occasion should sit before the committee at a hearing.

5.4 Any such hearings will be for those committee members available to listen to the member's concerns & then allocate suitable action, fine, suspension or removal as a member of the person concerned.

5.5 No appeal is possible at these meetings & the committee must vote by a two thirds majority of removing the membership from the member to be valid. A fi9nal warning should be issued if the two thirds majority is not reached.

5.6 If any one member is put before the committee at a hearing more than once in a 3 year period then the committee have the right to void, cancel or ban the member from reapplying for membership.

5.7 If a disciplinary committee is required then the Chair & any 2 committee members picked by the Chair from the disciplinary panel, the defendant member may have 1 person to accony them to the hearing. This person's name, address, contact details & profession must be made known no later than 7 days before the disciplinary panel convenes.  

*Note- The code of conduct may be referenced when it comes to violations of rules. This is not yet available.

6. Membership

6.1 Membership of the supporters club will be open to people of all ages of 18 and over. All members must complete a membership form, the committee will then meet to discuss, accept or reject the application. If accepted as a member they will receive their membership card & an up to date copy of the rules by the secretary before officially becoming a member. 

6.2 If rejected, the secretary with inform the applicant for the reasons their application was rejected. The applicant may reapply 3 months later.

6.3 Only fully paid up members are entitled to attend the AGM or any such SGM or committee meetings. Members are entitled to attend any committee meetings they wish but they must not interrupt the meeting or distract anyone at the meeting, they must not make any suggestions during the meeting & they may not vote at the meeting.

7. Finance

7.1 The treasurer must open the account at the bank in the supporters club name & ensure a good rate of interest is returned to the supporters club annually.

7.2 The bank club must be set up. It must be made known to all committee members at every meeting the overall account balance & position.

7.3 The supporters club shall, at all times ensure the proper books are up to date & kept in good order. All receipts of monetary transactions are kept or held within the supporters club's financial records & the responsibility for this is for the the treasurer.

7.4 The supporters club may pass onto the main club an end of year surplus not needed for the supporters club to remain viable for the next year on an annual basis.

7.5 The supporters club must ensure an appropriate membership fee is charged each year, committee members are also to pay this & that no person is a member until such fee is paid, membership accepted at a committee meeting & the membership card is provided to the member by the secretary.

7.6 These accounts should be made available in full to any AGM or an interim set made if required for an SGM.

7.7 No money, property or asset shall be held on the account other than for the betterment of the supporters club & this should be made known at every general meeting, whether asked by a member or not.

7.8 In the event of a winding up or dissolution of the supporters club all money, property, assets, goods or chattels belonging to the supporters club & any such other securities shall be gifted to the main club or another local club of the committee's choosing.  

7.9 Payment of any goods, licences or other fees must only be done with the permission and agreement of the supporters club committee. Anyone paying from his/her pocket after being given permission is to be paid the full amount stated.

i) Donations by fans may be made at any time.

ii) Should any committee member require payment for goods bought they have bought 'off their own back', for whatever reason, they must present receipts for the transaction. On providing the receipts, the rest of the supporters club committee must vote on whether to pay that committee member the full or partial amount stated. That committee member may not vote under those circumstances.

iii) Should the main football club provide stock for the club shop, a fee due back to them should be discussed before any of those items are sold. The reason for this is that previously, under extraordinary circumstances, the main club wanted to sell through the club shop items also bought by another member at a lower cost than the other member had paid and this meant loss of revenue from both directions. That was before the supporters club was reformed. For that reason, also, a price should be agreed before being put on sale.

iv) Some stock will be provided by other sources, such as official goods, replica kits etc. that may be put on sale via the club shop that the supporters club have no say in ordering. The club shop manager and treasurer must take full responsibility for how this is policed.   

v) Members are not permitted to sell merchandise without the permission of the supporters' club or for personal financial gain and what is sold must be available at the match day shop. An exception to this rule are items that come fully under the copyrights of Romford Football Club, such as books including official statistics and photographs.

8. Relation With Main Club

8.1 The supporters club is administratively & financially fully independent of the main football club.

8.2 The supporters club can, if they choose, gift to the main football club money or cash in value once per annum & with the consent of the majority of the supporters club committee as passed at a meeting.

8.3 The supporters club committee do not represent the main club in any way, though it has been agreed, by request from the main club, for one of it's committee members to be put on the main club's committee as a liaison officer to help run the main football club. This may not be the Chair of the supporters' club committee under any circumstance. This may not be to the detriment of the supporters club and does not give this officer permission to pass over information to the main club without approval of the other supporters club committee members.

8.4 The supporters club committee should request quarterly meetings with the main football club committee & present any useful suggestions to the main football club. This should allow for a strong relationship to be nurtured & also allow the supporters club to act as a fail safe of the main club in turn.

8.5 The supporters' club will continue to run the club shop as it has over a number of years, selling items it has bought and donated items for the purpose of raising money that aids the promotion of Romford FC. 

8.6 By agreement, since reforming in 1992 the supporters's club has been granted the right to run the club shop and 50/50 raffle. To show gratitude, former supporters' club chairman, Dick Jenner, agreed to run the boardroom when the club located to Aveley FC entirely as a favour. He has not fully disclosed if this included anything more than tea and coffee or if this was paid for from funds raised by the supporters' club.

8.6 a) Since Dick Jenner resigned his position as supporters' club chairman, money has not been given by the supporters' club or club shop to pay for sandwiches, cakes or biscuits for visiting officials and other guests. The supporters' club has, none the less, continued to provide staff to run the boardroom for the sake of that goodwill.      

9. Dissolution of Group

9.1 If a resolution to dissolve the club is passed at an EGM called by the committee, then the the supporters club is dissolved, disbanded & shall cease to exist.

9.2 This dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution at the EGM and the members of the supporters club committee (main the Chair, vice Chair, secretary, treasurer and other) shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the club.

9.3 Any surplus assets remaining after the payment of any & all debts and liabilities of the supporters club all money, property, assets, goods or chattels belonging to the supporters club & any such other securities shall be gifted to the main club or another local club of the committee's choosing.