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LEAGUE RULES 2009-10
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  General Rules 
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1.  The League to be known as the Clacton Mid-Week Darts League.

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2.  The League to be governed by a Chairperson and a Committee.
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3.  The Committee to consist of 3 Officers - League Secretary, Treasurer and   

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  Minutes Secretary and up to 9 working members.

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4.  Team entrance per season is £15, to be paid 14 days prior to an       
~  AGM/GM. Player registration fees are £2 each per season.  
~  These fees, accompanied by a completed form, must be received by
~  the League Secretary 7 days before the first match of a season. 
~  A team must have a minimum of 6 players.
~  Only Registered players are permitted to play in the League.
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5.  The Summer League to consist of 5 Divisions - A, B, C, D and E. 

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  The Winter League to consist of 4 Divisions - A, B, C and D. 

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6.  Any team, normally playing in both seasons (Summer & Winter), which
~  misses a season and re-enters the following corresponding season,
~  will be placed in the lowest division.  Any existing team playing
~  above a division's capability may be promoted to a higher division at the
~  Committee's discretion.
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7.  The League Secretary must be notified immediately, in writing, of any
~  change of Team Captain or Secretary plus any changes of address or
~  telephone number.
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8.

  All trophies to be returned to the League Secretary at least 28 days before
~  that season's Presentation Night. Please return these in the clean
~  condition  in which they were received.  Trophies that have not been
~  cleaned properly will be subject to a charge of £5.00 per trophy.
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8a.  Presentation Night tickets may only be purchased in advance or at the
~  main bar of Wick Lodge on the night.  Tickets will not be available at
~  the door (although these may be collected if previously paid for).
   All teams wishing to be presented with team trophies at a
~  Presentation Night must have at least 50% of team players present;
~  otherwise a fine of £10.00 will be imposed.  Should teams not wish to
~  attend a Presentation Night they have the option of donating the
~  basic cost of trophies to a registered charity of their choice.
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  AGM/Committee Procedure Issues 
9.  AGMs & GMs (Winter teams) are classed as League fixtures - all teams  
~  must be represented.  The penalty for non-attendance is  a
~  deduction of 3 League match points.
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9a.  Rule changes may be made at both AGMs and General Meetings.

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10.

 All Officers and Committee members to be elected on a 3-yearly basis
~  (Unless Rule 13 applies)..
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11.  The Chairperson, League Secretary and Treasurer to each have a copy of
~  all legally-binding documents - signed Sponsorship Agreements etc.
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12.  The League Secretary is responsible for signing all legally-binding
~  documents.
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13.  Where any Officer or Committee member fails to fulfil their duties to       
~  the  satisfaction of the remainder of the Committee, the remainder
~  of the Committee can, upon a majority vote, terminate that member's 
~  term of office forthwith.  Should this relate to the Chairperson,
~  he/she may be asked to resign following a majority vote,
~   in favour, taken by the full Committee.  If either case should arise,
~   the Committee will appoint a replacement, from within the
~  Committee, until the next AGM.
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14.  Committee Meetings will normally be held on the first Sunday of each
~  month.  Any member failing to attend three consecutive Meetings,
~  with the exception of work, sickness or holiday, will be deemed to
~  have resigned.
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15.  Any proposals to be considered at any AGM/GM must be received by the   
~  League Secretary, in writing, 28 days before that meeting.
~  Proposals received will be read out in Matters Arising, and will be put 
~  to the floor and seconded before being voted on and possibly becoming valid.
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16.  Any person, or persons, bringing the League into disrepute or involved in
~  violent behaviour or reported for profanity during a match will incur a

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  penalty deemed as appropriate by the Committee.  
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17.  A Newsletter will be sent to nominated Captains or Secretaries following
~  each month's Committee Meeting - this will be published, minus financial
~  statements, to the League website: www.cmdl.co.uk
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18.  New teams wishing to join the League must apply in writing to the    
~  League Secretary before an AGM/GM.  Each new team must be represented
~  at that meeting with the Registration form and fee.  A vote will be taken
~  on their possible acceptance into the League.  Until a team has been
~  accepted into the League they are not permitted to enter into any voting.
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19.  The Committee has the right to invite more teams to join the League    
~  before a season commences, should a division require more teams
~   to fulfil its quota.  Additionally, the Committee may promote more
~  teams should the number of new teams entering the lowest division
~  make that division exceed the time limit available for a season's fixtures.
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20.  The Committee will endeavour to send out copies of the Minutes of an
~  AGM/GM to nominated Captains or Secretaries within 7 days of
~   that meeting.
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21.

  The Committee's decision shall be FINAL in all disputes.
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  Signing and Transfer Rules  
22.  Additional players may be signed on up to, and on the night of, the first    
~  match of a season.  After this a signed Registration form and the fee must
~  be in the League Secretary's possession 24 hours before a player can be
~  classified as registered.  No new signings will be accepted after 24 hours
~  prior to the first League match of the second half of a season, unless a
~   team's only player of the opposite sex withdraws from that team,
~  effectively barring the team from playing their remaining fixtures or
~  signing for another team.  Given this situation, one player of the opposite 
~ sex may be permitted to sign on, on the night.
  To clarify: If a team does not have a player of the opposite sex available
  to play in any given match and signs on another player, all other players
  of that sex will no longer be permitted to play for the remainder of a
  season.  Only one player may sign on and play on the night - a team
  may not sign on different players week after week.  The League
  Secretary must be informed immediately a Team Captain becomes
  aware no player of the opposite sex is available to play in any given match
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23.  Transferred players may only play for a new team after the Transfer form 
~  and fee has been in the League Secretary's possession for 24 hours.
~  Both Secretaries must sign the form.
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24.  Transferred players cannot play in any team competition match once they
~  have played in a previous round for another team.  No transfers will be  
~  accepted later than 24 hours prior to the first League match of the second
~  half of a season.
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  General Match Rules 

25.

  Height of dartboards to be 1.723m (5' 8") from the floor to the centre of  
~  the  bulls-eye.  The length of the throw from the face of the board to be
~  2.368m(7' 9 1/4") or 2.93m (9' 7 1/2") from the bulls-eye to the oche.  This is
~  the recognised standard darts throw. 
  All throws to have a fixed, raised oche.
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26. The 'bust' rule will apply in all matches and competitions.
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27.  Both Captains are responsible for the draw.  No player may be           
~  substituted after a draw is made.  All stages of a match are to be
~  drawn before that part of the match begins - except for the team game. 
~  The Away team to have the option of providing a Caller, with the Home  
~  team providing a Chalker. The Chalker is Referee - whose decision
~   in all matters relating to the game is  final.
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28. The Team game to be written up by 8.30pm with the Home team starting   
~  the first game and other games starting alternately.  Order of play to
~  be continuous, with the next draws commencing as soon as each
~  stage finishes.  It is permissible to make the entire draw at the 
~  beginning of the match.
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29.  If any team is unable to fulfil a fixture, the offending team will be
~  penalised with a score of 7-5 against them and deducted a
~   further 3 points.  Any visiting team failing to turn up on the night
~  for a League or team competition match will be fined £10
~  towards the cost of refreshments and are requested to pay
~  the fine to the League Secretary within 7 days of receiving notice.
~  No matches are to be postponed except for abnormally bad weather
~  (in winter) or tragedy affecting the team; although the Committee
~  would look at each individual request for postponement on merit.
~  In cases of foreseeable postponements (e.g. multiple team members on
~  holiday at the same time) the match should be played prior to the
~  fixture date.  Shortage of players is not a valid reason to postpone games.
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30.  Any player not present when their name is called will forfeit that game.
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30a. Whilst a match is in progress all mobile phones shall be switched to
~ 'silent' or 'vibrate'.  No mobile phones are to be taken to the oche,
~ and whilst a team member is playing a leg s/he will not answer or make
~ a call on their mobile. 
~ The penalty for infringement will be a deduction of 1 point from the team.
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31.  Any team playing an ineligible player will have 3 points deducted, 
~  whatever the result of the match in question.
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32.  The Secretary of the WINNING  team is responsible for ensuring the Result
~  Card reaches the League Secretary by 10am, or first post, on the Monday
~  following a League match.  Failure to do so will result in the opposing
~  team being awarded the match 7-5.  In cases of a draw, the Home
~  Secretary takes responsibility.  The Secretary of the WINNING  team of any
~  team competition match, up to the semi-final stage, must submit the
~  Result Card to the League Secretary within 3 days of that match
~  being played. 
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33.  Any team unable to fulfil all its fixtures will have their position discussed at
~  Committee level.  No team to claim winners or runners-up position of a
~  division without fulfilling all League fixtures (to the satisfaction of the
~  Committee).
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34.  All players and both Captains must sign the Result Card before sending it 

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  in. Should a player leave a venue without signing the card, all games

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  that player has played will be nullified with the result being adjusted

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 accordingly.
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35.  All claims for High Shot Out and 180s must be recorded on the relevant
~  Result Card - word of mouth is unacceptable. 
~  High Shot Outs and 180s count  ONLY  in League matches.
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36.  All teams must have a minimum of one Registered player of the opposite
~  sex available to play in each stage of a match; Team Game, Triples,
~  Doubles and Singles.  Failure will result in the opposing team being
~  awarded a 7-5 win with the offending team being deducted 3
~  league match points. If a team has a reduced number of players all
~  games must still be played but the team must forfeit the throws of

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 the players they are short of. 
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37.  In Singles games, if a team is short of players both teams will put 6
~  names into the draw.   Whichever player draws a 'Bye' gains the win.
~  The player cannot be chosen - this must be drawn.
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38.  A list of all registered players must be available at each venue.
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39.  No Electronic Scoreboards to be used at match venues - chalkboards only. 
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  Cup Match Rules 
40.  Team competition matches played at Home venues: Away teams to offer 3
~  dates, with a maximum of 2 dates in one week and 1 date in another
~  week, or 3 different weeks provided there is sufficient time available
~  and the days of the week are not all the same.  Bank Holidays are
~  unacceptable unless by mutual agreement of both teams.
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41.  Team competition matches played at Home venues: The teams at the top
~  of each pair to be known as the Home team unless stated otherwise, i.e.
~  Semi-finals and Finals nights.  
~  The format will be clearly defined for each trophy.
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42.  All players in Semi-finals and Finals team competition matches to be
~  drawn, with 1 League member from the floor to witness each draw.
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43.  All registered players must play a minimum of 1 League match to be

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  eligible to play in the League tournaments being played throughout the
~  season. This rule relates to tournaments played at the Sponsor's venue
~  and not Cup matches.
~  Any team entering an ineligible player in any tournament will result in
~  that game being awarded to the opposing team/player.
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44.  Teams are required to register for team competition Semi-finals and  
~  Finals from 7.30 - 8pm when play will commence.  Any team failing 
~  to attend will be ineligible to play in that cup the following

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 corresponding season.
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45.  Names of entrants into Mixed Triples, Mixed Doubles and all other Doubles
~  and Singles tournaments to be submitted to the League Secretary no later
~  than 7pm on the Wednesday prior to each competition.  Players  can be
~  entered on the relevant forms, by phone or by e-mail, where applicable.
~  No entries will be accepted on the night.
~  Each draw will be made at 7.45pm, with play commencing at 8pm.
~  Any player not present at 7.45pm, without prior notice, will be removed
~  from the draw.
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46.   Captain's and Secretary's Cups:  The nominated Vice-Captains and/or
~  Secretaries are eligible to play in place of Team Captains and/or
~  Secretaries only if Team Captains and/or Secretaries are
~  unavailable due to work commitments etc.  Team Captains
~  (or Vice-Captains) and Secretaries (or Vice-Secretaries) not
~  turning up to play in their Cup matches to be fined £5.00 each -
~  this being donated to the League charity.
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47.  All tournament draws to be made by a member from the floor on the night.
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47a.  All Singles & Doubles competitions (including Captains' and Secretaries
~  and all League cup matches) to be played by League match formats:
~  i.e. 501 Doubles & 401 Singles.
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48.  Doubles and Mixed Doubles partners will only be accepted if they are        
~  members of the same team. 
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49.  Spare players for Doubles and Mixed Doubles will be drawn from the hat. 
~  Selection of a partner from another team is not permitted.   
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50.  Where tournament formats state 'Loser to Chalk' and a player cannot
~  chalk; the responsibility lies with that player to find a substitute
~  chalker. Persistent offenders will be excluded from entering
~  tournaments for the remainder of any given season.
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51.  The Peter Thorne and Albert Fuller Charity Cups are for scratch players 
~  only and will be drawn from the hat on the night.  At the 2008 AGM
~  it was decided that Macmillan Cancer Support would be the 'Charity
~  of the Year'; with the exception of the Peter Thorne Cup in which the
~ winners elect a registered charity to receive the total proceeds of the night.
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52.  All team competition matches to be played only by the format stated for
~  each trophy.  There will be one toss only in all tournaments and
~  competitions; the player/team winning the toss to start the first and
~  each following alternate leg.
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53.  Prior to each League competition draw being made, all teams are given
~  the option of entering that competition.  Once entered, teams should
~  fulfil all fixtures (i.e. not give games away).  Should a team not honour
~  any competition fixture that team will be excluded from that specific
~  competition the following corresponding season.
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54.  League tournaments will be played throughout the season. 
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 Errors & omissions excepted

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