Non-Contract Players
Unless otherwise stated, Rules C88 to C96 apply to Participants in the National League System and Tiers 1 to 4 of the Women’s Football Pyramid. However, the provisions of these Rules shall apply to Approaching Clubs at any level of the game.
C88 Subject to Rule C89, a Club wishing to approach a Non-Contract Player (the “Approaching Club”) registered with one or more Clubs must give to the club secretary of each such Club seven days’ written notice of its intention to approach the Non-Contract Player (the “Approach Notice”).
C89 An Approach Notice must be given by:
C89.1 a Saturday Club only to other Saturday Clubs;
C89.2 a Sunday Club only to other Sunday Clubs; and
C89.3 a midweek Club only to other midweek Clubs.
C90 A Club that receives an Approach Notice must ensure that the Non-Contract Player has received and is aware of the Approach Notice.
C91 The Approaching Club must send the Approach Notice:
C91.1 by first-class post to the registered address; or
C91.2 by email to the club secretary or chairperson, of the Club(s) that the Non-Contract player is registered with.
C92 An Approaching Club:
C92.1 may only register the relevant Player after seven days have elapsed since sending the Approach Notice (i.e. no earlier than the eighth day); and C92.2 must register the relevant Player no later than 28 days following the sending of the Approach Notice.
Guidance
For the purposes of calculating the relevant time limits, the day on which the Approach Notice is sent shall be day zero.
C93 An Approaching Club must not:
C93.1 approach the same Non-Contract Player at the same Club more than once per season;
C93.2 having sent an Approach Notice to a Club, approach another Non-Contract Player at the same Club until 28 days have elapsed since sending the Approach Notice; and
C93.3 subject to Rule C94, approach more than one Non-Contract Player at a Club at the same time.
C94 An Approaching Club is permitted to simultaneously approach up to two Non-Contract Players in each age group at a Club provided that those Non-Contract Players are both invited to trial at an Academy or a PGA.
C95 If a Non-Contract Player approaches a Club, that Club shall give the Club(s) for which the Non-Contract Player is currently registered seven days’ written notice that the approach has been made before registering the Non-Contract Player (in accordance Rules C88 to C92).
C96 Where a Club is found by The Association and/or an Affiliated Association to have acted in breach of Rules C88 to C95, its registration of the Non-Contract Player may be cancelled and the Club may be subject to such other penalty as The Association or relevant Affiliated Association deems appropriate.
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If a club wishes to register a player who is currently on a non-contract registration(s), they will need to provide a 7-day notice of approach to the club(s) who holds a current registration with, before they are able to speak to the player. It does not matter whether the approaching club wishes to register the player on contract or non-contract, the key part is whether the player is currently registered as a non-contract player. If so, then a notice of approach is required. This should only be done if the approaching club wish to register the player.
If the club seeking to trial the player only, the club should speak with the current club(s) and obtain for permission to trial only (see FA Rule 66 (adult) and C133 (minor).
Any club that receives a notice of approach must notify the player so they are aware.
The approaching club can only register the player once 7 days have elapsed since the notice of approach was sent, i.e. the 8th day. Once the notice is sent, the approaching club have 28 days to complete the registration of the player.
Essentially, the club can register the player any date from the 8th day to the 28th day following the notice of the approach, i.e. they have a 21 day period to complete the registration.
To calculate the relevant time limits, the day the notice of approach is sent is considered day zero.
Approaching clubs have some restrictions around putting notices of approaches in, to prevent them seeking to take many players from one club at one time. The restrictions are:
- The approaching club cannot approach the same player at the same club more than once per season. (C93.1)
- If the approaching club has put of a notice of approach for a player at another club, the approaching club cannot put in a notice of approach for another player at the same club until 28 days have elapsed since sending the first notice of approach (C93.2)
- The approaching club cannot approach more that one player at a club at the same time* (C93.3)
* This is subject to provisions under FA Rule C94