About Greystones FC

Club Policy Overview

The club operates a number of policies to ensure the safety and proper conduct of all it's members. Policies relate to child protection, codes of ethics for both coaches and parents/guardians, code of conduct for players and disciplinary procedures.

Club Structure

The Club's Teams are looked after by Managers who are appointed by the Board. Each Manager has at least one Assistant to help with the work of ensuring that each player has the opportunity to develop to his/her full potential. There are also two top class coaches working in the Club whose job it is to ensure that the Team Managers and their assistants pass on the right message to the players in terms of their ongoing football development.

Recently, the Club has set up two Football Committees - one for 11-a-side football and the other for 7-a-side football. These two Committees are committed to ensuring that the football played by the Club is of a high standard and commensurate with the abilities of the playing membership. In addition, there is a firm plan in place to set up a Parents' Committee in the near future to bridge that gap in communications that can develop between the Board of the Club and Parents of our young members.

Greystones United Football Club was formed in 1984 when two clubs, Greystones FC and Greystones Schoolboys FC amalgamated to form Greystones United Football Club. Since then, and particularly over the last 10 years, the Club has expanded to such an extent that it now fields 37 teams, 2 Development Leagues (for 6 and 7 year olds) and has a total membership of over 700.
Greystones United FC prides itself on an ethos that is inclusive rather than exclusive. All players are welcome to join the Club irrespective of football ability, social background and ability to pay a subscription. The Club’s Memorandum and Articles of Association state that the objectives of the Club shall be to:

• Promote the playing of soccer in the Greystones area,
• Maintain and safeguard the interests of the members
• Adhere to the objectives of the Leagues the Club is affiliated to.

Successive Management Boards of the Club have worked consistently and hard to achieve these objectives.During the first 22 years of its existence, the Club based itself in Darcy’s Field, which is located behind the North Beach in Greystones. Now, having completed a land-swap with Wicklow County Council in 2006, Greystones United has signed a 35 year lease of Woodlands Park and has moved to this 11 acre site located to the South of the town, within 5 minutes walk of the DART Station. By making this move, the Club is now in a position to develop the modern facilities that its members and the local community need so much. In every sense, this is indeed A NEW BEGINNING for Greystones United Football Club.
Feel free to join us ... You'll be most welcome!!

Child Protection

Click here to read the club policy on child protection

Code of Ethics

Click here to read the clubs code of ethics

Players Code of Conduct

Play for enjoyment, not just to please your parents or coach
Play by the Laws of the Game
Never argue with the referee’s decision.
Play with control. Do not loose your temper.
Play for yourself and your team - your team’s performance will benefit and so will your own.
Be a “good sport”. Applaud all good play whether by your team or the opponent.
Respect your opponent. Treat all players as you would like to be treated.
Give opponents a hand if they are injured, put the ball out of play so they can receive attention.
Give the ball back to your opponents if they have put the ball out of play so that one of your team mates could get attention.
Do not “bully” or take advantage of any player. Do not accept “bullying” in your club.
Co-operate with referees, coaches, team mates and opponents.
Remember that the goals of the game are to have fun, improve your skills, and feel good.
At the final whistle applaud and thank your opponents and the referee for the match.
Always remember that you owe a duty of care to your opponents.
Tackle hard but fairly, do not intend to hurt your opponent
Win with humility - loose with dignity. Nobody likes a sore loser.
Do not attempt to cheat by diving or feigning injury in an attempt to con the referee.
It is most important that you don’t keep secrets. Tell your Club Children’s Officer, your parents, anyone you trust, if some one is causing you harm or distress. You have a right to be safe!
Players MUST wear SHIN GUARDS for all Club Football Activities
Players must wear White Club Shorts and Plain White Socks on Match Day – No other colours allowed.

Player Discipline

Process to deal with unacceptable behaviour primarily at training.
In the first instance a child will be verbally warned about their behaviour by the manager/assistant.
If there is a repeat / second instance during the same session the child will be asked to stand out of training for 5 minutes.
If there is a third instance in the same night. The child will be asked to stand out from Training for the rest of the session and the parent or guardian will be called to discuss behaviour.
We will then seek the advice of The Child Welfare Office, in conjunction with the respective parents, with regard to re-admission to training sessions. This will be done to try and understand the underlying reason for the behaviour.
If there are repeated issues at Training, a formalised approach will be used involving the Child Welfare Office to try and understand the issues at hand. This may possibly lead to a player been suspended from training or match’s for a period of time or ultimately membership been revoked.

League Disciplinary Hearings

Below 14 years of age:
If a player is sent off during a game, the player is automatically suspended by the club for the forthcoming game. The manager will be requested to attend a hearing of the League Disciplinary body (DDSL, WDSL, UCL,LSL, AL, DWSL) by the league to understand the circumstances surrounding the sending off. This may lead to further suspension by the league and a fine.

14 years and above:
The player will be requested to attend the hearing along with their manager.

Note:
If you are unable to attend the hearing you need to notify the Director of Football or another member of the board to see if then can attend in your stead..
Any player dismissed during a game due to inappropriate language or violent conduct towards a referee, an opponent, fellow team mate or coaching staff will have to pay the fine themselves. The club will not cover the cost. Increased suspensions may be taken by the club depending on the seriousness of the incident. (Increased suspensions will follow the clubs complaint handling process)
Failure to attend a hearing may lead to an even heavier suspension and fine.
Parents/Guardians/Player will be liable to pay for all fines levied by the league with respect to a sending off in a game in line with the following guidelines where the player was dismissed because of violent conduct, abusive or in appropriate language towards another player, official, member of the public.
The Director of Football will keep all records of Player dismissals; if a player is found to have been sent off more than once in a season then the player will pay all associated fines levied by the league irrespective of the reason for the dismissal.
A player may appeal his paying of the fine to the club; the fine may be waived by the club upon successful appeal.

Complaints

To make a formal complaint to the club, click here to download a complaint form, complete it and hand it to a board member.