1. About AFC Oakley
AFC Oakley Football Club, established in 1978, is a volunteer-run grassroots football club providing football opportunities from U6 through to adult and vets football, including mixed football and girls-only football where teams are available.
After first mention, AFC Oakley Football Club is referred to in these terms as “AFC Oakley”, “the club”, “we” or “us”.
AFC Oakley is an FA 2 Star Accredited club and is affiliated to the relevant County FA, leagues and competitions entered by its teams. Players, parents, carers, spectators, coaches, managers, volunteers and adult members are expected to follow all applicable club rules, FA rules, County FA rules, league rules, safeguarding requirements and Codes of Conduct.
2. Season commitment
Registration is for the current football season. The season normally runs from July to May, but may continue beyond this where a team enters summer tournaments, festivals or other football activity.
By registering, the player aged 18 or over and the parent or guardian of a youth player accept that regular attendance is expected at training, fixtures, cup matches and agreed team activities.
Repeated non-attendance, repeated unavailability, failure to communicate absences or inability to commit to the team’s fixtures may affect team selection, league registration or continued membership. AFC Oakley will consider individual circumstances before any decision is made.
3. Registration and squad places
A registration link may be issued by a team manager where the manager believes there is space within the squad or training group. This does not guarantee a place.
Completion of the registration form, payment of the registration fee or issue of a payment link does not guarantee:
1. a squad place
2. selection for matches
3. a particular playing position
4. equal playing time, except where required by league or competition rules
Registration is not complete until AFC Oakley has received all required information and checks, including payment, player identification, player photograph, medical details, emergency contact details and any required FA, County FA or league approval.
AFC Oakley may pause, refuse or withdraw a registration where information is missing, inaccurate or incomplete, or where the club becomes aware of a parental responsibility issue, court order, safeguarding concern, welfare concern or other circumstance that may affect the player’s safe participation.
For FA, County FA and league registration purposes, AFC Oakley will require suitable proof of identification, such as a birth certificate or passport.
Players must also provide an up-to-date player photograph. Where required for league or FA systems, this photograph must meet the relevant FA, league or registration system requirements, including a clear image on a plain white background.
5. Parental responsibility and authority to register
For youth players, the person completing the registration confirms that they have parental responsibility for the player, or authority from a person with parental responsibility, to register the player with AFC Oakley and accept these terms on the player’s behalf.
Where parental responsibility, contact restrictions, court orders or safeguarding issues may affect the child’s participation, the club must be informed promptly.
6. Adult and Vets players
Players aged 18 or over must complete their own registration and accept these terms personally.
Adult and Vets players are responsible for their own consent, medical information, data accuracy, conduct, payment obligations, FA and league registration requirements, match kit, fines and discipline matters.
Where someone else pays on behalf of an adult player, this does not remove the adult player’s responsibility to comply with these terms.
7. What the registration fee includes
The annual player registration fee is set by AFC Oakley and may be charged on a sliding scale depending on the point in the season when the player registers.
The registration fee includes:
1. match kit, which remains the property of AFC Oakley
2. league registration fees
3. Oakley Sports and Social Club associate membership for one parent or guardian per youth player, or the adult player
where applicable
4. winter training provision, using the floodlit 3G sports pitch at Bedford Greenacres Independent School
The registration fee does not include:
1. training kit
2. tournament entry fees
3. match fines
4. discipline charges
5. any other additional costs confirmed separately by the club or team
The registration fee may be paid as a one-off payment or, where available, through the club’s Klarna payment option.
AFC Oakley uses Stripe as its payment platform. Where payment is made using Klarna or another third-party instalment or payment provider, AFC Oakley treats the registration fee as paid once the payment is accepted and completed through the club’s payment system.
Any later instalment arrangement, missed payment, credit assessment or repayment issue is between the payer and the third-party payment provider, provided AFC Oakley has received cleared payment.
For youth players, the payer will normally be the parent or guardian. For adult players, the payer may be the player.
Parents, guardians, adult players and payers are responsible for ensuring payment details are accurate. If there is a payment concern, duplicate payment, refund query or suspected error, the payer should contact AFC Oakley promptly at registrations@afcoakley.co.uk before raising a chargeback, bank dispute or payment provider dispute, so the club has an opportunity to investigate and resolve the matter.
Where a registration payment is reversed, disputed, charged back, refunded in error, cancelled or otherwise not received by AFC Oakley, the club will contact the payer to try to resolve the issue. If the issue is not resolved within a reasonable time, the club may pause the player’s participation in training and matches until the payment issue is resolved.
9. Refunds
The club’s refund policy is subject to committee approval and may be reviewed from time to time.
Unless otherwise agreed by the committee, refund requests must be made within 14 days of registration. Any refund may exclude non-refundable fees, payment processing costs, Stripe charges, the Oakley Sports and Social
Club membership element and any reasonable costs already incurred by the club.
After 14 days, refunds are at the discretion of the AFC Oakley Committee. The committee will act reasonably and proportionately, taking relevant circumstances into account.
Refunds may take up to 15 working days to process and will normally be returned to the original payment method.
Match kit remains the property of AFC Oakley. Any refund, where approved, will only be processed once all club-owned match kit issued to the player has been returned to the club.
Registration fees are calculated on a season basis and are not reduced or refunded because individual training sessions, matches, tournaments or events are cancelled, postponed or rearranged due to weather, pitch conditions, venue closures, league decisions, coach availability or circumstances outside the club’s reasonable control.
AFC Oakley will not be responsible for refunds or failure to deliver activities where this is caused by circumstances outside the club’s reasonable control, including severe weather, venue closure, safety concerns, league decisions, public health restrictions or other exceptional circumstances.
10. Kit and equipment
Match kit issued to a player remains the property of AFC Oakley and must be returned when requested, including if the player leaves the club or does not complete the season.
Players must attend football activity with suitable clothing and equipment, including shin pads, appropriate footwear and a drink.
Jewellery must not be worn during training or matches. Jewellery cannot be covered with tape in order to allow a player to participate.
For 3G sessions, including winter training at Bedford Greenacres Independent School, boots must be clean and suitable for the surface. Players may be refused entry to the 3G pitch if boots are dirty or unsuitable.
Parents, carers and adult players are responsible for ensuring players arrive with the correct kit and equipment.
11. Training, venues and fixtures
AFC Oakley is based at Oakley Sports and Social Club but teams may train or play home matches at other venues depending on pitch availability, age group, league requirements and operational needs.
Training and match venues, days and times may change during the season due to pitch availability, weather, venue restrictions, coach availability, league requirements or other operational reasons.
The club’s planned winter training provision is at the floodlit 3G sports pitch at Bedford Greenacres Independent School, subject to any exceptional circumstances outside the club’s control.
12. Football decisions and player participation
Team managers and coaches are responsible for football decisions relating to their team or training group.
This includes squad selection, team selection, playing time, playing position, substitutions, training groups and match-day decisions.
AFC Oakley may, where reasonably required, move a player between squads, training groups or match-day groups for reasons including squad balance, player development, safety, behaviour, welfare, coach availability, league rules or registration requirements.
13. Dual registration and playing for other teams
Players must comply with all FA, County FA, league and competition rules relating to registration, eligibility, dual registration and playing for more than one club or team.
A player must not register with another club or play for another team in the same competition where FA, County FA, league or competition rules prohibit this.
Parents, carers and adult players must inform AFC Oakley if the player is registered with or playing for another club or team where this may affect eligibility.
14. Codes of Conduct, behaviour and respect
By registering, players, parents, carers, spectators and adult members agree to follow the AFC Oakley Codes of Conduct,
AFC Oakley Social Media Policy and any other club policies communicated by AFC Oakley.
All players, parents, carers, spectators and adult members must treat AFC Oakley volunteers, coaches, managers, match officials, opposition teams, venue staff and other members with respect.
Abuse, harassment, discrimination, intimidation, offensive language, threatening behaviour or conduct that brings the club into disrepute will be treated as a conduct matter.
AFC Oakley may refuse, suspend or terminate a registration or membership where there is a serious or repeated breach of club policies, Codes of Conduct, FA rules, league rules, safeguarding expectations, payment obligations or reasonable instructions from club officials.
Where practical and appropriate, the club will act reasonably and may refer matters to the committee, Welfare Officer, league, County FA or The FA.
15. Equality, diversity and inclusion
AFC Oakley is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. The club will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or victimisation on the basis of any protected characteristic or any conduct that breaches FA, County FA, league or club rules on discrimination.
Any alleged discriminatory behaviour may be treated as a conduct matter and may be referred to the committee, County FA, The FA, league or relevant authority where appropriate.
16. Fines and discipline charges
Any fines, discipline charges, administration charges or other costs imposed on AFC Oakley because of the conduct of a player, parent, carer, spectator or adult member will be passed on to the responsible person, unless the committee decides there are exceptional circumstances.
Any unpaid fines, discipline charges or other charges passed on by AFC Oakley may result in the relevant player being suspended from training and matches until payment is made.
17. Medical information, emergency contacts and safe participation
Parents, carers and adult players must provide accurate medical information and emergency contact details at registration.
Parents, carers and adult players must notify the team manager, coach or club promptly of any changes during the season, including:
1. medical conditions
2. allergies
3. medication
4. injuries
5. emergency contacts
6. contact details
7. anything else that may affect safe participation
Players must not train or play where they are injured, unwell, medically advised not to participate or where doing so may
put themselves or others at risk.
Parents, carers and adult players must tell the coach or manager before the session or fixture about any injury, illness, concussion concern, medication, medical advice or other issue that may affect safe participation.
AFC Oakley may refuse participation where the club reasonably believes it is unsafe for the player to take part.
By registering, parents, carers and adult players consent to reasonable first aid or emergency medical treatment being sought or provided where required during AFC Oakley football activity.
18. Concussion and return to play
AFC Oakley follows FA guidance on concussion and return to play.
Where concussion is suspected, the player will be removed from training or play immediately and must not return to football activity that day.
Parents, carers and adult players must follow any return-to-play requirements before the player resumes football activity.
If in doubt, the player will sit out.
19. Parent and carer responsibility at sessions
Parents and carers remain responsible for ensuring their child is safely handed over to and collected from the relevant coach or manager.
Parents and carers must not leave a child unattended unless the coach or manager has confirmed the arrangements for that session.
AFC Oakley may require parents or carers to remain on site for certain age groups, venues, sessions or circumstances where the club considers this necessary for welfare, safety or supervision.
Further expectations for parents, carers and spectators are set out in the AFC Oakley Codes of Conduct.
20. Communication
AFC Oakley may contact parents, carers, adult players and payers by email, phone, WhatsApp, team management apps or other club-approved communication channels for football, welfare, payment and club administration purposes.
For youth players, official communication should normally be through parents or carers. Coaches, managers and volunteers must follow club safeguarding expectations and the AFC Oakley Social Media Policy
Parents, carers and adult players must keep contact details updated throughout the season, including email address, phone number, emergency contact and home address.
For general club-related queries, please contact registrations@afcoakley.co.uk.
21. Photography, video and social media
By registering, parents, carers and adult players consent to AFC Oakley using photographs and video from football-related activity for reasonable club purposes, including team administration, club communications, the AFC Oakley website, social media, presentations, match reports and promotion of the club.
A parent, carer or adult player may opt out of photography or video consent by notifying the club.
Where a parent, carer or adult player has opted out, AFC Oakley will take reasonable steps not to identify or deliberately feature that player in published photographs or videos. However, the club cannot guarantee that a player will never appear incidentally in crowd, team, match-day or background images or footage.
For under-18 players, full names should not be used in public social media posts or online content unless specifically authorised and appropriate.
All photography, video and social media activity must comply with the AFC Oakley AFC Oakley Social Media Policy and safeguarding expectations.
22. Data protection and third-party systems
AFC Oakley collects and uses player, parent, carer, adult member and payer information for football, registration, payment, safeguarding, welfare, communication and club administration purposes.
AFC Oakley may use relevant third-party systems to manage registration, payments, FA and league administration, communications, safeguarding and club records.
AFC Oakley may share relevant information with football authorities, leagues, venues, payment providers, club systems,
Oakley Sports and Social Club and other organisations where necessary for legitimate club, safeguarding, legal, regulatory or football administration purposes.
AFC Oakley will maintain a separate Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice. This will explain what data is collected, why it is used, who it may be shared with, how long it is kept, data rights and how to raise a data protection concern.
Personal data will only be retained for as long as necessary in line with legal, safeguarding, football and club administration requirements.
23. Oakley Sports and Social Club associate membership
For youth players, one parent or guardian per player will become an associate member of Oakley Sports and Social Club through the registration fee. For adult players, the player may become the associate member where applicable.
This gives access to relevant club facilities and discounts where offered by Oakley Sports and Social Club and subject to any rules, proof of membership requirements or conditions set by Oakley Sports and Social Club.
The Oakley Sports and Social Club membership element is non-refundable.
24. Complaints and escalation
Where possible, football or team-related concerns should be raised first with the team manager.
If the matter cannot be resolved at team level, it may be escalated to the relevant age group lead, committee contact or club official.
Safeguarding or welfare concerns must be raised directly with the Club Welfare Officer as soon as possible.
Where a concern relates to the immediate safety of a child or vulnerable person, AFC Oakley may refer the matter to the County FA, The FA, police, children’s services or another statutory authority as appropriate.
Registration, payment or administration queries should be raised with the relevant club officer or via registrations@afcoakley.co.uk.
25. Club policies
By registering, players, parents, carers, spectators and adult members agree to follow the latest communicated versions of AFC Oakley club policies, including the AFC Oakley Codes of Conduct, AFC Oakley Social Media Policy, AFC Oakley Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice and any other policies relevant to participation in club activity.
AFC Oakley may update club policies from time to time, although this is not expected to happen frequently. Where policies are updated, the latest version will be made available to members and will apply once communicated.
26. Volunteer-run club
AFC Oakley is run by volunteers.
The club will make reasonable efforts to communicate clearly and administer registrations, fixtures, training and club matters efficiently, but response times and arrangements may depend on volunteer availability.
Members are expected to respect the time, effort and commitment of volunteers who help run the club.
Anyone interested in volunteering or supporting the club should contact the club secretary or relevant committee member.
27. Related documents
These terms should be read alongside the following AFC Oakley documents:
1. AFC Oakley Codes of Conduct
2. AFC Oakley Social Media Policy
3. AFC Oakley Safeguarding Children Policy
4. AFC Oakley Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice
Where there is any conflict between a summary page and these Terms and Conditions, these Terms and Conditions will
apply.
28. Acceptance of these terms
By submitting a registration and making payment, the parent, guardian, adult player or payer confirms that they have read and accepted these AFC Oakley Player Registration Terms and Conditions.
For youth players, the person completing the registration accepts these terms on behalf of the player and confirms they have authority to do so.
For adult and Vets players, the player accepts these terms personally.