FA Statement Regarding Step 6

1 Mar 2016 By Admin ccl

Clubs without the full facilities of Grade G will not now be compulsorily relegated.

The Football Association announced a new ruling on Step 6 clubs, meaning they won’t now be relegated if they fail the required ground grading criteria by March 31.

A Step 6 ground grading review was discussed at a recent FA Leagues Committee meeting and the results revealed that only 47 per cent of Step 6 clubs across the country currently meet the Grade G requirements in full.

The committee recognised that a number of clubs would have believed they met the Grade G requirements until a recent review and agreed the following points:-

Clubs that fail to meet the required grading requirements as at 31 March 2016 will retain their position at Step 6 going forward.
Leagues with failed clubs must pass a resolution at their next and subsequent AGMs, confirming the agreement of their member clubs to accept clubs without the appropriate grading into the constitution for the ensuing season.
When a league achieves full membership (number to be agreed), clubs that fail to meet the required grading criteria will then become subject to relegation.
The criteria for promotion from Step 7 to Step 6 remains as at present.
Clubs without the appropriate Step 6 grading will not be permitted to enter FA competitions.
Clubs without the appropriate Step 6 grading will not be permitted to gain promotion to Step 5.
Clubs without the appropriate Step 6 grading will not be permitted to seek a lateral Step 6 movement to another competition.

Step 6 leagues will not be allowed to accept any additional clubs that do not meet the appropriate ground grading criteria for Step 6.

Whilst accepting the ruling, indeed with some relief, as far as basic numbers are concerned, the CCL is keen that all clubs should by now be meeting the full requirements and is pleased that a number of applications have been received to join the League next season, all of whom meet Grade G in full, including floodlights. A full list will be published soon although final decisions rest, as with just about everything else nowadays, with the FA.