Rules

LEAGUE RULES
(Updated after July 2023 AGM)

General

1. This league is to be known as ‘WIMBLEDON VILLAGE DARTS LEAGUE’. The headquarters of which is the South Wimbledon Club, Russell Road, Wimbledon, SW19.
2. The league is a four day league played Monday-Thursday. The league is built of one division. Subject to change if teams join/leave the league.
3. The league fees are £11 per player, which includes a presentation night ticket and all league competition and tournament fees. All fees must be paid within seven days of the Secretary’s asking date, failing to do so will forfeit a place in the league. Fees are subject to change at the AGM (last change July 2017 AGM).
4. Any club playing a non-registered player will be fined £10 and will forfeit all points for that match or matches they have played in.
5. 1st place finishers are deemed league champions, 2nd place are deemed runners up (both receiving trophies at presentation night). The John Pharoah Memorial Trophy (as of July 2018 AGM) is won by the team who tops the bottom half of the completed league table (5th for 10 teams, 6th for 12 teams etc.) or the 2nd division winners if the league was to expand and require a second league.
6. If at the end of the season there are two teams tied for a leading position then a deciding match shall be played. If the deciding matches should also result in a draw, then immediately there shall be played a 1001 eights game (straight start and double to finish) to finally determine the league winner. This is also the case for the John Pharoah Memorial Trophy (as of July 2018 AGM).
7. The committee consists of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Vice Secretary, Auditor and Treasurer. There is a Sub-committee of three to six members. All positions are up for re-election at each AGM, if the league desires.
8. Any disputes or protests should be sent to the League Secretary in writing. The sub-committee may be called by the Secretary to settle any dispute and their decision is then final. All protests to be sent to the League Secretary within 14 days, otherwise no protest will be considered.
9. Any player(s) or team(s) reported to the Committee/Sub-committee who are under complaint or concerned with possible disciplinary procedures will be invited to a hearing with reasonable written notice of 7 days or more. They shall be allowed to introduce up to two witnesses for the hearing (additionally the team Secretary and/or team Captain responsible for the player(s) concerned shall be required to attend the meeting). It shall also be required that the complaining party (or if a team a representative thereof) should also attend. The sub-committee shall have the authority at the hearing and the power to hear evidence if they wish. They can determine to give a decision at a later date after further consideration or the taking of further evidence.
10. Clubs not represented at league meetings and AGM’s will be fined £10. Any club not paying fines levied upon them within 1 month shall be suspended; the league Secretary has full power to enforce this rule.
11. All games to be played on a board in good condition and a 7ft 9 ¾ inch throw (players are reminded that the oche must be toed and not trodden on). A two inch minimum raised oche must be provided (in all matches). Teams failing to provide this will lose all points for the match. This is sole responsibility of the home team.
12. If electronic scoreboards are used by any team, they must show at least the last six scores. Otherwise, traditional chalking.
13. It is the condition of entry to the league that clubs/players having other commitments must give preference to the Wimbledon Village Darts League.
14. In the event of any team dropping out of the league, all games played involving that team shall be null and void and all league points and game shot points derived, shall be discounted.
15. The league AGM evenings will be held on the third Thursday night of July (every year) at the South Wimbledon Club.

League Games

16. Teams can only have sixteen players registered at any one time. If for any reason teams lose players they will be able to register players to make up their numbers up to 31st December (no more changes after that date). Under these circumstances teams must notify the Secretary with the name of the player who has left, along with the new player(s) registration name and fee(s) of £11 per player. If a player leaves a team they cannot register with a second team in one season.
17. The league format is a fourteen point system. First: 2x fours (701), Second: 4x pairs (601) and Third: 8x singles (501). A Captains and Secretaries 501 singles game is played after the league games and is scored in a separate table (trophies for winners and runners up on presentation night).
18. All games are straight start and double finish. All persons playing must sign the results card (including result cards for all cup games) before the match starts which is the duty of the home team secretary and they are to send it duly completed to the league results email provided. No result will be considered unless a results card is received. All cards must be completed with game shots recorded before the card is signed off under ‘Referee’. The signature as ‘Referee’ must be the away team Captain or Secretary. No member of the home team may sign as ‘Referee’.
19. In the event of a non-receipt by the league of a result card within seven days following a league match there shall be a deduction of four points made from the offending team, 10 points being awarded to the opposing team. It is the entire and sole responsibility of the home team to ensure a completed result card is received by the league and no appeal shall be allowable against the point’s deduction.
20. Should the league Secretary be in any doubt over a players signature he/she has the power to call a meeting of the sub-committee to investigate the matter. The signatures on the result card must be in the players own hand writing and block letters do not constitute a signature.
21. Teams start games with eight players. If a team has less, then they must play short. No team is to start a match with less than six registered players. Teams can claim the points but not the game shots for players who get byes (write the word ‘BYE’ beside their name on the result card). If a player arrives late and the 2x fours have finished, they will not be allowed to take part in any other part of the match.
22. In the event of a team being unable to play their match, they must contact the league Secretary who will advise the opposing team with as much notice as possible. In the spirit of the game, if both teams decide they are happy to rearrange the game during the same week (at the same venue) then this can be approved by the Secretary. If the non-cancelling team decides to not rearrange the game, this is will result in that team being credited with 10 league points and the cancelling team deducted 4 league points.
23. If the cancelling team wish to plead exceptional circumstances (for the general inability to put out a team) they must within 3 days of the cancelled match lodge their plea in writing to the Committee/Sub-committee. If the Committee/Sub-committee decide that circumstances were exceptional then the match shall be played and the teams shall between them determine the date and venue. If the teams cannot reach agreement on such, then the Committee/Sub-committee shall set a date and venue which may be neutral. The Committee/Sub-committee’s decision in all matters relating to cancelled matches shall be final.
24. If a team fails to turn up to their fixture this will also result in that team being deducted 4 league points and the non-cancelling team credited 10 league points.
25. Should a team consistently field a side short of the required eight players an official complaint can be lodged with the league Committee/Sub-Committee. They shall consider the complaint and if they consider it up-held and that no good reason exists for the continuous fielding of sides short of eight players, then they may at their discretion issue a formal warning to the team concerned (which if ignored may be held against the team concerned following the AGM).
26. Both teams must put up their match day squad on the board (including substitutes) before the game commences and then randomly draw the order of play for singles, pairs and fours matches (using a shuffled pack of cards).
27. All games must be scheduled to commence at 8.30pm, this may be extended at the captain’s discretion to a start time of 8.45pm latest (if required). Offending clubs that are not available or ready to commence play may be reported by the opposing team to the Committee/Sub-committee and receive a formal warning (which if ignored may be held against the team following the AGM).
28. The home team must supply a caller and scorer for each match. The caller’s decision is final and any mistake in the scoring must be corrected before the next throw. The caller must (if requested by a player) tell them the number that is required to finish the game, but not the route to take or the double that is required.
29. Only Captains and Secretaries registered on registration forms will qualify for the Secretary and Captains cups at the end of each league game. No match day nominees are allowed for this role.
30. Away team to throw first (then alternate).

Tournaments, Cups & Trophies

31. All competition games will be 501 for singles, 601 for pairs, 701 for fours and 1001 for a deciding 8. All games are straight start and double finish.
32. Singles, pairs and fours knockout tournaments plus cup games are covered in your registration fees at the start of the season. These matches will be decided as best of three legs except for the finals, which will be decided by the best of five legs (trophies for winners and runners up on presentation night).
33. The draw for the first round of the singles, pairs and fours is 8.15pm, all following rounds should they be required will be 8.30pm.
34. There must be a draw in each round of the singles, pairs and fours competitions all byes are to be played in the first round and not carried forward. Away team throws first (then alternates) or a coin is flipped for tournaments.
35. Losers in all competitions must chalk and call the board for the next game.
36. Subs are allowed for fours and pairs but not singles. Possible subs have to be stated when the initial draw is sent to team representatives. Subs must be named when requested by the league and cannot play in another team, if not used. Once you are named on a team, you play or don’t play for that team only. You can play with 3 in the fours tournament, but only that 3 can advance if they were to win (including finals).
37. The Middleton @ Village Cups, will be played over the best of seven legs with a format of 4x pairs, 2x fours. A straight 1001 eights game is played if no winner is determined. There must be no variation of this format or order. There will be a top 4 and bottom 5 league split which will determine which teams play in each trophy. This measure will be taken at the halfway point where all matches must have been played or points awarded. This will be played in two venues where possible.
38. The John Matthews Memorial Cup has changed format after the 2023 AGM a format of 4x pairs, 2x fours. A straight 1001 eights game is played if no winner is determined. There must be no variation of this format or order. The last 4 in the tables will play off for this trophy (trophies for winners and runners up).
39. The Chic Cullen Memorial Trophy (whole league tournament) will be played over the best of seven legs with a format of 4x pairs, 2x fours. A straight 1001 eights game is played if no winner is determined. There must be no variation of this format or order. It will be played over two venues on the same evening and both overall night winners will play the Chic Cullen final (trophies for winners and runners up).
40. The Challenge and David Cups have been removed from the fixtures as agreed at the 2023 AGM.
41. As of the July 2018 AGM it was voted that the league opens the Tommy Burton Memorial Cup. This cup will be played in a single venue (alternating each season) as a good natured charity tournament to raise funds for ‘Menkes Foundation UK’. It will be played over the best of three legs with a format of a 1001 eights game. Finals will be played over five legs. Any player(s) to score lower than 20 incurs a penalty of 20p for that team (which will go to the charity). All league teams are highly encouraged to take part in this tournament in the effort to raise the charity work of the league. (Trophies on presentation night for winners and runners up).
42. As of the July 2018 AGM it was voted that the league opens the John Pharoah Memorial Trophy. This is a trophy awarded to the winners of the bottom half of the finalised league table (or the 2nd division winners if the league was to expand).
43. 180 trophies are to be awarded in ALL league fixtures and cup/tournaments except Captain’s and Secretary’s games.
44. For every venue chosen for singles, pairs and fours knock-out competitions there must be a player drawn from that home venue to ensure proper provision of match facilities. Every team shall provide the league Secretary with the names of the two persons who, in addition to the Captain and Secretary, are considered sufficiently reliable to run a board at their home venue.
45. The league will charge the cost of replacing or fixing trophies handed out to the team who most recently won/held them. The league trophies are to be respected and kept in good condition by the teams at all times.

As of July 2019 AGM, the Committee and Sub-committee members are:

Chairman: Harry Griffiths Vice Chairman: Iain Smith
Secretary: Russell Payne Vice Secretary: Ben Adams
Treasurer: Dave Anderson Auditor: TBC

Sub-committee: Mick Sadler, Davey Richards, Stuart Hendry, Sean Holland, Loraine Smith & Gareth Griffiths