1. Name: That this Club be known as the Military Veterans Official Supporters Club (2023) - MVOSC

2. Mission Statement : At the Manchester City Military Veterans Official Supporters Club, our mission is to unite our love for Manchester City Football Club with our unwavering support for military veterans. We aim to create a vibrant community that embodies the spirit and passion of the club, while honouring and uplifting those who have served. Through camaraderie, events, and initiatives, we celebrate the rich heritage of both Manchester City and the military, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. Together, we combine our passion for football with our commitment to honouring our heroes, forging a bond that transcends the game.

3. Objectives

a. Foster a strong sense of community: Create opportunities for Manchester City fans and military veterans to connect, bond, and build meaningful relationships within a supportive and inclusive environment.

b. Honour and uplift military veterans: Develop initiatives and programs that recognise the sacrifices and contributions of military veterans, ensuring they feel valued, respected, and supported within the Manchester City community.

c. Celebrate the shared heritage: Organise events and activities that highlight the rich histories of both Manchester City Football Club and the military, promoting a sense of pride and appreciation for their respective legacies.

d. Promote camaraderie and well-being: Facilitate social interactions, group activities, and mental health support programs that enhance the well-being and sense of belonging among military veterans and Manchester City supporters.

e. Drive positive impact beyond football: Engage in charitable endeavours, community outreach projects, and collaborative partnerships that extend the influence of the club and supporters, making a meaningful difference in the lives of military veterans and their families.

4. Membership

a. For the MVOSC, a veteran will be classed as someone who has served within any branch of the armed forces, in any country or a member of the armed forces who are within their last 2 years of service (resettlement).

b. The Chair or Vice Chair or Co-Chairs, will have the authority to deny membership to anyone who has served in a foreign military whose Nation does not align to the values of the UN Security Council or The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

c. A veteran may sponsor one non-military person to join the club and are allowed unlimited dependents.

d. If a veteran, their dependent or sponsored person is disabled then an extra person will be allowed to join who are registered as their carer.

e. The break down in annual membership costs for 23/24 season are as follows.

I.£10 for the veteran

II.£15 for their sponsored person (if applicable)

III.£5 per dependent (if applicable)

5. Officials

a. The MVOSC will have the following official positions as a minimum.

• Chair
  
• Vice Chair (Co-Chair)
  
• Treasurer
  
• Secretary
  
• Social Media Manager
  
• Entertainments Manager
  
• Welfare Officer
  
• General Committee Member (x2)
  
• Ticket Officer (x2)
• Travel Secretary
• Membership Officer
• Charity Officer

b. The Committee shall comprise of the officials stated at 5a. Decisions made the committee are binding.

c. All Officials shall attend the committee meetings whenever possible.

d. Candidates for official positions must have been a Member of The MVOSC for at least 24 months, except for the Treasurer - for which three years continuous membership must have been served. All committee officials must be veterans or within their last 2 years of service.

e. Officials shall be elected for a period of two years. The first election will be Jun 2025. To be considered for the role of Chair, the individual must have served at least 2 years on the MVOSC committee.

i. Elections will be held each year with the Chair, Treasurer, Entertainment Manager, Ticket Officer (x1), Charity Officer and General Committee Member (x1) being elected one year.

ii. The remaining officials Vice Chair (Co-Chair), Secretary, Social Media Manager, General Committee Member (x1), Ticket Officer (x1), Travel Secretary, Membership Officer and Welfare Officer the following year.

iii. If for whatever reason a position becomes vacant the committee may fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting, unless the vacancy has been filled at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

6. Financial

a. Auditors, the audit of the accounts of The MVOSC shall be carried out by independent auditors chosen by the Committee. The audit to be officiated at each Annual General Meeting.

b. The end of the financial year shall be 31 May.

c. Financial control up to £150 is agreed and approved between the delegated Chair and Treasurer. Above £150 the Vice Chair (Co-Chair) must also have to agree and approve.

d. Officials in the committee automatically have a delegated financial approval of £100 for merchandise for MCOSC events, if the event has been sanctioned by the Chair, Vice-Chair (Co-Chair) and Treasurer.

7. Meetings

a. General Meetings shall be held at the discretion of committee, at least once a month.

b. The Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than 31 Jul (delayed until 31 Jul 2024) for the purpose of receiving the report of the committee, election of officers, auditors and business that may have been notified in writing to the Secretary.

c. At least 30% of the members plus all officials listed in 5(a) must attend the Annual General Meeting.

d. An Extra Ordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary on being requested to do so by the committee (reason for request must be stated).

e. All meetings shall be documented on official club minutes and stored electronically.

8. Disciplinary Matters

a. All disciplinary matters involving breaches of these rules, or other matters which in the opinion of a Branch are likely to react unfavourably to or bring discredit on The MVOSC or any of its members or officials, shall be dealt with by the committee.

b. The decision of the Executive Committee shall be final and absolute.

c. All companies or other matters coming within the scope of this rule shall be notified to the Secretary in writing within 21 days of the incident.

9. Social Media Conduct

a. Where possible social media should be used to engage with all Manchester City fans to raise the profile of the Supporters Club, Football Club, and your Branch. Any such use should be done in good faith and reflect the values held by the Supporters Club and Football Club.

b. Please Note: Social Media posts can be seen as representative of the Supporters Club and Football Club, as such Branches need to act appropriately and should not make inappropriate reference, criticism or derogatory remarks when using Social Media sites. If it comes to the Supporters Club attention that a Branch has made any posts that is deemed inappropriate or derogatory, then the Official status of the Branch may give rise to termination.

c. The MVOSC WhatsApp group is a great tool for sharing information and connecting people. The up most respect must to shown all at times when using the group.

i. The group is not be used for sharing any images or video that are not related to our MVOSC, football or military/ veterans.

ii. The group is not to be used for any conversations that would be deemed offensive, please remember the audience on the group.

iii. Any sharing of racism, pornography, sexism, homophobic or any other material deemed highly offensive will result in you being removed from the WhatsApp group and the MVOSC.

iv. If your behaviour on the WhatsApp is questionable you will be warned via a private message and if that behaviour continues, then removed from the WhatsApp group.

10. Payments for merchandise and social events

a. Only members are permitted to buy official club merchandise and social event tickets.

b. All members shall pay in full before the handover or any club merchandise or social event tickets.

11. Match tickets

a. The MVOSC are prohibited to bid for any home match tickets until 4 Dec 2023 and away tickets until 6 Jul 2024.

b. When The MVOSC are approved to bid for tickets then the following process will take place.

i. The member will submit an email request to The MVOSC mailbox stating their intent by the cut-off date stated by the committee.

ii. The committee will then go through each request and use a fair selection system to ensure that the same members are not constantly getting tickets. This is to ensure that every member could be successful in a bid for a ticket. The committee decision is final.

iii. The bid list will then be submitted to Manchester City Football Club Official Supporters Club (The OSC). It will be their decision in the award of a successful bid and the member will be notified directly.

iv. The member will be required to pay The OSC directly and the ticket will be sent to the member.

c. The MVOSC will create, run and manage their own ticket exchange group. Any tickets available from MVOSC members will be purchased (when required) by the MVOSC and sold to members at face value or less. Tickets will be transferred through one of the Chairs and then onto the member(s).

12. Away Match Travel

a. If official travel is booked through The MVOSC then the Secretary must inform The OSC General Secretary and Travel Officer in writing no less that 7 days prior to the game to qualify for away travel insurance with the following.

I. Name of coach firm.

II. Number of passengers.

b. Members are reminded that Alcohol is forbidden on MVOSC Travel.

c. All Members must always conduct themselves in a proper manner.

13. Ticket Contact WhatsApp Group

a. The MVOSC has created a members-only WhatsApp group for ticket transactions among season ticket and match day membership holders. To access this group, members must complete the MVOSC Members Ticketing Info Form and be assessed for suitability by Ticketing Officers and Chairs. Requests to join without completing the form or being deemed ineligible will be rejected. This ensures that only credible members with ticket access are in the group.

14. MVOSC Internal Match Ticket Process

a. We'll notify you about match ticket availability through your Manchester City account email, linked to your supporter number. We'll randomly allocate tickets at a time agreed upon by the Ticketing Officer.

b. If you're selected, we'll email you to confirm your eligibility to purchase the ticket. Pay for the ticket as instructed in the email.After receiving your payment, we'll transfer the ticket to your supporter number.

c. This policy ensures a fair and simple ticketing process for MVOSC members.

d. Questions or need help? Contact the MVOSC Ticketing Officer.

15. Members Selling Tickets

a. The MVOSC will purchase the ticket, and the purchasing member will transfer the funds to the MVOSC bank account through a bank transfer.

16. Mary D’s Match Day Pass

a. On the second floor of Mary D's, we have a dedicated room exclusively reserved for the use of OSC (Official Supporters Club) members from all branches. Access to this facility is subject to a membership charge, which includes the issuance of a membership card. For the 23/24 season, the cost of these membership cards is £5 each. Owning this card not only grants you entry to the dedicated room but also provides the convenience of using the side entrance, allowing you to bypass any queues for a smoother and enhanced experience.

b. Please email the Membership Officer if you require a card.

Policy approved by the MVOSC Committee Sept 23 with a vote of 10 out of 10.