Policy Statement
As a professional football club recruiting and developing the best talent, Port Vale FC (the “Club”) recognises the important role that intermediaries play in the lives of players and their families. The Club’s management are committed to developing and maintaining appropriate and positive relationships with intermediaries to ensure that players are fairly treated and optimise their potential.

What We Will Do
The Club is fully aware of and committed to upholding the Football Association (FA) Regulations on working with intermediaries which govern the conduct of intermediaries in England. The Club expects that any individual representing a player or his family will operate in accordance with the Intermediaries Regulations and, where any breach of these Regs has taken place or is suspected to have taken place, the Club reserves the right to respond accordingly. The Club are aware of all FA Registered Intermediaries and in particular those who are authorised to represent young people under 18., The following regulations are particularly relevant to the activities of the Club’s Academy:

B8 An Intermediary must not, either directly or indirectly, make any approach to, or enter into any agreement with, a Player in relation to any Intermediary Activity before the 1st day in January of the year of the Player’s sixteenth birthday

In respect of players who are old enough to engage intermediaries but have not yet reached their 18th birthday, the Club will endeavour to continue to work closely with the player’s parents and/or guardians and expects that any intermediary appointed by the player will respect this decision and will do the same.
In addition, order to implement this policy, the Club is committed to:

• maintaining an ‘open door’ policy for intermediaries, to the extent that they are operating in compliance with the Intermediaries Regulations;
• keeping up to date with the FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries and official guidance in relation to intermediaries;
• Support parents, who can also find more information with PFA / or online sites.

- contact the FA hotline of 0844 980 8213 or visit the FA regulations micro-site: http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/more/intermediaries

• encouraging and maintaining open channels of communication with players, parents and intermediaries;
• communicating a clear set of behavioural expectations to any individual or company acting as an agent; and
• reporting concerns regarding the behaviour of intermediaries to the FA

Our Expectations: Intermediaries / Player / Parent
We expect all Intermediaries who interact with the Club to:

1. operate in an open and transparent fashion in all matters that involve Port Vale FC, its players and potential players;

2. act in accordance with the Club’s Safeguarding Policy in respect of players who are under 18 years old;

3. act in accordance with Intermediaries Regs at all times, including refraining from:

a. making improper contact with players prior to 1stJanuary in the year of their 16th birthday; and
b. offering gifts and inducements to players to engage their services

4. treat the player, their family and the Club in a fair and reasonable manner; and

5. act at all times in the spirit of this Club policy

6. inform the Club in writing otherwise communication will not take place with third party for data protection.

Should you have any questions relating to this club policy, please speak to a member of Club Management. For further information on Intermediaries Regs,