What a mess

By David B (legacy user)27/5/2014 16:47Tue May 27 16:47:37 2014In response to Re: Wingate?

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I nearly used a few expletives in the heading. If a team takes the decision to resign from a league and it is accepted, that should be the end of the story.

The story came from BBC 5 Live’s Non League Football Show, which was broadcast at 5.00am on Sunday morning, 25 May (now available as a podcast, see Steve’s link elsewhere), and in which Gary McCann was a studio guest for the full hour.

Mike Appleby from the FA, and the man responsible for the allocation of clubs in the various leagues and divisions (who was out in Slovakia with England C), confirmed that Worksop Town had resigned from the Northern Premier League and that the resignation had been accepted. He went on to say that, as a result, Wingate & Finchley would be reprieved from relegation and would play in Step 3 in 2014–15. However, he could not confirm the division in which they would be playing as it may be the Calor League or the Ryman League. A decision was expected on Sunday or Monday, but I have seen nothing yet.

As for the Hayes & Yeading United appeal, it is based on their playing record in the Skrill (Conference) South compared to that of Oxford City in Skrill (Conference) North. Although H&YU amassed 45 points finishing 20th, compared to Oxford's 39 in the same position, the Conference had announced earlier in the season that the 20th-placed North Division team would be the one to be reprieved, suggesting it would be irrespective of playing record. In other leagues/divisions at the same Tier/Step/level (whatever you want to call it), the better playing record would be the deciding factor, but the rules seem to vary every time a mayfly flaps its wings.