Post by Pete Helsby on Mar 28, 2021 11:33:49 GMT 1
I note that an independent panel sat last week to decide what to do with Dover and other National league North and South clubs refusing to fulfill their fixtures. Now, under normal circumstances, the rules of the competition would be rightly be utilised to decide their fate. But we are in anthing less than normal times at present and certainly were not a few weeks ago when covid was raging worse than at any time. The Dover chairman firstly had gone as far as he was able to finance the club, but more importantly refused to consent to allowing his players and visiting clubs to play football in a county ravaged by a new strain of covid. Similarly other clubs followed suit. This decision was, as I understood it, decided mostly on health and safety than finacial reasons. However, the financial issues with loans etc the came into play. Basically, accept loans which would drive clubs into or deeper into debt in order to keep playing.
Last weeks independent disciplinary committee sat and made what I consider to be outrageous decisions which were no way helpful to any of the clubs before them. Dover, for example, fined 40,000 pounds and points docked for next season. That really makes no sense to me and it is counter productive in helping an already in debt member club into further debt, debt that may finalise the end of the club. Other such fines and point deductions were imposed on clubs in North and South division.
Now, under NORMAL circumstances, I would accept clubs being dealt with purely and simply under the rules of the competition. But these are not normal, far from it. How can you be found guilty when you are making individual decisions under health and safety for all concerned. How can you load clubs up with finacial penalties placing some clubs into further debt. It just doesnt make sense to me. Normal rules surely dont come into play at a time like this and common sense should come into play.
I see in the None league paper this morning that they, the clubs, are going to take legal action against these decisions. I seem to remember that at the start of all this, committees were going to try to ensure that not one club would go to the wall etc and that they would move heaven and earth to assist clubs. Id say that the powers that be in this case have fallen well short of that.
Last weeks independent disciplinary committee sat and made what I consider to be outrageous decisions which were no way helpful to any of the clubs before them. Dover, for example, fined 40,000 pounds and points docked for next season. That really makes no sense to me and it is counter productive in helping an already in debt member club into further debt, debt that may finalise the end of the club. Other such fines and point deductions were imposed on clubs in North and South division.
Now, under NORMAL circumstances, I would accept clubs being dealt with purely and simply under the rules of the competition. But these are not normal, far from it. How can you be found guilty when you are making individual decisions under health and safety for all concerned. How can you load clubs up with finacial penalties placing some clubs into further debt. It just doesnt make sense to me. Normal rules surely dont come into play at a time like this and common sense should come into play.
I see in the None league paper this morning that they, the clubs, are going to take legal action against these decisions. I seem to remember that at the start of all this, committees were going to try to ensure that not one club would go to the wall etc and that they would move heaven and earth to assist clubs. Id say that the powers that be in this case have fallen well short of that.
