5:30pm Friday 3rd July 2009
By Sports Desk
A brief 145-word email has thrown the future of Farsley Celtic back into doubt after the club was saved from liquidation by the appointment of administrators this week.
The Football Conference Ltd wrote to the club informing them that, in accordance with the controversial “Appendix E” of the Rules of the Football Conference: “Farsley is not eligible for membership of the competition for the forthcoming season.”
Appendix E states: “In the event of a club suffering an insolvency event after the annual general meeting of the company and prior to the start of the new season then the club will cease to be eligible for membership of the competition for the new season and the club will be relegated from the competition to a level within the National League system.”
It was controversially applied to fellow Blue Square North members Northwich Victoria, who entered administration at the end of last season, only to be overturned upon appeal by the FA.
Northwich, as a result, are permitted to play in the Conference North, albeit start with a ten-point deduction.
Official club spokesman Philip Morris said: “It is of concern to us that the Football Conference have taken this decision, despite the recent decision of the Football Association in the case of Northwich, and with no apparent change in the rules.
“They seem to be completely disregarding the precedent that has been set. We shall be immediately launching an appeal, and beginning a fund to raise money to pay the fees to do so.
“If the FA uphold the Conference’s decision, with the fixtures arranged for the next season throughout the non-league pyramid, Farsley basically will have no league in which to play.”
The club launches its fighting fund tomorrow – entitled “101, Still Going Strong” – which coincides with the Farsley Community Festival, which will take place at Hainsworth Field, Farsley, between 1pm and 5pm.
The fund will raise money to cover the cost of specialist sports lawyers appealing against the decision of the Football Conference.
“We will be selling promotional items and hope the people of the village get behind us, dip into their pockets in a small way and raise some money to allow the club to maintain their Conference North status,” said Morris.
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