BRADFORD (Park Avenue) have been charged by the National League after failing to play against Farsley Celtic (February 6) and Blyth Spartans (February 9).

The Horsfall outfit made it clear on February 3 they would be unable to fulfil both fixtures and will not change their stance until the resolution vote is concluded.

On that date, they told the National League: "We will not be bullied by threats into playing a game this weekend that is unsafe, in consequential, and will worsen our finances."

On February 11, the club were informed they have been charged with two breaches of rule 8.39, ‘Any club without just cause failing to fulfil an engagement to play a match on the appointed date shall for each offence be liable to expulsion from the competition and/ or such other disciplinary action.'

Yesterday, the National League stated fines and sanctions will be considered after the vote is completed.

The issue of “just cause” will be objectively assessed by an independent panel based on the evidence put before them.

On the whole situation, Avenue manager Mark Bower said: "It is just getting more and more ridiculous.

"The league have got a tough job but what has been going on in the last couple of weeks - clubs (potentially) getting sanctioned for not being able to play games - you cannot make that stuff up.

"Some clubs can stunt the costs for a little while to get the season done, but a lot of clubs in this league cannot.

"The league are very strict on clubs operating within their means. You have seen clubs expelled and relegated through not having their finances in order.

"Now they are asking a massive bunch of us to effectively trade insolvent.

"If it was just one or two clubs saying this, maybe there is a way around it, but two-thirds of our division cannot operate in this way.

"There is very little in terms of solutions from what the National League has put forward, other than stack yourself full of debt."

The resolution vote at Step Two (National League North/South) currently stands at 18-12 in favour of null and void with 13 clubs still left to publicly declare which way they favour.

"The responsibility is on the clubs too," Bower added. "As soon as everybody gets their votes in, we know where we stand and it might just draw a line under it.

"It is a pretty straightforward decision. We came out early on saying the option we had to vote, what is taking so long for others?

"The problem at our level is if the vote is to carry on, two-thirds of clubs in our league cannot do it.

"That is unless you leave your staff and players on furlough and bring in volunteer or academy players, the integrity of the league would then be shot to ribbons."