http://www.barisncel.co.uk/...atementrehandsworth/

The Baris Northern Counties East Football League has released the following statement regarding Handsworth FC.

It says: "Following the meeting of the Northern Counties East Football League Management Board on Thursday 12 April 2012 it has been confirmed that Handsworth FC had failed to comply with League Rules 2.5 and 2.6 relating to ground grading compliance provided for in the Criteria Document for the step at which the Club is playing. The Club therefore faced charges as at 31 March 2012.

"Handsworth FC was found guilty on these charges and is to be relegated at the end of the current playing season to a level to be determined by The Football Association. Handsworth FC has the right of appeal to The Football Association.

"An application to ground-share was rejected by the Board as per League Rule 2.3. 'Ground sharing is permitted but not in order to gain promotion or to avoid relegation.'

"The Northern Counties East Football League or its Officers will not be making any further comments or statements until the appeal process has been exhausted."

You could also argue that they have 'cheated' their way to the title, by putting all of their financial resources into the playing side of things, rather than getting the ground up to standard, as other clubs have sensibly done...

A reprieve for AppFrod?

P37 W2 D2 L33 F38 A129 Pts 8

Wouldn't last 5 mins in Scunny Div 1.

In Handsworths case the problem's with the distance from the pitch to the changing rooms.

Saying that the NCEL is one of those "stagnant" leagues that seems to prefer to keep clubs that have struggled for years instead of promoting more forward thinking clubs who don't have the "required number" of seats that no one will ever sit in.

Where it says the NCEL, you could insert any number of similar leagues. All under the same demands from the FA obviously.

Handsworth are in the NCEL cup final, I would be tempted not to turn up.

There is a lengthy statement from the Handsworth Chairman on the club website!

In Reply To

I really do now think there are a few teams at the bottom of some step 6 leagues that would struggle playing wise in their local leagues.

See Launton Sports who hung on in the Hellenic for a few years are now bottom of the OSL 16 points adrift, in the North Berks AFC Wallingford and Kintbury are 3rd and 4th bottom, and in the Dorset Premier League Shaftsbury are 2nd bottom.

Actually applies to step 4 as well, once a club actually goes down from step 4 they quite often they keep going down, Bracknell Town for one.

Handsworth have not been in the NCE for very long. I know that earlier this season they had been planning to ground share in order to stay in. the league - something that appears to be allowed in some leagues at this level. But surely the rules have not changed significantly since they joined the NCE, and so they have known there was work to do to keep their placing - and this has not been done

Having said that, I still believe the ground grading demands are too high throughout the system

If I recall, Waltham Abbey's clubhouse is a considerable distance from the pitch. A very considerable way.

In Reply To

You are quite right.

I was merely pointing out that Waltham Abbey's social clubhouse is a fair trek from the pitch, which - if I have read their statement right - was a factor in Handsworth's demotion.

"as most of you are fully aware, the main stumbling block with our ground is the distance from our changing rooms and clubhouse to the pitch".

It kind of makes a mockery of the system to be honest. What a great way to discourage teams of making a go of it!

Who were they going to share with? Hallam? Sheffield? Stocksbridge?