Gloucester City survival saga set for another twist
THE protracted saga of whether Gloucester City will play in Blue Square North next season is set to take yet another twist.
The Tigers are bravely battling relegation on the pitch after earning a historic promotion to the Conference regional leagues last season.
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Gloucester City's Mike Symons in action against Farsley Celtic earlier this season
However, it seems as though matters off the pitch will have a greater affect on whether the club are to remain in the higher league next season.
City already face the prospect of being relegated if they fail to agree a groundshare with local rivals Cheltenham Town before the end of March.
And now a further twist has come with the news that Farsley Celtic will almost certainly be expelled from the league and have their record expunged for failing to fulfil three fixtures.
The crisis-hit Yorkshire club have been in administration for most of the season and could go into liquidation if a buyer cannot be found.
The administrator has turned down at least two bids led by club president Jon Palmer to save club, with the last offer failing on Monday.
Palmer's consortium have insisted that they can offer no more money and after the administrator contacted the Football Conference, last night's game against Harrogate was postponed and Farsley were suspended from the league.
A Conference statement said: "Upon instructions from the administrators that the club are unable to fulfil another fixture, this now means that Farsley Celtic face three charges in relation to Football Conference Rule 8.6.
"Due to the seriousness caused by this latest breach, the Board of the Football Conference will be discussing this as a matter of urgency."
The Conference set a precedent last month by expelling Chester City for failing to fulfil two fixtures.
Chester are almost certain to bypass Blue Square North altogether and reform as a phoenix club lower down in the non-League pyramid.
With Farsley set to similar it increases likelihood of only one club being relegated from Blue Square North at the end of the season.
Harrogate Town are currently bottom of the division on 22 points, eight fewer than Gloucester.
But if Farsley's record is expunged, Gloucester will be the only team in the bottom four to lose points, having won 1-0 at the Throstle Nest last month.
The Tigers would then fall to 27 points, the same number as both Gainsborough Trinity and Vauxhall Motors.
Comments
by Lep, Shipton
Thursday, March 11 2010, 10:13AM
“The situation is too complex. It can be made more complex by the fact that several other clubs, most notably Weymouth and Salisbury are still at risk financially.
As it stands, Chester cannot play in the Conference, even if re-formed. Three clubs are due to be releagted, the current most likely three are Eastbourne, Forest Green and Grays - but this could easily change.
Assuming farsley do not survive, two clubs relegated from Conference North and three from Conference South - but one club (finishing in 20th position with the best points per game average) will be reprieved. At the moment, this is a Northern club.
There are two promoted clubs from each of three feeders. Those from the Unibond League will go to the Northern section, and from the Ryman League to the Southern. It is the Zamaretto League that can promote to either. It looks certain that Farnbroough will win the League, but most play-off candidates (the exception is Bashley) are in the North. If this is a case,.the promotion/releagtion is balanced.
So at the moment, the Southern section should lose 5 teams (two up, three down) and gain 6 (three from the Conference National, two from the Ryman, one from the Zamaretto).
The Northern should lose four (two promoted, one releagted and Farsley) and gain three (all through promotion).
This currently leaves the Northern in need of one team from the South to balance the books. Worcester City have a three year guarantee of a place in the south after being forcibly moved, and hence cannot be switched without their consent. In this case, Forest Green are the next in line for a place in the Northern section!!”