Weston-super-Mare reprieve

[cm7]

FOREST Green Rovers are back in the Blue Square Premier after Salisbury City lost their appeal against their demotion.

With Salisbury dropping down into the Zamaretto Premier, Weston-super-Mare have also been reprieved and will start next season in the Blue Square South.

A statement from the Football Association today reads: “An Appeal Board of The FA Sanction and Registrations Committee met on Wednesday to hear an appeal by Salisbury City FC against a decision made by the Football Conference to exclude the Club from membership of the Competition.

“The Club’s grounds of appeal were that the Conference misinterpreted and/or failed to comply with the Rules and Regulations relevant to its decision and/or came to a decision to which no reasonable body could have come and that the penalty, award or sanction imposed was excessive in the circumstances.

“The FA Appeal Board unanimously decided that the Appeal be dismissed.

“The Club’s appeal fee of £250 was forfeited and they were ordered to pay additional costs of £400.”

The effect of this decision is as follows:-

Salisbury City will play in the Southern League (Premier Division) this coming 2010-11 season.

Forest Green Rovers are reprieved and remain in Conference National (previously relegated to Conference South).

Weston Super Mare are reprieved and remain in Conference South (previously relegated to Southern Premier).

[4whatitsworth]

A nice trip to the seaside resurrected. What with Weymouth being relegated and Bath promoted I was running out of decent weekends to watch footie and have a paddle. Just goes to show if you live the dream you have to live it within your means and obviously Salisbury didn,t. A salient lessson to us all.

[Iron Webbo]

Delighted to see our friends from Weston-super-Mare with us next season.

I do not forget that it was Salisbury City that defeated us in the Conference South Play-off Final three years ago at Stevenage to reach the Conference National. That day, I felt we gave as good as we got, but it is essential for us all to know and believe that clubs are competing on a level playing field.

We here at Braintree strive to remain debt free and that is not always easy. Those clubs that do incur substantial debt and then use a variety of insolvency events to avoid repaying the majority of that debt are, in my opinion, gaining an unfair advantage. I therefore support the action that The Football Conference have taken in upholding their rules and the action The FA have taken in dismissing the subsequent appeal.