Whitchurch Alport Application Turned Down
Fri 22nd May 2015 | Announcements | By Ian Templeman
The FA has informed the League Management Committee that the application to admit Whitchurch Alport FC into the NWCFL Division One has been refused.
The NWCFL had submitted the request on behalf of the club, who play in the Mercian Regional Football League Premier Division, having worked with them over a period of months in preparing the application.
However, the decision of the FA's National Leagues Committee was that the request be turned down.
In arriving at this decision, the FA has informed us that the Committee took into account the following:
· The application was not supported by the Shropshire County FA.
· The application was not supported by the Mercian Regional League.
· There is in place a dedicated promotion path to enable clubs to progress in the National League System.
On the latter point, as the Mercian Regional Football League is not recognised as a Step 7 League, the Committee took the view that the club could not therefore not be considered as promotion candidates.
League Secretary John Deal said: "We are extremely disappointed at the FA's decision in this instance.
"When Whitchurch Alport first approached us and asked if they could apply to join our League, we clarified this with the FA Leagues Manager, and he confirmed that an application could be submitted and considered under the same regulation as a new club.
"On that basis, the club then spent money on upgrading their ground, and we as a League spent time advising the club on the work that needed to be done. We also carried out two ground grading inspections to ensure the requirements were met.
"The club officials and volunteers showed great commitment and enthusiasm in getting the work completed, and we have been impressed with their approach throughout the process.
"Myself and Geoff Wilkinson, the League Ground Grading Chairman, also accompanied club officials to a meeting with the FA at Wembley to support their application.
"It is particularly disappointing to note that one of the reasons given for rejecting the application was that the move was not supported by the club's County FA. We believe that as a matter of course, a County FA should be fully supportive of any member club that is looking to progress and improve.
"We can understand a League's position in not wanting to lose one of their better clubs, but that’s life, clubs move up and down. It is also disappointing that, even though we have three vacancies in our League, the FA are rejecting the application of a well established club.
"As I have stated on many occasions, the FA’s decisions are all the more frustrating when we as a League have vacancies, and have for many years been trying without much success to encourage our Step 7 feeder leagues to provide promotion candidates to us.
"We believe that Whitchurch Alport had everything in place that was needed to enable them to make the step up to our League, and yet the opportunity has been denied.
"We are still fully supportive of their application and understand that the Club may make an appeal".
Whitchurch Alport Application Turned Down
Fri 22nd May 2015 | Announcements
By Ian Templeman
The FA has informed the League Management Committee that the application to admit Whitchurch Alport FC into the NWCFL Division One has been refused.
The NWCFL had submitted the request on behalf of the club, who play in the Mercian Regional Football League Premier Division, having worked with them over a period of months in preparing the application.
However, the decision of the FA's National Leagues Committee was that the request be turned down.
In arriving at this decision, the FA has informed us that the Committee took into account the following:
· The application was not supported by the Shropshire County FA.
· The application was not supported by the Mercian Regional League.
· There is in place a dedicated promotion path to enable clubs to progress in the National League System.
On the latter point, as the Mercian Regional Football League is not recognised as a Step 7 League, the Committee took the view that the club could not therefore not be considered as promotion candidates.
League Secretary John Deal said: "We are extremely disappointed at the FA's decision in this instance.
"When Whitchurch Alport first approached us and asked if they could apply to join our League, we clarified this with the FA Leagues Manager, and he confirmed that an application could be submitted and considered under the same regulation as a new club.
"On that basis, the club then spent money on upgrading their ground, and we as a League spent time advising the club on the work that needed to be done. We also carried out two ground grading inspections to ensure the requirements were met.
"The club officials and volunteers showed great commitment and enthusiasm in getting the work completed, and we have been impressed with their approach throughout the process.
"Myself and Geoff Wilkinson, the League Ground Grading Chairman, also accompanied club officials to a meeting with the FA at Wembley to support their application.
"It is particularly disappointing to note that one of the reasons given for rejecting the application was that the move was not supported by the club's County FA. We believe that as a matter of course, a County FA should be fully supportive of any member club that is looking to progress and improve.
"We can understand a League's position in not wanting to lose one of their better clubs, but that’s life, clubs move up and down. It is also disappointing that, even though we have three vacancies in our League, the FA are rejecting the application of a well established club.
"As I have stated on many occasions, the FA’s decisions are all the more frustrating when we as a League have vacancies, and have for many years been trying without much success to encourage our Step 7 feeder leagues to provide promotion candidates to us.
"We believe that Whitchurch Alport had everything in place that was needed to enable them to make the step up to our League, and yet the opportunity has been denied.
"We are still fully supportive of their application and understand that the Club may make an appeal".
