Sad news.

[Grounhopper Mark.]

from the Ridgeons league website.

 

10 Feb 2010

HARWICH AND PARKESTON

 

Sadly Harwich & Parkeston Football Club have withdrawn from the Premier Division of the Ridgeons Football League with immediate effect.

 

The following is an extract from the email received from Harwich secretary, Andy Schooler:

"It is with the utmost regret that, following decisions made at a meeting this evening (Tuesday 9th February) Harwich & Parkeston gives notice of its immediate withdrawal from the Ridgeons League Premier Division. With our long history and as one of the founder members of the Eastern Counties League, this was not a decision that was taken lightly but, at present, our town cannot support semi professional football as shown by our woeful record over the past five years. Whilst an agreement in principle remains with a Development Company, the prospects of a new ground, which seemed so close just two years ago, is now a long way off. The Club intends to continue by playing in the Essex & Suffolk Border League next season with a view to rebuilding and, hopefully, a return to Senior Football as soon as possible. In order to ensure a measure of continuity, we would ask that our Reserve side be allowed to continue and complete its fixtures for this season. This would be on the strict understanding that there will be no application by the Club to compete in the Ridgeons League next season at any level. I would like to stress that the Club is not any financial difficulty - we have no outstanding bills; we just do not have the money to pay players to compete at this level."

 

The League intends that permission be granted for Harwich & Parkeston Reserves to complete the season's fixtures in the Ridgeons Reserves Teams Division.

 

As a result of Harwich's resignation all the league fixtures that they have so far played will be expunged from the records and the league table updated accordingly.

 

There will now be a maximum of one team relegated from the Premier Division to the First Division at the end of the season.

[Jenko]

To be fair how many clubs in the ESL go season after season without paying the players?

 

Sad news but with no debts, paying the not players is not the most important thing.

[Hookey]

To be fair how many clubs in the ESL go season after season without paying the players?

 

Sad news but with no debts, paying the not players is not the most important thing.

 

 

I agree with Jenko, they should not be allowed to withdraw just because they cannot afford to pay players, if that is indeed the reason.

 

The FA should take a dim view of this and apply sanctions if necessary.