The Boston United Fiasco

[Nos]

The following is taken from the Non League Paper website today. Am I alone in thinking that the F.A. are a complete joke. Dagenham have been shafted.

 

 

BOSTON UNITED DOCKED FOUR POINTS AND FINED - 19/07/2002

 

The Football Association has today docked Boston United four points and fined them £100,000 after a hearing investigating financial irregularities at the club.

 

Boston won the Nationwide Conference - and promotion to the Football League - last season.

 

And it was feared that the Lincolnshire club could be stripped of their League status before they had actually played a single match in Division Three.

 

But after pleading guilty to all six charges against them the club have preserved their newly acquired League status.

 

However, Boston chairman Des Wood is unhappy with the size of the punishment and has said the club will appeal against the fine. "We are very disappointed with the whole episode and we did not expect to find what we have found," said Wood.

 

"We have pleaded guilty to all the charges faced by the club but believe the fine and the points deduction are excessive."

 

But Dagenham & Redbridge, who finished second to Boston in the Conference, feel the punishment is far too light.

 

The Daggers were hopeful of taking Boston's place if they were stripped of their League status.

 

"This decision is laughable," said Daggers boss Garry Hill.

 

"Boston have been allowed to cheat. It's left the door open for anyone who wants to do what they've done to act in the same way.

 

"How can you deduct four points from a League season when they broke the rules in the Conference last year?

 

"I'd take a £100,000 fine to stay in the League. This is not justice.

 

"Irrespective of whether we got promoted or not this has made a mockery of football."

 

The FA was investigating a total of 16 charges.

 

Boston manager Steve Evans admitted to four breaches of FA rules.

 

But Evans, who remains suspended by the York Street club, denied four other charges.

 

An FA statement read: "Steve Evans has admitted four breaches of FA rules relating to his involvement in the lodging of registered playing contracts containing details which were false.

 

"He has denied four other charges relating to contract irregularities and impeding the investigation, which will be dealt with at a later date.

 

"The penalties for the charges he has admitted will be decided once the other charges have been dealt with."

 

The statement added former chairman Pat Malkinson denied two charges relating to contract irregularities and impeding the inquiry, with those matters also being dealt with at a later date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rob_the_Saint]

As for the fine being paid, the words "pissing" and "wind" immediately spring to mind.