THE future of Grays Athletic was thrown into turmoil this morning when the FA confirmed they cannot support the club’s admission to the Ryman Premier League.
After winning an appeal against being placed in the Essex Senior League after resigning from the Conference, Grays had been placed into Step Three of the non league pyramid by the FA.
That meant a place in the Ryman Premier League, but the League asked the FA to arbitrate on that decision as they did not want to accept Grays because it would have been in breach of their own league rules as Grays did not have a groundshare agreement in place in accordance with the Ryman rulebook.
“We are very, very disappointed, but don’t want to act in haste. We will be considering our options which may include a legal challenge,” said Grays’ spokesperson Joel Nathan.
“We will take a couple of days to think things through. We do have the option of a place in the Essex Senior League but we appear to be limited to where we could play and that presents difficulties for our fans. We will try and consult with them as well about what they want us to do. It’s a very sad day for Grays Athletic and for football.”
Looks like they will now not be playing in the Rymans League after all:
http://www.isthmian.co.uk/leagues?league_news_item&id=2754754&lid=256&did=2102
Certainly looks like the Essex Senior League now, just wonder where they will be playing though as this is still to be announced.
Maybe they will beat Barkingside’s attendance figures of an average of 95 for last season, which ever way you look at it the future does not bode well at the moment.
“Sad day for Football” I don’t think too many people will agree with that.
Any true Non League fan will tell you that their fed fed up with clubs chucking one mans money around to buy their way up the pyramid,and with the bandwagon support that comes with it.
When for whatever reason the money runs out, the club finds it impossible to maintain the level it has reached and comes crashing back down to earth.
Clubs need to be built from the bottom up, before vast amounts of cash are thrown at players wages.
It can be done(take Yeovil as an example) but not overnight.
Grays have got what they deserve in my opinion.
How can you appeal an appeal, I am not sure how that works out?
I agree with both posters in what they say, my concerns now are, will the groundshare be accepted by any other League, especially as it is the FA who now state that it is not valid.
the other options were Tilbury / Basildon.
I feel it could be all to LATE for GAFC for 2010/11.
If we do get lucky, will we still have the players to form a squad, my gut feeling is they won’t hang around, then it will be only the left overs, AGAIN!!!!.
I feel for everyone involved, but the appeals have cost valuable CASH and even more so VALUABLE TIME.
My Fingers are crossed for the FUTURE……….