Chester

[recordmeister]

The latest rumour on Blues Mad, as yet unconfirmed, is that not only is Chester's game against Gateshead tomorrow now postponed the FA have summoned the Conference Board to FA HQ about what they describe as &quota supposed breach of rules&quot. Whether the last bit it true or not, it is clear that the FAs postponing of Saturday's game, overturning the earlier Conference Board decision to give it the go-ahead, casts yet more bad light on Lee et al. It begs the question - how much longer are they going to be allowed to keep screwing things up for teams in the Conference before significant action is taken against them? And can anybody with more legal training and knowledge of football structures than I offer suggestions as to what that action realistically might be (as opposed to what many of us would like to happen to Lee. In a dark alley. With no witnesses around).

It's a difficult one this, for us supporters and I would guess for the chairmen of the member clubs.

No right minded supporter wants to see another club fold. The Chairmen of the clubs all want an extra home game (if we hold on long enough it might even be in that free saturday the conference cleverly left for us!) as their revenue will be based around 23 games not 22. And the Conf Board want to get this issue resolved as quickly as possible so as to avoid any additional embarrassment. But at the same time, most of the supporters and Chairmen of Member Clubs seem to think that the Board are crap and would like to make an embarrassment of them....

Which way would you hope this goes?!?

[GodalmingYellow]

The latest rumour on Blues Mad, as yet unconfirmed, is that not only is Chester's game against Gateshead tomorrow now postponed the FA have summoned the Conference Board to FA HQ about what they describe as &quota supposed breach of rules&quot. Whether the last bit it true or not, it is clear that the FAs postponing of Saturday's game, overturning the earlier Conference Board decision to give it the go-ahead, casts yet more bad light on Lee et al. It begs the question - how much longer are they going to be allowed to keep screwing things up for teams in the Conference before significant action is taken against them? And can anybody with more legal training and knowledge of football structures than I offer suggestions as to what that action realistically might be (as opposed to what many of us would like to happen to Lee. In a dark alley. With no witnesses around).

I think this would require a set proportion of the existing clubs to call an EGM and hold a vote of no confidence in the board.

[Hog]

http://www.chestercityfc.net/article/28 ... ss-Release

[Sideshow Rob]

Tomorrow's home game against Gateshead has been postponed. The FA are expected to make a final ruling on Thursday.

[Snake]

My brother will be delighted at this mess given that he’s hated Them for over 40 years. Personally, I got over that local stuff years ago when Sealand Road was closed down and the matchday venue stopped being a hooli-fest at every Chester -v- Wrexham game, but I can understand how he may feel.

But I digress..

If Chester do leave our Division V party then I think the club should just leave it alone in terms of the ST, and immediately give refunds of 1/23 of the price paid for the ticket on application*.

* and put the names of the people who wanted a refund on the official website.

[YF Dan]

http://www.chestercityfc.net/article/28 ... ss-Release

They're clearly been forced to sell all of the return keys from their keyboards.

[Hog]

If Chester do leave our Division V party then I think the club should just leave it alone in terms of the ST, and immediately give refunds of 1/23 of the price paid for the ticket on application*.

* and put the names of the people who wanted a refund on the official website.

I'll want a refund! Or a free ticket to the first home cup game. Or my 2.5% VAT back.

Wait for it ...

[SmileyMan]

As the recession bites, this is going to get worse and worse. At least with Chester it looks like they'll miss the entire season, so it won't be unfair to any team in particular (although I doubt Grays and Gateshead are particularly chuffed).

The Conference this season could well become a &quotlast man standing&quot affair.

Off-field penalties are fundamentally unfair, and ruin the game. Far better would be for the FA to run a franchise system. You could make the franchises geographically tied (to avoid the Dons situation again), but the FA could retain the right under defined circumstances to take the franchise away from the owning organisation and offer it for sale to someone more appropriate. That way the punishment (removal of the franchise) really only affects the people responsible (the owners of the holding club).

[GodalmingYellow]

As the recession bites, this is going to get worse and worse. At least with Chester it looks like they'll miss the entire season, so it won't be unfair to any team in particular (although I doubt Grays and Gateshead are particularly chuffed).

The Conference this season could well become a &quotlast man standing&quot affair.

Off-field penalties are fundamentally unfair, and ruin the game. Far better would be for the FA to run a franchise system. You could make the franchises geographically tied (to avoid the Dons situation again), but the FA could retain the right under defined circumstances to take the franchise away from the owning organisation and offer it for sale to someone more appropriate. That way the punishment (removal of the franchise) really only affects the people responsible (the owners of the holding club).

Take one can of worms, and open carefully.

[SmileyMan]

Take one can of worms, and open carefully.

Indeed, and it would be extremely hard to retrofit onto the existing league. There's also the issue of grounds and stadia although in theory any football organisation that lost its franchise would be de facto finished and would have to sell its ground, there's no way to compel them to sell it to the new owner.

But as a measure that could be used as a last resort against a truly badly run club, it would be much more effective (and fairer to players/fans) than the deductions system.

[boris]

It would appear that Chester have been cleared to play on Saturday, although it's still not clear if they're going to start on -10 or -25 points.

[Mally]

It would appear that Chester have been cleared to play on Saturday, although it's still not clear if they're going to start on -10 or -25 points.

I see that the Conference also got their knuckles rapped with a £5000 fine suspended until next season. The FA will work with (order) the conference to revise their insolvency rules.

Another couple of nails in the Brian Lee coffin I think.

[GodalmingYellow]

Brian Lee is a disaster, and it is astonishing that the club Chairmen haven't kicked him out yet.

He has got no grip on any insolvency issue that has arisen since we've been in this poxy league. Every year the Conference is brought into further dispute by the financial shenanigans at one club or another.

And that's not to mention his indiscriminate use of off field penalty points for next to no reason.

In fact I can't think of much that Brian Lee has done right.

It must be time to have all clubs operating on a minimum of break even after interest and tax, and a balance sheet with net current assets, with a penalty of automatic relegation at the end of the season (or following season if relegation occurs as a result of on field results in the current season).

[Mooro]

It would appear that Chester have been cleared to play on Saturday, although it's still not clear if they're going to start on -10 or -25 points.

I see that the Conference also got their knuckles rapped with a £5000 fine suspended until next season. The FA will work with (order) the conference to revise their insolvency rules.

Another couple of nails in the Brian Lee coffin I think.

You would think so, but who is going to make him go?

If the FA were going to/allowed to, they would probably done so today, so clearly they aren't.

The clubs daren't, because whoever suggests it, will quickly be docked points for some offence or other - and if they were going to do so, then the AGM over the summer would have been the time to do so &amp there appeared to be no move then.

The conference board themselves are not going to call for his head, as they might all go by the same sword, while Mr Lee is not going to stand down any time soon as he sees nothing wrong with how he is handling things.

So, I'm afraid we are stuck with him, and jsut have to hope that we double check everything we do so that we do not fall foul of any more deductions, and then get out of this league asap before he can cause any more damage...

##
I understand it is -10 points for Chester, as the FA adjudged the -25 was breaking the Conferences own rules....

[OUFC4eva]

Sections of the media are reporting that despite Chester's points deduction being illegal and the CONference being fined £5k for not implementing the rules correctly, Chester will STILL start on minus 25 pts !!!

How can that be ?

I expect Chester to start legal proceedings against the CONference very soon. Agree that Brian Lee's position is completely untenable.