Sporting Bengal

[Rob_the_Saint]

Hope I've got the right league!!

 

Interesting story I've lifted from, er, somewhere else...

 

The election of Sporting Bengal to the Go Travel Kent League has been thrown into doubt after the League received a letter from the FA regarding their election at the League's AGM in June. At present, the officials of the League, Sporting Bengal, and the FA are in discussion.

 

The representative side of the Bangladesh FA (UK) were elected to the Go Travel Kent League last month after the league's clubs voted in favour of accepting the country's top Asian football club. However, the letter from the FA has raised doubts over whether Sporting will infact be allowed to start their season, which is due to kick off against Whitstable Town on 16th August.

 

This will no doubt be a set back for the club, whose ground (the local authority-owned athletics stadium at Mile End) has apparently met Kent League requirements. This is not to mention the amount of sponsorship offers the club have attracted, being the pioneers of British Asian football, and the potential fan base of the 60,000+ Bangladeshi community in East London.

 

Darren Lovell of the Maidstone United website stated his personal views, "There are a lot of rumours flying around at the moment regarding Sporting Bengal United, none of which I can confirm at present. The rumours are: 1 - An unnamed member club of the Kent League appealed against their inclusion on the basis that Sporting Bengal were given a disproportionate amount of time to bring their ground up to standard (the pitch is too short and there are no changing facilities for match officials); 2 - There is a problem with their physical location. Tower Hamlets is not in Kent. 3 - They do not have confirmed senior status. 4 - They had already been accepted into the 'Middlesex County League' (or similar) which is a league of intermediate standard (not senior). The Middlesex League is not happy that "their" club has been poached. (Note - the Essex Senior League rejected an application from Sporting Bengal because their ground did not meet requirements.)

 

"The Kent League has published fixtures up until the end of August only, in which Sporting Bengal United are included. My personal opinion is that I do fear that the Kent League has erred on this occasion. It will be a shame but I will be extremely surprised if Sporting Bengal United retain their place in the Kent League. I hope the club do retain membership because it will bring plenty of positive attention to the Kent League. Unfortunately, the potential fall-out from losing this club will again damage the Kent League's credibility, especially after last season's late resignation of Faversham Town and the farce that ensued with regards determining the championship. We will have to wait and see how the FA adjudicate on this matter."