Another womble statement

[Gravesendiron]

 

 

Saturday 27 January 2007

club news

Further club statement

 

 

The following is the text of a leaflet handed out before the match at Kingsmeadow this afternoon:

 

"Club statement re the FA’s decision to remove AFC Wimbledon from the FA Trophy

 

As many people will know, last week the FA charged AFC Wimbledon with playing Jermaine Darlington in the FA Trophy game against Gravesend without first obtaining an International Transfer Certificate, which is required when a player moves from under the regulation of the Welsh FA to the English FA. We have published statements about this on the club’s website and we also handed out copies at the Chelmsford away game. At that time we were advised to make only the briefest of statements, to avoid prejudicing the hearing in any way.

 

We believe that we should be as open as possible as soon as possible. Therefore, if you are arriving early for today’s game there is an open meeting in the back bar between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm, to which you are invited. We hope to hold a second meeting, after the game, for those people who don't arrive early. If held, this will be in the main stand immediately following the match. Please listen for announcements during the game.

 

At a hearing on Thursday 25 January the FA Trophy sub-committee heard the club’s evidence and concluded that the case was proven and that AFC Wimbledon should:

- be removed from this season’s Trophy competition

- repay £7,000 of prize money from earlier rounds when Jermaine also played

- forfeit the £5,000 money from the Gravesend game.

 

The FA has said that this decision is final and binding. The FA also concluded that AFC Wimbledon did not deliberately act in an underhand way to circumvent the relevant regulations and so no penalty should be imposed. They also confirmed that the club is free to play in the Trophy next season.

 

The club has also announced that the Ryman League has charged us with a breach of league rule 6.1 for fielding a player without obtaining an international transfer certificate.

 

After careful consideration of the FA’s decision we believe that removal from the competition is a punishment which is wholly disproportionate to the administrative error that was committed. There was no dishonesty, the player was only “ineligible” because a technicality had not been complied with, and he was registered. Therefore, we have written to the FA telling them of our wish to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. We are supported in this approach by our counsel who has agreed to work on the case for no fee.

 

Erik Samuelson

26 January 2007"

 

 

 

[Alan W (GNFC)]

And how long will it take them to rule? I doubt it would be within the week so we would be left without a game next Saturday, unless Woking is reinstated.

 

And are the FA bound to accept their ruling anyway? If not its likely to be a pointless appeal anyway.

[Gravesendiron]

I dont know how it all works but i reckon it will take a while which halts the progression of the cup

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Taken from the CAS website:-

 

How does CAS arbitration procedure work ?

Once the arbitration request or statement of appeal is filed, the respondent submits a reply to the CAS. After any additional exchange of statements of case, the parties are summoned to a hearing to be heard, produce evidence and argue their case. The final award is communicated to the parties some weeks later, unless it is pronounced the same day (under the appeals procedure).

 

"Communicated some weeks later" - it would almost certainly make a mess of the entire competition, therefore.

 

 

And totop it off :-

 

How long does CAS arbitration last ?

 

The ordinary procedure lasts between 6 and 12 months. For the appeals procedure, an award must be pronounced within four months of filing the statement of appeal. In urgent cases and upon request, the CAS may, within a very short time, order interim measures or suspend the execution of a decision appealed against.

 

ok, they can order "interim measures", or "suspend the execution of a decision appealed against", but how on earth would that work?

 

 

[Riverview Supporter]

I think that the FA will accept a ruling from The Court Of Arbitration For Sport.

 

However , looking at the rules , it quite ctaegorically states what punishment will be for fielding a player who isnt eligable.

 

It is not as if there has been a disproportinate punishment.

 

If the FA goes into the world of porprtionate punishment , then we are on a sorry trail to self explosion.

 

It is no coincidence that any case handled in court has a "recommended" sentance attached to it. Though that is pontless at the moment.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Funnily enough, I was thinking the same - the CAS can rule on legal dispues only as I see it & since the rulebook will no doubt say "Any club playing an individual who is not proerly registered, shall be expelled from the competition", then I cant see that the CAS could do anything other than back the FA ruling.

 

The rulebook may need reviewing going forward -mind you, its difficult to know how - perhaps its the registration process & requirements that need reviewing rather than the expulsion rule?

[Harry J Allstars]

Originally Posted By: Alan W (GNFC)

And how long will it take them to rule? I doubt it would be within the week so we would be left without a game next Saturday

The way I see it this doesn't change anything. The FA have said there is no appeal so therefore there is no appeal. Our game will still go ahead against Rushden, AFC Dons will appeal (and lose) to the court of Arbitration and the verdict will take about four years to come through. We take our guidance on this matter from the FA, the FA say that they are out and we are in, no appeal and the result stands.

[Riverview Supporter]

Going forward , maybe there should be one central indepndant player registry.

 

Seems to me that there are slightly different rules for different competitions.

[Riverview Supporter]

And also , has anyone heard that the dons will be deducted 19 points as the ryman league wnat the dons in it for another year(or something).

 

Heard Chas Webster say something on Radio kent yesterday but was on mobile at time

[David Holden]

Originally Posted By: Riverview Suppor

Going forward , maybe there should be one central indepndant player registry.

Seems to me that there are slightly different rules for different competitions.

Eaxctly the same punishment as Altrincham got for exactly the same crime, fielding a player with international clearance, all points gained while that player was playing.

What makes these people think that the rules don't apply to them?

They cocked up and got punished, the same as every club previous to them, with the exception of WHU.

For God sake's move on.

BTW I hope they are planning to pay for all this time wasting.

[Harry J Allstars]

Has anyone got a link to Wimbledons forum?

 

Must be worth a read.

[Harry J Allstars]

Buy your shirts though

[kmj]

Very interesting! Is there nothing AFC/their supporters won't produce as memorabilia for a game/event?

 

They have this very enterprising fan who produces an enamel badge for every game AFC play. I bought one for our game against them. Might prove to become a collectors item in the future?

[abdullah]

Ryman will meet on Thursday and I suspect they will also confirm that any points won in hte games that Darlington played in be deemed null and void!

 

Just think, if he hadn't have been booked, none of this would ever have happened!

 

Darlington 1 Dons -£12,000 ! and Gravesend rush fleet footed into the next round!

 

Abdullah the revue!

 

 

[kmj]

Bad as this is for mthe Club, surely it is better for AFC for this to be discovered now rather than, say the day after playing and beating R&D or before the last day of the season with a play-off place already "in the bag"?

[jc]

Originally Posted By: Alan W (GNFC)

perhaps its the registration process & requirements that need reviewing rather than the expulsion rule?

Precisely - if proper systems were in place, this matter would have been dealt with long before now, and we wouldn't have the awkward situation of us being reinstated while Eastleigh and Aldershot remain eliminated.

Quite what AFC Dons think they will gain from their appeal is anyone's guess. (EDIT: Unless it's a noble attempt 'for the good of the game' (© Colin Peake) to force the FA to review their processes regarding international clearance. Because they're certainly unlikely to have the decision in their own case overturned).

[The Cameraman]

Originally Posted By: Harry J Allstars

Has anyone got a link to Wimbledons forum?

Must be worth a read.

They use a Guestbook here . (The 'Womble Underground Press').

Definitely worth a read if you have have got time to scroll through it all !

[Santa]

Message Board on The Big Tissue

 

http://wimbledon.rivals.net/

 

 

[MokeAFCW]

to chuck the womble hat into the ring if i may:

 

from the meetings at the club on saturday, i dont think any of us are really looking to be re-instated into the competition - what would be the real and plausable result from the attempt at a new review from the arbitration lot, is to have the FA revise the palyer handling system to make it clearer, and to make the future punishments to clubs falling foul through genuine error less draconian. criticise if you like, but say, just say we are succesful in acheiving that, it might save your [****!!****] one day. alternative we could just whimper like most clubs who have hit like this and do nothing, and then look on knowingly next time a team f*cks up.

 

still believe that it's wholly over the top to have such extreme penalties for paperwork offences. if you dont, well that's your lookout.

 

as far as the t-shirts - take the piss if you like, it might be some small beer little cup to you, but to date it was the single biggest footballing achievment we had attained as afc wimbledon. also the removal has placed a £7,000 hole in our coffers. as the designer of them, all i am doing is trying to help plug that gap.

 

as i've said before - good luck in the next round - hope you win the whole thing. would make the t-shirt even funnier afaiac.

[MokeAFCW]

jesus! is the word 'a r s e' really censored on this board?

 

oh, and as a quick favour, if any of you lot on here would like to wtrite up a few word on the FA trophy debacle from a gravesend perspective, it'd be really handy - got a few slots in the next WUP i need to fill! be as scathing / complementory as you like.

 

wombleultras(at)gmail(dot)com

 

cheers