TEAM NORTHUMBRIA FINED £2,000 FOR LATE RESIGNATION NOTIFICATION

Team Northumbria has been fined £2,000 for the late notification of their withdrawal from the Ebac Northern League.

League chairman Glenn Youngman said:

“It is highly regrettable that the university made their decision so close to the new season.

“This was compounded by the fact that they confirmed their decision to the media before having the courtesy to formally inform the league of their resignation.

“A formal letter to the league secretary was only provided after we wrote to the club asking them to confirm the decision.  Prior to that, the only notification was a group email which was copied to our registrations secretary – but not to either myself or the league secretary.

“The lateness of the decision has meant that other clubs in the league have been adversely affected by relegation – a situation that would easily have been avoided by a timely resignation which would have allowed the FA to potentially make different decisions about relegation.

“In response to a Freedom of Information request which has been shared with the league, the university says that information about the decision is not held, that discussions about it were not minuted and there were no records of any notes being taken.

“I think the league, its clubs and spectators deserved a more professional and courteous approach by the university.”

The club was also fined £100 for failing to pay the membership fees which were due before the league’s annual general meeting in June and the £250 in membership fees for the current season.