THE Non-League Pyramid has had another reshuffle after Evesham United won their appeal against moving to the Evo-Stik NPL Division One South.
The Robins, who were switched from the Southern League South & West to the NPL South following Cinderford Town’s decision not to take promotion, had their case heard by the Football Association‘s Leagues Committee at Wembley on Tuesday.
Evesham chairman Jim Cockerton claimed the move would cost them £25,000 due to more travelling and less local games against the likes of Hereford.
And they received news on Wednesday morning that their appeal had been successful and they will remain in the Southern South & West.
The Leagues Committee have also ruled that last season’s South & West champions Cinderford – who rejected promotion claiming that going up could plunge their future into doubt – must take their place in the Southern Premier.
It’s currently unknown what Cinderford, who lost manager John Brough and their entire title winning side, will decide to do next.
With one too many clubs now at Step 3, Stamford have had their reprieve withdrawn and they will start next season in the NPL Division One South.
Corby Town, who were moved from the NPL Premier to the Southern Premier to make room for Stamford, have also been switched back to their original league.
The FA statement confirming the decisions, which they described as “final and binding on all parties”, read: “The Appeal Board decided that the Leagues Committee (LC) failed to apply the regulation relevant to clubs being promoted from Step 4 to Step 3 as winners of their division and, in particular, that accepting an application for non-promotion was not an option available to the LC.
“Therefore, the Board exercised their right under Regulation 3.3(2) of the Regulations for Football Association Appeals to “exercise any power that which the body against whose decision the appeal was made could have exercised” and order that the original publication of the Club Allocations on the 12th May be re-instated with immediate effect.
“For the avoidance of doubt this order applies only to the situation affecting the decision surrounding Cinderford Town FC and other affected Clubs and does not affect any other decision determined by earlier Appeal Boards elsewhere within the pyramid.”
Results:
Evesham United – from NPL Division One South (Step 4) back to Southern League Division One South & West (Step 4)
Cinderford Town – from Southern League Division One South & West (Step 4) to Southern League Premier (Step 3)
Stamford – from NPL Premier (Step 3) back to NPL Division One South (Step 4)
Corby Town – from NPL Premier (Step 3) back to Southern League Premier (Step 3)
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Cinderford Town FC – and all other clubs – have a moral obligation to honour all the staff and supporters who have achieved their goal. Fans have paid their money and made commitments to support the team and club throughout the season and rightly expected to see their reward for being successful
If the club could not afford promotion surely this should have been made clear to all months earlier