Harsh reality

[Deleted]

May I start by saying this is not an attack on the supporters of Barry Town or Llanelli. However I do feel for the clubs throughout the pyramid system who would directly be affected if the FAW council let the two now defunct clubs back into Welshleague football under different guises. Barry have historically been a badly run club dating back to 2003 which culminated in another name change. I would imagine the supporters were happy to see Lovering take over then. How many more name changes do they want. What precedent would the FAW be setting by letting these two clubs who have thrown everything at it to reach the top and fail only to be let back in through the back door at the expense of other established well run clubs. The foundation of Welsh football is based on solid, sustainable clubs and not clubs who just have a proud history. I say the FAW should set a precedent and not allow these two clubs to bully their way back into the Welshleague but to the bottom of the pyramid and send a true and proper message to all of Welsh football right through to grass roots that this boom and bust culture will not be tolerated!!!

[fairplay]

What a sad message and who will not tolerate this problem occuring again?

[Deleted]

Correct. It is a sad message, but one that is all too true. The reality is that you could never stop this from occurring again however, by setting the precedent, the FAW lay down a clear message that this kind of culture cannot and will not be tolerated. Football is not run by supporters, it's run by a management committee, and committee members. You must remember this. There is no room for nostalgia. It's the hard working ordinary committee members who selflessly give up their free time to run clubs correctly and within the laws of the game I feel sorry for.

[Deleted]

It seems illogical for a new club (such as a newly formed Llanelli) to be able to apply and get into the Welsh League 3 as opposed to starting at the bottom of the pyramid? If someone formed a brand new club (that had not gone through liquidation) I assume they wouldn't be allowed to apply and get into Welsh League 3?

[fairplay]

As regards clubs being run by a Management Committee and Committee members as against supporters I would like to point out that the majority of management and committee members were supporters of a club and still are. Regarding Llanelli it is a case that they have been wound up in the court and therefore do not exist as a club and therefore start on the bottom of the pyramid if they want to form a club again. As far as Barry is concerned they have been run by the supporters committee for almost 2 seasons at the Chairmans request and have themselves paid all subscriptions to the league as well as fines etc. The club are not in trouble financially and would have completed their season if it wasnt for their publicity seeking Chairman. I have said this before that the Welsh League Committee should ask for clubs approval that this club maybe under a slightly different name to be accepted as a First Division club or at the least a Third Division one. As regards as being "no room for nostalgia" I believe that the word should be substituted for history and would say that Barry should be rightly proud of there past record.

[Deleted]

Will/Do FAW still consider that Barry are still owned by the Chairman? Would this affect their decision ?

[mattbryant473]

Simple fact is that barry town or shall i say barry united as they are now called were owned by mr lovering .
He then chose to withdraw them from the welsh league and therefore
are no longer members.
Barry united are a new club and must go through the pyramid system
the same as everyone else.
If the welsh fa let them come back as a new club and go straight into
div 3 it will open the door for a summer of discontent.
I hear you saying that the supporters have run the club for the past
few seasons , do they also cover players wages such as cotteral
and nagi as well.
I also read that mr jeffrey at llanelli have hopes of forming
another new team and going straight in div 3 of welsh league.
Another case of a defunct team that have been wound up
and badly run and now expect to pop straight back in the pyramid system.
Both your clubs have lived beyond your means and now are paying the price, no sympathy and no back door entry to the welsh league.

[Deleted]

I totally agree with you Matt. It would be a summer of discontent. Appeal after appeal. I really feel for both sets of supporters however, to come back in now would make a complete and utter mockery of the pyramid system. I feel there is a lot more at stake by letting these two new clubs in. What about the clubs lower down in the pyramid or clubs that have been trying to get into the Welshleague for years. What kind of message would the FAW be sending out. The good news for both these new clubs is that they have a chance to start again and truly support and run their clubs the way other clubs have been run for decades

[dannyg]

I believe that Barry Town United should be allowed to start in division 3. Apart from Mr PublicitySeeker Lovering, Barry have been a well run club and were not wound up through financial mismanagement. Llanelli, on the other hand, are a different matter. They "lived the dream" and perished accordingly. They should be made to start at County level.

[Deleted]

It would be hard to let one in without the other. It's all or nothing. Both new clubs. This would never be allowed in the business world and if this was taken to arbitration it would end badly for both sides

[Deleted]

Perhaps the diplomatic solution would be to allow an 18 team Division 3 for next year and then have 4 teams relegated for the following 2 years to get back to 16 teams?

[davechesky]

Interesting topic. I think we all agree that Lovering is a disgrace, but at some point he was welcomed into the Club and allowed to purchase the club - so as wrong as it might be, he is legally allowed to do what he wants with HIS football club. The bit I am not clear on is whether Barry are now reformed as the previous club - I would think not because this would mean Lovering still owns the club and would surely legally challenge that, although if this is the case the rules permit them back in at division 3 level. If, as I suspect, they have set up as a 'brand new' club, then they can only really start at the very bottom step of the ladder. Any difference and I would predict some clubs (reluctantly probably) having to challenge the legality of the decision.. We await the decisions, uncertainty, appeals, further appeals, etc, etc. Sounds only too familiar doesn't it.

[timjohnson]

I would take this more seriously if you all came out in the open.. I was banned by Lovering for nearly 5 years for being Chairman of the Supporters Club. The club was sold to him by the Administrator therefore we had no choice.
How would you like it if you discovered your club secretary in a fit of pique decided to contact the Welsh League to withdraw your side without telling anyone. Not very nice is it.
I would be more than happy to discuss matters expect to say I am not a member of the Supporters Committee and will be at the play off Saturday [e-mail]. My name is actually Tim Johnson

[Lee Robson]

Hi Tim...where is the play off being played?

[timjohnson]

At Bryntirion with a 2 o'clock kick off