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Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:17 pm
by onewayup
Seems the club informed the league
We had over 250 seats at heritage park,and the plans for getting them to Blackwell,but extra covered seating was never mentioned which the league now state is what's required.
Why did the league not mention it which grading Blackwell in December,they had already refused the playing licence in November ,so one would assume all was in place and ok for progress into the next level
When the league gave the licence.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:32 pm
by spen666
Why?

Because it was not for the league to advise anyone of anything related to ground grading.

The FA deal with ground grading. The requirements for ground grading are published by the FA and are clearly available on line. If someone at the club failed to read the grading requirements, then it is their fault, not the FA.

Its like blaming the referee because you didn't know the laws of the game or blaming the police when arrested because they didn't warn you that you were going to break the law.

The fact that the club failed to properly read the readily available ground grading requirements can unfortunately be laid only at the feet of the club, not the FA.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:50 pm
by Beano
The appeal is well written and well considered, despite the resident troll's contribution.

Even if it comes to nothing, it raises, I believe, a couple of fair points, and we ultimately have nothing to lose.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:58 pm
by Daidy
Beano wrote:The appeal is well written and well considered, despite the resident troll's contribution.

Even if it comes to nothing, it raises, I believe, a couple of fair points, and we ultimately have nothing to lose.
Of course "well written" is subjective but these two parts stood out to me which make me think otherwise:

"The focus at the time was on achieving Category B, and the requirement for 500 covered seats was not picked up."

"at the end of February 2017 the Board reviewed in full the Category B grading requirements and confirmed that on the face of those rules participation in the playoffs might not be possible"

Two pretty solid nails in the coffin for me but at least there is the admittance that it was our error as a club.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:06 pm
by onewayup
Ok I stand admonished,

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:19 pm
by Daidy
onewayup wrote:Ok I stand admonished,
Not trying to admonish anyone, just my own view.

Like I said, it is all subjective. Personally, I think those two admissions of the error don't leave us much of a leg to stand on. In an appeal, I wouldn't have personally included those phrases as every single word is absolutely critical.

However, I'm not The FA, they may take a more sympathetic view and we shall see next week.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:31 pm
by spen666
Daidy wrote:
onewayup wrote:Ok I stand admonished,
Not trying to admonish anyone, just my own view.

Like I said, it is all subjective. Personally, I think those two admissions of the error don't leave us much of a leg to stand on. In an appeal, I wouldn't have personally included those phrases as every single word is absolutely critical.

However, I'm not The FA, they may take a more sympathetic view and we shall see next week.
If the FA do take a more sympathetic view, they are likely to face the risk of being challenged in the courts by the teams ( both North & South) who miss out on the play offs because the FA did not apply the ground grading that the other teams have complied with.

For example if the current table is the final table and Salford miss out because Darlington are allowed into the play offs, do you not think with their wealth they will take the FA to court over this issue?

That alone is likely to concentrate the minds of the FA and prevent them being lenient

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:42 pm
by Daidy
spen666 wrote:
Daidy wrote:
onewayup wrote:Ok I stand admonished,
Not trying to admonish anyone, just my own view.

Like I said, it is all subjective. Personally, I think those two admissions of the error don't leave us much of a leg to stand on. In an appeal, I wouldn't have personally included those phrases as every single word is absolutely critical.

However, I'm not The FA, they may take a more sympathetic view and we shall see next week.
If the FA do take a more sympathetic view, they are likely to face the risk of being challenged in the courts by the teams ( both North & South) who miss out on the play offs because the FA did not apply the ground grading that the other teams have complied with.

For example if the current table is the final table and Salford miss out because Darlington are allowed into the play offs, do you not think with their wealth they will take the FA to court over this issue?

That alone is likely to concentrate the minds of the FA and prevent them being lenient
I used the word MAY because I don't intimately know the minds of The FA. However I agree with you Spen. I cannot imagine any scenario where they don't just reject our appeal out of hand, for some of the reasons you've highlighted above and others.

Just trying to be very deliberate with language as it seems that on here at present if you highlight anything you think the club may have been able to do better, you are accused of heresy.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:50 pm
by lo36789
spen666 wrote:
Daidy wrote:
onewayup wrote:Ok I stand admonished,
Not trying to admonish anyone, just my own view.

Like I said, it is all subjective. Personally, I think those two admissions of the error don't leave us much of a leg to stand on. In an appeal, I wouldn't have personally included those phrases as every single word is absolutely critical.

However, I'm not The FA, they may take a more sympathetic view and we shall see next week.
If the FA do take a more sympathetic view, they are likely to face the risk of being challenged in the courts by the teams ( both North & South) who miss out on the play offs because the FA did not apply the ground grading that the other teams have complied with.

For example if the current table is the final table and Salford miss out because Darlington are allowed into the play offs, do you not think with their wealth they will take the FA to court over this issue?

That alone is likely to concentrate the minds of the FA and prevent them being lenient
Depends FA may take a gamble that Salford have you as their legal aid.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 4:06 pm
by darlo reborn
Ok so what happens if the appeals of the 3 clubs are rejected but they then realise it`s a stupid rule anyway and decide to change it

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 4:09 pm
by Vodka_Vic
darlo reborn wrote:Ok so what happens if the appeals of the 3 clubs are rejected but they then realise it`s a stupid rule anyway and decide to change it
I think that that could only be changed at the National League AGM.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 4:50 pm
by onewayup
One well known Salford owner has stated that should Darlington make the playoffs they should be allowed to play as they earned the right after a long season ending in a playoff place.
Would he reject the playoffs spot if it were his team that then benefited. I think not.but who knows until it happens.

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:21 pm
by D_F_C
darlo reborn wrote:Ok so what happens if the appeals of the 3 clubs are rejected but they then realise it`s a stupid rule anyway and decide to change it
We were told tonight it's now 4 clubs

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:50 pm
by spen666
D_F_C wrote:
darlo reborn wrote:Ok so what happens if the appeals of the 3 clubs are rejected but they then realise it`s a stupid rule anyway and decide to change it
We were told tonight it's now 4 clubs
Any idea who 4th club is?

I have not heard a 4th club mentioned before the forum

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:53 pm
by al_quaker
If my memory hasn't been frazzled by the events of tonight, I think it was Wealdstone who have appealed

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:56 pm
by D_F_C
Yes. Think the other 3 are 5th, 6th and 8th in the national South

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:58 pm
by spen666
al_quaker wrote:If my memory hasn't been frazzled by the events of tonight, I think it was Wealdstone who have appealed
Thanks for that.


Their ground had 2 seated stands last time i was there, but not 500 in total. Mind you it's 18 months since i was last there

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 6:52 pm
by murtonquaker
To be honest, I accept the rules, it is a bitter pill to swallow, but the rules are there and it is devastating after a long season and the joy of returing back to Darlo has been shot down with the grading problems...

Is it not about time the FA start thinking about amending the ground grading rules...

Am I right to say that, at every other level, getting the ground upto scratch can be done by March in the season following promotion? If so, then why not at Step 2

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Re: Wording of seats

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 7:00 pm
by Darlobaz79
One of Poole or Hungerford will finish in the play-off positions after today's results.