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Wythenshawe Town suspended by NPL
Wythenshawe Town have been formally suspended by the Northern Premier League, after Saturday’s game with Stafford Rangers was called off on Thursday night.
The club’s membership has been suspended for failure to provide key financial information and will remain unable to play fixtures until these requirements are met in full.
In a now-deleted statement, the Ericstan Park side confirmed they had been suspended as a result of “requested documentation not being submitted to the league in the correct format.
READ MORE: NPL West: Widnes bag 4-2 away win
“The club provided the documentation electronically however it is required as a delivered letter to the NPL.”
‘False and misleading’ – NPL
However, this claim was described as “false and misleading” in a league statement shortly afterwards – which went on to confirm Wythenshawe Town are the sole member of their 88-strong competition not to have provided this information.
“The club has been suspended from membership of the NPL for failing to provide information relative to the Financial Reporting Initiative (FRI) to which all clubs at Steps 1-4 of the NLS are subject and 87 out of 88 member clubs are currently compliant.
“The purpose of the FRI is to provide a level playing field that ensures clubs manage their liabilities and do not gain an unfair advantage by ploughing money into the team at the expense of HMRC and the club’s landlord.
“Wythenshawe Town FC has not been suspended because the club supplied the information required in the wrong format.”
The statement goes on to say that the now-suspended club had been given several extensions to get this information across, but had failed to do so and had been under a player registration embargo for the last month.
Improvements to be made at Wythenshawe Town
Town’s statement continues: “Please know that we are actively working with the league to resolve these matters as swiftly as possible.
“During this period, we will be implementing changes to ensure compliance with league regulations and to strengthen our club’s foundation.
“Our goal is to emerge from this situation better prepared for the future and to restore the pride and integrity of our team.”
The NPL Division One West team will be suspended from playing until this information is provided in full. Fixtures now at risk include a trip to Chasetown on November 5, and a home game against Widnes on November 9.
Wythenshawe Town statement in full
(N.B: This statement has been removed and not replaced at time of publishing)
Dear Supporters, I am writing to address the recent suspension of our football team from the league. This decision has been a difficult one, and I want to take a moment to explain the circumstances and our path forward.
The league’s decision to suspend our team is a result of requested documentation not being submitted to the league in the correct format. The club provided the documentation electronically however it is required as a delivered letter to the NPL league.
Our primary focus is on the well-being of our players, staff, and supporters. We understand the disappointment this news brings, especially after the hard work and dedication shown by everyone involved with the club. Please know that we are actively working with the league to resolve these matters as swiftly as possible.
During this period, we will be implementing changes to ensure compliance with league regulations and to strengthen our club’s foundation. Our goal is to emerge from this situation better prepared for the future and to restore the pride and integrity of our team.
We appreciate your ongoing support and patience during this challenging time. We will keep you updated on our progress and any developments regarding our status in the league.
Thank you for standing by us. Wythenshawe Town FC Board of Directors
Northern Premier League statement in full
The League notes the statement issued by Wythenshawe Town FC earlier today, subsequently removed in response to the decision of the Northern Premier League to postpone its fixture against Stafford Rangers FC on Saturday 2 November.
In such circumstances, the NPL does not normally make any comment. An exception is being made here because the claims made in the club’s original statement are false and misleading.
The club has been suspended from membership of the NPL for failing to provide information relative to the Financial Reporting Initiative (FRI) to which all clubs at Steps 1-4 of the NLS are subject and 87 out of 88 member clubs are currently compliant.
The purpose of the FRI is to provide a level playing field that ensures clubs manage their liabilities and do not gain an unfair advantage by ploughing money into the team at the expense of HMRC and the club’s landlord.
Wythenshawe Town FC has not been suspended because the club supplied the information required in the wrong format.
In the case of Wythenshawe Town FC, whilst the club has provided evidence of payments made to HMRC, it has not provided details of the full extent of its debt. The League, therefore, cannot assess the extent of any outstanding debts to the crown, or that the Time To Pay agreement – of which the club supplied details yesterday – covers the full debt to HMRC, as required by FA Regulations.
The club was given several extensions to allow the required information as laid down in FA Standardised Rules but has failed to do so despite being under a player registrations embargo for the past month, continued to be non-compliant.
11 weeks after being asked to provide this information, Wythenshawe Town remains the only NPL member club to be non-compliant with the FRI. At this point, a suspension was imposed, which will remain in place until the requirement of the League is met in full.
The Northern Premier League cannot permit any member club’s sustainability to put the integrity of the competition at risk.
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