Decisions and Questions

One thing I didn’t write in detail about in the previous post was the abandoned match vs Chichester. As you will recall, only 10 minutes had been played when their young striker collided fatally with the pitch side wall. Since that accident, there have been changes to our ground – the wall has been replaced by a modern fence and the runoff area between the bye-line and the fence has been increased. It was therefore ready for the clubs to meet and replay the abandoned match later in the season.

However, there was an issue – Chichester did not want to return to our ground again this season. In the circumstances I have every sympathy with their point of view. Equally, with our perilous position in the division, it would seem unfair were a replay to be scheduled at a neutral venue. With only 10 minutes of the original game having been played normally a replay would be scheduled so I think both clubs were waiting anxiously for the League to reach a decision on how to progress.

The League thought long and hard and a final decision was only announced on March 5th. I reproduce it here in full: –

“Isthmian League statement

This match was abandoned on 20th September 2025 with the score at 0-0 due to tragic circumstances and a decision regarding the match has been delayed by the Board due to the sensitivity of the situation.

League Rule 8.37 applies when a match has been abandoned for reasons over which neither club has control. The Board has the power to order that either the original match stands as a completed match or that the match is replayed and sets the terms of such replayed match.

The League has considered the views of the two Clubs concerned and has been mindful of the position of other Clubs in the Division and the effect that any decision might have on the Divisional table. 

The Board have decided in all the circumstances that the original match stands as a completed match, it will not be replayed, and the League table will be updated by the League accordingly.

This decision by the Board has been reached in truly exceptional circumstances and the League has commended both Clubs as to the way in which this issue has been dealt with and believes that the decision reached is the best outcome in all the circumstances.”

The effect of this was to give each club a point for the 0-0 draw and it also meant that we no longer had a game in hand over some of the other clubs around us. It was probably the right decision in the circumstances.

While time is said to heal wounds I do wonder about next season – Assuming Chichester and Wingate & Finchley are once more in the same division, will Chichester be ready to return to Summers Lane?

I think now is a good time to show how the bottom end of the Isthmian League Premier Division table looks currently…

…We are due to play Welling United on Saturday – what’s known as a 6 pointer in fan parlance as both teams really need to get the 3 points from a win. Although we took a 4-1 away hammering from a rejuvenated Carshalton last Saturday, the weekend previous we defeated Cray Valley PM 1-0 – Here’s Botti celebrating with some fans after scoring…

…The Cray defender had tried a last ditch tackle and was accidentally stepped on in the follow through from the shot which explains why he is rolling on the ground. Apart from that goal, the game was a hard fought affair as this tussle between our Romeo Akinola and Cray’s Montel Agyemang illustrates…

…Anyway, with luck we can put in a similarly robust performance to beat Welling Utd on home turf.

This season has been a bad one and it has now become a quirky one too! It was announced yesterday that Hashtag United have requested that they be relegated whatever their finishing position at the end of the season! That’s a really unusual request and one that the Football Association will have to rule on. If they agree to the request it will significantly change the situation around us in the League as only the bottom 3 clubs would go through the normal relegation process – Effectively it would mean that we are 9 points above the drop zone rather than the current 6. I would not be surprised to see the FA hold off on any decision until after the last game of the normal season has been played in the hope that nature will take its course!

Hashtag’s Founder has posted a lengthy statement about the decision on the club website. Much hangs on his conclusion that “Football’s governance is lacking. The finances are unsustainable at every level.” The statement goes on to expand in detail on that observation. Frankly, I have to say that I agree with him on a lot of what he has to say. There are clubs at most levels of football throwing money around in the hope of success. There are also huge disparities in ‘following’ – Clubs like Dulwich Hamlet, Chatham and Dartford have attendances at home in the thousands while W&F are lucky if an attendance exceeds 200. Thus our income is significantly lower – At last reckoning I understand that we have the 2nd or 3rd lowest budget in the Division.

I don’t think we’ll be requesting relegation – it’ll happen as and when it happens naturally! Onwards to Saturday we go… 😎