Durham City have won promotion to the UniBond League Division One North after all.
Their application was rejected but an appeal to the Alliance Committee of the FA was successful and confirmed by the FA League's Committee. It only now needs the FA to ratify the decision.
The move has astounded Arngrove Northern League chairman M
ike Amos since the Archibalds Stadium did not reach the criteria for Step 4 of the National League System by the deadline date of March 31.
"Indeed, the ground is still not up to standard. I don't mind any club seeking promotion but the FA simply can't ignore their own rule book to suit their own ends.
"There are vacancies in the UniBond League but what they have done is a recipe for disaster. What about all the other clubs throughout the country who are seeking promotion but whose grounds did not meet the required criteria by the cut off date?
"We'll now have to have a look at the situation within the ANL. Whitehaven failed to be promoted into Division Two because they didn't finish in the top three of the Wearside League.
"Gillford Park did end in the top two of the Northern Alliance but their facilities were not up to standard by March 31. And what about Easington Colliery and Peterlee who would like to return to the ANL," said a clearly annoyed Amos.
ANL secretary Tony Golightly was just as scathing of the FA's decision.
He said: "Durham City won the ANL by a mile and I've always said that I would support them being promoted so long as they conformed to the rules. Clearly they did not and in my opinion what the FA have done will open the floodgates for other clubs to appeal.
"Last season, they allowed Newcastle Blue Star to move on even though they finished tenth in the ANL. I just cannot understand how they can just rip apart their rule book."
Should Durham City join the UBL, which seems extremely likely, it will mean a reprieve for Bishop Auckland who ended third from bottom in the ANL Division One.
"As things stand at the moment, it's likely that only two clubs Washington and Jarrow Roofing will go down and that Bishops will retain their First Division status" added Amos.
The full article contains 390 words and appears in Sunderland Echo newspaper.
