Portadown Out

[EalingGreen]

There isn't a soul out there that would've been disenfranchised a jot by the IFA just taking the thing. I doubt they even opened the envelopes til Friday morning anyway.

I've seen it reported that the Applications were all time-stamped as they were received (In fact, one report claimed that the PFC employee arrived 15 minutes late, and spent another 15 minutes "in discussion", before the IFA Official felt compelled to stamp it).

Anyhow, assuming it is true about the time-stamps - and it would make sense - all it would have taken would have been for someone sympathetic to the "13th" club, or a passing journalist (or someone who's mates with a journalist) or merely s.o. concerned to see that procedures are followed, to "blow the whistle" i.e. demand to see the time-stamped Applications, plus each club's time-stamped Receipt.

In which case, the IFA wouldn't have a leg to stand on legally, so would risk being sued by the excluded 13th club, as well as seeing their reputation for impartiality in shreds.

I feel v.sorry for Ports fans, but someone in their club screwed up - the IFA simply could not turn a blind eye imo.

[micls]

So? He quite probably knew they were going to be tight for time and were heading for a close shave with the deadline..

Well this would make sense if their idiot spokesman didnt say int he same breath that they didnt know the deadline was 4, they thought it was 5. So a traffic accident made them late for a deadline they didnt know about, despite being written on all the forms

[Mr_Parker]

So? He quite probably knew they were going to be tight for time and were heading for a close shave with the deadline. Are you seriously implying that with the VC having highlighted their problems with getting an application in on time he'd then try and nick a mere 15 minutes? ...even half an hour if you believe Howard Wells? Why not a day or two? Why not a week?

How many interviews and days passed with various reasons for their lateness before the "accident" was mentioned? Oh and I believe Howard Well's as do other witness's to the events in the Windsor Avenue reception that afternoon.


I'm not being pedantic here but he's not Mystic Meg. In the days leading up to the that "excuse" he can't have known a traffic accident would bring them to a halt. But yes they were late. Absolutlely IMMATERIALLY late.
There isn't a soul out there that would've been disenfranchised a jot by the IFA just taking the thing. I doubt they even opened the envelopes til Friday morning anyway.

All the above is immaterial. The process was clear and properly communicated and indeed it would appear that one of the same people who was claiming they did not know about the 4pm deadline actually sat on the committee that agreed to it and then ratified it at a later meeting.

Oh, and here is an interesting story for comparisson

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5...Vpwp0OOrL3-B3Q


Ah now we get to the meat of the issue. A club who's application may be nearly as good as Portadowns or nowhere near it get in ahead on a piddly technicality. Great news for football.


Not "may be" at all. It will be better as it will be assessed while Portadowns won't.

......

[Lionel Ritchie]

.How many interviews and days passed with various reasons for their lateness before the "accident" was mentioned?

Approximately 30 days and I have no idea how many interviews (if indeed any) ...as the first I heard about it was a BBC report about it last Thursday evening.

Look the excuse either stands up or it doesn't. If the cops can confirm an auto accident caused delays in and around the IFA headquarters on deadline day (31.3.08 ???) then Portadown should, in my opinion, get the benefit of the doubt. If they can't get the excuse corroborated then fair enough ...fcuk em. But to tell a club who are on the doorstep 15-30 minutes (I get the impression they were there 15 minutes after 4pm and were only allowed or denied a timestamp 15 minutes later again) after closing time that their application is null and void strikes me as petty to the point of mischievous.

[Mr_Parker]

Approximately 30 days and I have no idea how many interviews (if indeed any) ...as the first I heard about it was a BBC report about it last Thursday evening.

Look the excuse either stands up or it doesn't. If the cops can confirm an auto accident caused delays in and around the IFA headquarters on deadline day (31.3.08 ???) then Portadown should, in my opinion, get the benefit of the doubt. If they can't get the excuse corroborated then fair enough ...fcuk em. But to tell a club who are on the doorstep 15-30 minutes (I get the impression they were there 15 minutes after 4pm and were only allowed or denied a timestamp 15 minutes later again) after closing time that their application is null and void strikes me as petty to the point of mischievous.

The excuse doesn't stand because the others contradict it. Plenty of press coverage with the other previous excuses which you have missed. Unfortunately for Portadown can only appeal the process not other matters. If they can prove the process is flawed then they will win their appeal but the whole league will then come into question.

[A face]

Any closer to a resolution? Either way even?

[Not Brazil]

Any closer to a resolution? Either way even?

Portadown FC's appeal will be heard on Monday, 12th May.

[Blanchflower]

Portadown have lost their appeal (IFA statement on their web site today) and are now out of senior football for the first time since 1924.

[Krstic]

Very sad day for the Irish League, considering Portadown are the only team outside of Belfast since 1974 to win the IL title, it just re-inforces the image of a Belfast & District league to those on the outside.

[Morrissey]

One step back, but two forwards.


















Namely, McCutcheon and Smith.

[holidaysong]

Bangor of the First Division get in!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...sh/7399454.stm

[pineapple stu]

That's amazing. The Irish League shooting itself in the foot with its own stupid criteria-based league.

Bangor seem to be easy fall guys if Portadown appeal though. Have they decided if there's promotion/relegation yet?

Edit - final ranking here. Ballymena in second?!

[Lux Interior]

That's amazing. The Irish League shooting itself in the foot with its own stupid criteria-based league.

Bangor seem to be easy fall guys if Portadown appeal though. Have they decided if there's promotion/relegation yet?

Edit - final ranking here. Ballymena in second?!

Bangor are not 'direct' replacements for Portadown as they accumulated enough ranking points to take 11th spot. Even if Portadown's appeal was upheld, Bangor would still be in.

Ballymena outscored us heavily in ground criteria. Basically, a smart council owned and maintained venue versus a rusting hulk with no investment whatever due to pending ground move.

[Blanchflower]

Absolutely farcical that Bangor are in and Portadown and DC out.

[SolitudeRed]

Absolutely farcical that Bangor are in and Portadown and DC out.

Hopefully clubs will learn from what has happened to the Ports and be more professional in how they handle the administrative side of things.

As for DC well their ground is terrible and they've only had two seasons in the top flight so in a way I'm not surprised!

[Morrissey]

Absolutely farcical that Bangor are in and Portadown and DC out.

Why? Pray tell.

Portadown were the makers of their own downfall, while DC's bluster has done little to endear them to any IL club, so they'll not be missed.

Also, the small fact that they're challenging Coleraine's inclusion as part of their legal appeal.

Don't let the door hit your arse on the way out DC.

[Blanchflower]

As for DC well their ground is terrible and they've only had two seasons in the top flight so in a way I'm not surprised!

They were good enough to get a domestic licence and they finished in the top 12, so they should be in.

[Blanchflower]

Why? Pray tell.

Because:

1. Portadown and DC are top 12 teams who both meet the requirements of the domestic licence.
2. Bangor finished 3rd in the B Division team - effectively 19th in NI - and therefore do not deserve to be promoted.

Portadown were the makers of their own downfall, while DC's bluster has done little to endear them to any IL club, so they'll not be missed.

Whether a club "endears itself" to other clubs is totally irrelevant to the question of whether they merit a place in senior football.

Equally, handing a form in late is not a reasonable criterion for expelling a club from senior football.

Also, the small fact that they're challenging Coleraine's inclusion as part of their legal appeal.

Once the IFA brought in a ludicrous system based more on off-the-field criteria than how good a team is, these types of challenges are inevitable.

[Morrissey]

They were good enough to get a domestic licence and they finished in the top 12, so they should be in.

But they signed off on their score, on the very process they agreed to.

[Morrissey]

Because:

1. Portadown and DC are top 12 teams who both meet the requirements of the domestic licence.
2. Bangor finished 3rd in the B Division team - effectively 19th in NI - and therefore do not deserve to be promoted.


Whether a club "endears itself" to other clubs is totally irrelevant to the question of whether they merit a place in senior football.

Let's look at this way. Would DC have finished as high had they spent Rory's wages on ground developments? The ironic answer is that they may have made the grade.

Equally, handing a form in late is not a reasonable criterion for expelling a club from senior football.

I agree. But "rules is rules", Mr Jameson.

Once the IFA brought in a ludicrous system based more on off-the-field criteria than how good a team is, these types of challenges are inevitable.

Ring a few bells, no.

And I suggest you acquaint yourself with the scoring matrix. For the record, the Coleraine saga is a closed book. DC are clutching at straws by blowing the dust off it.