City provide new evidence with appeal

ST ALBANS City are hoping for a speedy resolution after lodging an appeal against the Football Association’s decision to dock the club 10 points for financial irregularities.

City chairman John Gibson confirmed that the club had submitted it’s appeal against the decision, which also saw the club handed a �7,500 fine, and had received confirmation that it had been received by the FA.

“The deadline was on Monday and we submitted our appeal before that deadline,” the City chairman told the Herts Advertiser.

“I have subsequently received confirmation from the FA that it has received the appeal.

“They haven’t given us a date for when the appeal will be heard by but we’ve asked for the appeal to be heard as quickly as possible because this has been hanging over the club for some time now and if we can get the penalty reduced then we may have a fighting chance (of staying up).”

The club has provided three new pieces of evidence with their appeal which they hope will convince the FA to reduce the punishment for an offence that Gibson described as “purely administrative”.

“We have provided three pieces of evidence thanks to help from Oaklands and one of our Vice Presidents,” explained Gibson.

“Our appeal is on the grounds that we believe the punishment is out of all proportions with the offence.

“We have a lot of precedence and case law to go with including one club who paid its players through agents and third parties. They were fined �2,000 and docked five points. Our offence is purely administrative and no where near as severe as that.”

The City chairman admitted that there was a risk that the FA could increase the club’s punishment if it deems the appeal to be frivolous but Gibson said that the club felt that was a risk worth taking.

He said: “There is a risk but if they take 20 or 30 points away from us it won’t really make a difference.

“It would be ludicrous for them to increase the punishment but if they do then there is nothing we can do because that is the appeal process.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to in detail has been incredulous with the punishment.”