Ashford United must play the waiting game

Thursday 07th April 2011

TONY BETTERIDGE and Paul Bowden-Brown returned from Wembley in high spirits after meeting the FA’s Leagues Committee – although Ashford United’s directors and fans will have to wait a while yet until they hear their fate, writes Jack Wilson.

Bowden-Brown, the managing director of Homelands Enterprise Ltd, delivered a bullet-point presentation for the committee explaining what had been achieved to date and what was expected for the future, fully backed up by financial budgets with notes.

And the new man at Homelands was pleased with how it all went.

“The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere,” Mr Bowden-Brown, the former Maidstone United chairman told www.ashfordunited.co.uk.

“All aspects of the club’s business plan was discussed in detail by all, especially the proposed formal structure by the directors of the new club to run the club as a limited company as suggested by the FA governance department.

“Certain assurances were asked for by the committee members and given by both of us to satisfy the FA requirements regarding this legal structure.

“I believe that both Tony and myself answered all the questions asked hopefully to the total satisfaction of the members of the committee.

“Just before the meeting ended the directors were informed that although the leagues committee were sitting next Thursday, a formal decision of where the committee will place the club to play next season will not be made until around the second or third week of May, after all the relegation and promotion matters are dealt with.”

So there’s nothing more that can be done and the fate is in the committee’s hands.

Bowden-Brown has his fingers crossed, however.

“I believe that I have covered all the relevant areas and presented the true facts within my presentation to the FA,” he added.

“It is now for them to decide on our merits to where we play next season,

"I would like to put on record publically my personal thanks to all those senior administrators within the local football scene that have shown their unconditional support to the club and its future.

“It has just proved to me that we deserve to be playing football once again at Homelands at the highest level possible and to this end I hope I have done enough to persuade the FA.

“But whatever their decision is, you still have your club and it needs your continued support.”

Article courtesy of Jack Wilson - www.ashfordunited.co.uk

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Ashford United must play the waiting game