Becks' improve floodlighting at Eden Park Avenue

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION have rejected Beckenham Town’s appeal to have their five-year suspension from all FA competitions reduced.

For the second time the Kent League club’s appeal to The Football Association to reduce their five-year suspension was turned down.

A spokesman for the Eden Park Avenue club told www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk:  “We are very, very disappointed at the decision. We had hoped that some degree of leniency would have been shown.”

The club’s ban ends this season and they qualify for the FA Competitions again as from next season.

Beckenham have been serving a five-year ban for playing an ineligible player, Paul Vines, against Lordswood in an FA Vase tie back in August 2003.

Meanwhile, manager Jason Huntley has appointed Dave Mehmet as coach to replaced Billy Hughes, who opted for a summer move to Vandanel Kent County League side Metrogas.

Huntley, whose side were held to a goal-less draw at Barking yesterday, is searching for new strikers, having lost Joe Healey (Welling United), Theo Fairweather-Johnson (Fisher Athletic) and Tony Atkins to Cray Wanderers.

Beckenham’s troublesome floodlights have at last undergone a major overhaul during the close season.

Ongoing problems with the light have caused the clubs problems but secretary Peter Palmer has been able to confirm that matches at Eden Park Avenue will be looking a whole lot brighter.

The cost of the work was described as “very considerable”.

Visit Beckenham Town’s website: www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk