Ludicrous. Did Coventry get kicked out of the EFL? Having a longer lease guarantees not a lot as various examples will demonstrate.So nothing to to with the ground not bring suitable. Just they had a short lease and not ten years like the requirements. By that methodology they should have kicked out all of the EFLclubs from the league that have had disputes with landlords and played elsewhere. Coventry rings a bell
Their Board of Directors must have known they did not meet the EFL’s criteria, but just didn’t have the decency to inform their fans!The rules or otherwise, like rugby, it's becoming all about size of club and money behind it, rather than promotion by merit.
Could no-one see this coming?
Why in the wide, wide world of sports was this possibility not flagged up earlier?
Were they hoping Gateshead would not make it, and therefore could remain schtum?
I'd love to know whether the Heed's board knew what was coming!
We must get out of this league next season not only for higher grade football but to get away from these NL cretins, what a shower of ****e.This league really don’t help themselves do they. Proper bunch of amateurs
You're right; but it's not a **** ground; it's just not a football ground.What a joke, the lower league clubs are starved by the upper leagues and when they cannot or do not have a Saudi backer but try their best to survive they are kicked in the teeth.
It's the fans that suffer once more even if it is a **** ground.
The very simple rule should be no more than showing you can fulfil your fixtures- so demonstrating you have use of an acceptable ground for the upcoming season. Not 9 seasons down the road…It does seem ridiculous that situation was not resolved before the final match of the season and that there was not a rule in place that automatically allowed the next best team into the play offs, or that results were expunged and the table recalculated for play off qualification only.
I feel sorry for the fans who have spent good money following their team believing they could be watching League 2 football next season, and the players who joined the club with the same ambition.
How would the table look if Gatesheads results were taken away - please don't tell me we finish in the playoffs! We lost and drew so drop 1 pointIt does seem ridiculous that situation was not resolved before the final match of the season and that there was not a rule in place that automatically allowed the next best team into the play offs, or that results were expunged and the table recalculated for play off qualification only.
I feel sorry for the fans who have spent good money following their team believing they could be watching League 2 football next season, and the players who joined the club with the same ambition.