The Green Lions had earned the right to host the final having finished higher in the table than opponents Peacehaven & Telscombe after their semi-final wins over Horsham YM and Haywards Heath Town respectively last weekend.
However, GFC released a statement on Wednesday evening revealing that they had received formal notification from the SCFL that the league board had resolved to reverse the venue for the play-off final, which had been due to be played on Sunday 10 May but was to be switched to either Tuesday 12 or Wednesday 13 May.
‘The league has cited complex travel arrangements as justification. However, this position was reached without affording the club the opportunity to address or mitigate those concerns,’ said the GFC statement.
GFC manager Tony Vance admitted that initial attempts to arrange travel had been very difficult due to the tight time-frame of not knowing who would even be in the final, let alone who would be hosting, until 5.30pm last Saturday.
That short notice, coupled with last weekend being a bank holiday and with Liberation Day weekend coming up, meant that flight availability was extremely limited.
However, he added that the club had continued to work to find solutions and felt they had made good progress – ‘we offered them what I’d call red carpet treatment,’ he said – only to receive that ‘bombshell’ from the SCFL.
‘Shock, absolute shock. I thought it was a joke, to be honest. I thought someone had “AI-ed” something to wind us up,’ Vance said.
‘After winning a game of the football and the right to a home play-off, to be told it is now going to be at the home of the team who finished fifth, that shock turned to anger.
‘While I cannot say too much at the moment, integrity is a word I would use regarding the situation and you would have to question the integrity of it.
‘We finished third after a season’s worth of time and effort, physicality, emotion from everyone involved with the club, plus all the expense the supporters have put in and everything else that goes into it. That’s a year’s worth of work to earn that home play-off.
‘On the playing side, we were aiming for a home play-off when we knew we couldn’t win the league, so tactically with player usage, rotation, and everything we have worked towards that goal and achieved it. When people behind a desk then start getting involved, it does leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
‘It always seems to happen to us islands. We are already playing with one hand behind our backs, often two, and in the modern world I thought everything’s supposed to be equal.
‘It just shows what people think about the whole scenario when even people from Jersey are supporting us.’
GFC are continuing to work behind the scenes and have reserved the right to pursue a formal appeal to the FA.
Meanwhile, the players remaining in training and the majority of the Green Lions at least have the certainty of a Muratti Vase final away to Jersey on Saturday 16 May to work towards.
‘The Muratti is a situation we need to consider, obviously, and we will. The league and the FA won’t, but we are going to try and protect that game for what it’s undoubtedly worth,’ Vance said.
‘We [GFC] are in limbo because there’s going to be discussions ongoing and, potentially, appeals and right now Dave Merris has replaced his playing boots with his coaching board and it is up to them to prepare for the Muratti.
‘As things stand, I can take a little sabbatical and do some gardening.’
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