Saturday, May 24, 2003

 
Following in the footsteps of AFC Wimbledon and Enfield Town comes the latest in the line of supporters break-away clubs. This time its the lads at AFC Barnsley who have set up their own outfit. Fed up with the autocratic antics of chairman and mayor Peter Doyle a group of Tykes fans, headed by Paul Bestall, decided to form their own club and they applied for admission to, and were accepted by, the Kitclub Central Midlands League. They are currently negotiating with Worsbrough Bridge about a groundshare, and are hoping to attract former Barnsley player Clint Marcelle to sign for them.

Rage Online would like to wish AFC Barnsley all the best and we hope that they thrive. Along with Wimbledon and Enfield these teams should act as an inspiration to us all, and should serve to remind us that we needn't be held in thrall to the rich chairmen and megalomaniac boards that currently run league football clubs, and who a large number of supporters feel are necessary for their teams to be successful. Oxford Independent FC, anyone?

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Friday, May 23, 2003

 
Falkirk have been denied promotion to the Scottish Premier League because they were unable to satisfy the SPL that they have primacy of tenancy at the Excelsior Stadium, which they share with Airdrie. According to the BBC web site Falkirk have no right of appeal to the SPL, but will examine other avenues of appeal.

Some have it that Falkirk's punishment is entirely apt because they have been flouting the rules for several seasons, allowing themselves to spend money to strengthen their squad while their rivals have had to fork out huge sums on ground redevelopments in order to comply with the rules. In fact Falkirk only avoided relegation from Division One last season because of a technicality, Airdrieonians going out of business because they couldn't afford to build a new ground.

However it has to be said that the primacy of tenancy rule is a ridiculous device, designed ostensibly to preserve the status quo, which is also how it's been used in Rugby Union in previous seasons to deny promotion to the likes of Rotherham.

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Friday, May 09, 2003

 
Those of you who like a good scrum will be following events in Bristol with interest. According to rugger ezine Scrum.com Firoz Kassam has agreed a deal with Malcolm Pearce, chairman of Bristol Shoguns, that should they not be relegated they will move in to the KasStad next season. However there is now a distinct possibility that Bristol will merge with fellow relegation strugglers Bath. Some reckon that the merger option is being mooted merely to make the Oxford move seem more palatable to Bristol's 4,000 or so fans, while others claim that it's the Oxford option that is being discussed in order to make the merger appear more acceptable. Either way, things won't be the same again for followers of the stupid game in Bristol.

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