Newcastle Blue Star - Statement from the league

UniBond League Response to Newcastle Blue Star’s Resignation 25/06/2009

The UniBond League is disappointed with the timing of Newcastle Blue Star’s withdrawal just three days after the formal constitution of the League at its AGM on 20th June 2009.

The decision will leave the Premier Division one club short and prevents a club being moved to bring the top tier up to its full complement of 22 clubs, a situation the UniBond League believes could easily have been avoided had the club not failed to communicate either with league officers or the Football Association.

In light of the well-documented rumours surrounding the possible demise of Newcastle Blue Star the League has been seeking clarification of the club’s future intentions since the end of the 2008/9 season. This was not forthcoming so, on 21st May the League wrote to Newcastle Blue Star explaining the impact of delaying any decision or announcement on Newcastle Blue Star’s fellow member clubs and the League itself.

The UniBond League also notes the content of the official statement on Newcastle Blue Star’s website, and wishes to correct a number of inaccuracies.

1. The figure of £61,713 referred to in the Newcastle Blue Star statement as the full amount given to the club in grant funding by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) is incorrect. The League holds correspondence confirming that the full amount totalled almost £150,000.

2. At a meeting between Newcastle Blue Star, the FSIF and the FA on 27th May 2009, the FSIF indicated they would be prepared to consider staged repayments in order to help the club, and the Football Association personnel present at the meeting supported this position.

3. Following the meeting on 27th May, the League was informed by Secretary Jim Anderson that an announcement on the club’s intentions would be made on Sunday 31st May. The club subsequently refused to provide any such clarification to the UniBond League.

4. On 16th June, Jim Anderson notified the League a statement would be issued prior to the AGM. All further efforts to communicate with the club proved abortive and the club failed to send a representative to the AGM.

Following the AGM the League was again unable to communicate with Mr Anderson until he forwarded a copy of the club’s statement withdrawing from all football on 23rd June.

The UniBond League would like to express its regret that a member club should withdraw from the competition, and wishes the supporters of the now defunct Newcastle Blue Star a brighter future.