Warrenpoint claim 'verbal assurances' provided in licencing issue

Warrenpoint Town Football Club says it has appealed the IFA decision to refuse its application for a Championship Licence and Promotion Licence for participation next season.

The Milltown club, who finished second in the Lough 41 Championship, had been scheduled to meet Dungannon Swifts this week in a two-legged play-off for a place in the Sports Direct Premiership next season.

However, that has been put on hold after the Point were refused a licence to not only play in the top flight, but to even compete in the Championship again next season should they have lost that play-off.

A club statement indicated the decision to refuse the club’s application would be 'robustly challenged'. It also warned that unless the decision is reversed, the effect on football in South Down would be 'catastrophic'.

The club has appointed Turley Legal to lead its appeal, which is currently scheduled for next Wednesday May 10th.

The Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) said this week that the earliest any promotion/relegation play-off would take place is May 30th.

The Warrenpoint Town statement revealed that the IFA decision centres on an outstanding liability to HMRC of which the club was unaware, and which was settled in full within a matter of days after it had been brought to the club’s attention by the IFA.

“As a club, we understand that the Licensing Committee have offered discretion to bigger and more established teams in the league, where the facts of the case were similar to our own," the statement on the club website reads.

"However, because we are a smaller regional club, it can’t help but feel like we are being treated differently. Our club currently relies on the efforts of our volunteers, and we don’t have the full-time support of employees dedicated to regulatory oversight like some of the bigger clubs will have.

“The IFA’s Domestic Football Licensing Manual outlines a review period that runs from 1st to 15th April. This is in essence a period during which potential financial issues that might have an impact on licensing applications can be flagged up and, where possible, addressed," the statement continues.

“Having previously been unaware of it, during the review period the club was made aware of a nominal sum of outstanding monies owed to HMRC. Upon becoming aware, the club moved quickly and effectively to settle the liability in full on 14th April which was within the review period. We were given verbal assurances by the Licensing Committee’s Independent Financial Expert that he was satisfied that we had provided him with everything he required – including proof of payment to HMRC to clear all outstanding monies – and he indicated that should be the end of the matter.

“Warrenpoint has worked tirelessly as a club – from top to bottom – to make itself a regional soccer success story and to encourage participation in the game throughout the South Down region across all ages. To be on the verge of a possible return to the Irish Premier division is something we see as a fitting reward for our supporters, officials, players and the wider Warrenpoint community. We cannot overstate how strongly we feel about this refusal, and we will not be taking this initial decision of the IFA lying down.”

The club added that political representatives from the DUP, Sinn Fein and the SDLP have written to the IFA to express their dissatisfaction at the decision.