Bangor City are in a state of turmoil after their FAW Domestic Licence appeal was dramatically rejected on Thursday.
The club play their final JD Welsh Premier League game of the season on Friday night away to Bala Town before being demoted into the Cymru Alliance next season.
Bangor are joint second in the table going into the final round of fixtures and were on the cusp of European qualification.
The FAW’s decision not to award a Domestic Licence means not only do Bangor lose their top-flight status but they are also ineligible to play in European competition and miss out on the potential financial windfall from UEFA competition prize money.
It is understood senior officials are due to meet with a barrister tomorrow afternoon as the club contemplate a legal challenge to the FAW’s decision.
An initial statement from Bangor City pledged to return to the Welsh Premier League as soon as possible: “At 4.10pm today we received the news that our Welsh Premier League licence and Europa league qualification appeal has been revoked for failure to meet the financial criteria requirements.”
“Bangor City FC having gained automatic Europa qualification to find ourselves without a Welsh Premier League licence for 2018-2019. Incredibly the football club has built a championship contending squad with excellent sponsorship, investors and shareholders who have backed the club for the past 2 seasons.
“On the field we’ve finished 3rd and off the field we find ourselves up date with HMRC VAT and PAYE, all wages squad and staff paid up to date, no football creditors, no pressing debt, stadium grants being matched by new investment to find ourselves now without a WPL licence for season 2018- 2019!
“We will take stock of the situation over the next few days and make further announcements in due course. In the meantime we ask all the supporters to stand with us as we aim to get the club back in the WPL as soon as we can. We will work with the relevant parties at the FAW to ensure we are never in this position in the future.”
Their shock relegation is likely to force Bangor City into a complete rebuild. Amidst the uncertainty, sources close to the club have indicated that much of the current squad will be released whilst upcoming manager Kevin Nicholson has been linked with the vacant Chester City job.
Club Director Steven Vaughan announced via Twitter this evening that a Fans Forum will be held at on Monday 7pm, where it is expected he will divulge further details around their failed licence application and outline the club’s immediate plans.
Bangor’s demotion also has implications on the league’s end of season play-off format. A statement from the Welsh Premier League confirmed: “Connah’s Quay Nomads will be awarded an automatic UEFA Europa League place by virtue of their league position.
“Bala Town, Cefn Druids, Cardiff Met and Barry Town United have qualified for the European playoffs. The make-up of the playoff games now depends on the result of the JD Welsh Cup Final.
“Should Aberystwyth win the Final, then all four teams will play in the semi-finals on the weekend of the 12th May. Bala will host Barry, and whoever finishes fifth out of Druids and Met will host the other.
“Should Connah’s Quay win the Final, Bala Town will automatically qualify for the UEFA Europa League. Barry will then travel to the team finishing sixth in the table in the only semi-final, with the winner travelling to the fifth placed team in the Final on 20th May.”
