Hay St Marys FC will be counting the cost of their decision to withdraw from the Spar Mid Wales League after the league’s executive committee hit them with a £400.00 fine.
Hay were represented at the meeting at which their spokesman said they were struggling to field a squad – no fewer than 10 players are off to university, three more have left for other clubs while one has retired.
The Forest Road club reportedly assured the executive they would continue to play their first team in the Welsh structure with their reserve team taking part in the Herefordshire League Premier division.
Nobody likes to see any other local club struggle and there will be more than one Presteigne fan reflecting that Hay are not the only club locally to have suffered a serious loss of players and that then had to face up to going down from three teams to two….
Defaid Du’s decision to withdraw from the second division is even more final – they were hit with a £200.00 fine but you suspect this is the least of their concerns as the club has reportedly folded due to a lack of players.
You might well ask: ‘So, what was the point in fining them if they have already folded?’ (I asked that very question!). I am told that any phoenix club bearing the name Defaid Du would have to come up with the £200.00 before they would be allowed back into the Welsh pyramid structure.
The executive committee has ruled that the first division will continue with 15 clubs this season with one club being relegated. The second division will comprise 13 clubs this season with two clubs being promoted.
It appears as though the executive committee will soon be in session again as it was reported that Penybont United have this week withdrawn from the Mid Wales League (South).