Sponsored by
Linnets: Chinn will fund fight
LINNETS director Michael Chinn has stumped up a five-figure sum to fund a David and Goliath legal battle between Lynn Football Club and the Football Association.
Chinn is prepared to risk the cash so Lynn can take the FA to London's Court of Appeal to fight a demotion decision.
Lynn are fighting for justice after they were demoted from the Blue Square North to the UniBond League in acrimonious circumstances for failing to meet 250,000 of ground-grading requirements by April 1.
Chinn said: "This isn't about an ego trip and I've got nothing against any other club, all I'm asking is that King's Lynn FC is rightfully put back where they belong.
"I understand that the Conference have rules and regulations, but you can't have one rule for one club and one rule for another, it's wrong.
"The two guys at the Conference should step down, they've got little respect for clubs like ourselves. I was delighted when Setanta went down the pan and the Conference lost 3.2 million this week."
Linnets chairman Ken Bobbins said: "This isn't about fighting for compensation or a financial issue, this is all about regaining our status in the Blue Square North.
"We've been shafted in our view and didn't get a fair hearing at our original appeal with the FA."
Bobbins believes Lynn have a good case, saying: "Our barrister, who has spent some considerable time looking at everything, feels that we have a very strong case.
"The FA have been notified that our appeal is pending.
"This time our case will be heard and decided by people that are totally independent to both the Football Association and the Conference.
"We owe it to ourselves and everyone to see what the final outcome is. If successful, it will vindicate what we've always said. It would say to both the FA and Conference that the time has come for appeals to be heard in a fair and equitable way."
The Football Association was yesterday remaining tight-lipped about Lynn's legal move, which could have massive consequences on the non-league scene, if successful.
Lynn are basing their case on Blue Square South side Hampton and Richmond, who were allowed to take their place in the end-of-season play-offs despite failing to meet the league's stringent ground-grading requirements.
"We've always felt that this has been a case of double standards," said Bobbins.
"Hampton and Richmond have failed the ground-grading criteria two years running but have been allowed to carry on as normal.
"We were twice forced to change our barrister when the FA altered the date of our original appeal hearing.
"It also took the FA almost a month to produce all of the paperwork on why we were demoted, even though we should have received this within ten days."
Top London law firm Blackstone Chambers will act on Lynn FC's behalf against the FA and barrister Adam Lewis will head Lynn's challenge against the footballing authorities.
Work, which is being funded by West Norfolk Council, is due to start on part of Lynn's ground improvements within the next fortnight.
The floodlighting – one of the main bones of contention with Blue Square North officials – is expected to be completed by early August, while the remainder of the work is currently being re-tendered.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
