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New date for Linnets appeal
THE Linnets' Conference demotion appeal on ground grading issues has been postponed to Thursday in a new twist to the long-running saga.
Lynn FC were originally told by the Football Conference that they would be relegated from the Blue Square North, after failing to initiate improvements to their Walks stadium, pending an appeal in Derby at 11am on Tuesday.
Then it was announced the Conference would fight Lynn's right of appeal, and after talks between Lynn chairman Ken Bobbins and FA leagues manager Mike Appleby, the latter has allowed the delay to give the Conference's legal team more time to prepare their case.
And Bobbins yesterday afternoon confirmed that he had received official FA confirmation that the new date will be on Thursday at 11.30am at Derby FA headquarters.
A club statement yesterday said: "The club have today finally contacted Mike Appleby at the FA who has confirmed our right to appeal. However the date of this hearing is no longer May 26, as we were advised by a telephone call on May 4.
booked
"As you can well imagine it makes it very difficult for the club to arrange its defence in that barristers are booked well in advance and it makes it difficult for us to engage the men who we want.
"The Conference have confirmed that they intend to contest the appeal although it would appear that this is a late decision on their part."
Bobbins, bemused by some apparent back-tracking by the Conference, added: "The Conference are now saying there's been a misunderstanding – that they never said they were trying to block our appeal, which was at odds with the letter we received.
"They're saying that they haven't back-tracked, but that's all immaterial now.
"We've just got to make the best of the job in hand."
Bobbins said that constant changes to the saga have not helped: "It certainly weakens our case. We've been gearing ourselves up for the 26th.
"Hotels and barristers had been booked – they've all had to be cancelled.
"It seems everyone's trying to keep us on the back foot."
Bobbins said: "The trauma we've been through is ridiculous. It's outrageous. It's not very professional and not the kind of thing you expect from an organisation that high up the pyramid.
"I don't know what's going on. It is strange that the Conference appeared to be trying to block our appeal at this late stage.
"It's odd that it's so close to the appeal. We're totally out of the loop."
Bobbins added: "We'd not had verification of the place of the hearing before today (Thursday).
"We've had no acknowledgment of correspondence sent.
"All we can do is prepare our case. That's it, we're in limbo at the moment.
"It's bizarre. You can only suppose they're not interested in non-league football."
peter.woodhouse@lynnnews.co.uk
CUP OF JOY
Norfolk & Ladies League Cup
KLFC Women 1
Norwich City Ladies 0
KLFC Women travelled to North Walsham to play in the finals day.The squad performed superbly well leading up to the final where they took on Division 1 League Champions Norwich City Ladies.
The final proved to be a tight affair with Lynn taking the lead with 15 minutes left through Lauren Garner.
Norwich nearly snatched a late equaliser but Selina Raines pushed the goalbound effort around the post.
Women's head coach Jess Ibrom said: "The squad is playing its first season in senior women's football and have developed well as the season has progressed.
"To finish third in the league and then win the cup is a fantastic achievement.
"The girls have shown great commitment throughout the the season.
"With the younger players coming through the KLCF Advanced Girls set-up, the strength of the squad will only be enhanced next season."
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light rain
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Wind Speed: 21 mph
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