Bangor City FC suspended from all football activity over non-payment of wages

Once they were one of Wales’ most distinguished football clubs – today they have hit rock bottom.

The question is, is this the end for Bangor City?

The Cymru North club has been suspended from all football-related activity following its failure to pay out more than £50,000 in wages owed to staff.

Last month, following complaints to the Football Association of Wales from affected parties, the governing body held a disciplinary hearing and gave Bangor City 31 days from October 29, 2021 to settle the bill.

The deadline was midnight yesterday and the club has failed to pay off the debt.

However, although Bangor City cannot kick a ball while the suspension is in place, it might not necessarily mean the end of the club.

Essentially, the suspension will be lifted if/when the payments are made. So as long as there’s time for matches to be played and the season can be finished, no final decision on the club’s participation in Welsh football can be fully established.

Unless of course the club makes an announcement of its own in the days/weeks to come.

The club has been asked for a statement, but no response has yet been received.

Today, the FAW released the following:

“Bangor City FC have been suspended from all football related activity following their non-compliance with a Disciplinary Panel order.

“The suspension relates to a number of disputes from personnel of Bangor City FC in accordance with FAW Rules 39.2.5 and 43.2 for the alleged non-payment of salaries.

“In accordance with FAW Rule 49, the Disciplinary Panel ordered Bangor City FC to pay the outstanding monies within 31 days as and from 29 October 2021. The deadline for these payments has passed, resulting in an automatic suspension from all football related activity until such time that the Club complies with the order.  

“A suspension from all football related activity prohibits the Club from any involvement in football. This includes but is not limited to:

• Football matches played in a competition and/or at a ground under the jurisdiction of the FAW.
  

• Prohibits training activities connected to the Club under the jurisdiction of the FAW.
  

• Conducting administrative duties connected to football or the Club.

On the same day as the FAW’s ruling last month, Bangor announced its former manager Pedro Pasculli, who won the 1986 World Cup with Argentina, had returned to Nantporth to take on the role of sporting director and run the academy.

Cameroonian Maturin Ovambe, who previously worked at Bangor under Pasculli, is now first team manager at the club, who are languishing in 12th spot in the second tier Cymru North.

City have lost their last six matches and are without a win in eight.

Only yesterday, Ovambe published an upbeat video clip on social media which suggested the club is on the up, rather than facing extinction.

Italian musician and producer Domenico Serafino took over ownership of Bangor City in 2019.

On October 17, Serafino promised supporters “transparency and sustainability” in relation to the club’s future.

Whether the club even has a future remains to be seen.