Bangor City: “Hammer us but leave our kids alone”

Bangor City say they “accept and respect” the decision of the FAW to suspend them from football over non-payment of salaries – but believe the ban should not include their junior section.

The Cymru North club was suspended from all football-related activity yesterday after failing to meet a deadline to cough up a £53,000 wage bill.

Affected players and staff had taken a complaint about the club to the Football Association of Wales, which subsequently held a hearing where it was decided City had a month to pay off the debts or face suspension.

It is believed further complaints of a similar nature about the club are being looked into by the FAW.

However, the governing body announced yesterday the suspension would be lifted if or when the £53,000 bill was settled.

No deadline was set by the FAW, leaving the rest of the Cymru North in limbo.

Surely the FAW should impose a deadline, otherwise giving an indefinite amount of time for City to pay the wages could cause serious fixtures backlog, should the debt be settled at some point.

Yesterday, Bangor City said they would make a statement on the FAW’s decision today (Wednesday).

The club released the following on social media a short time ago. The statement is attributed to owner Dominic Serafino.

“Bangor City Football Club accepts and respects the suspension enforced by the FAW, despite the Club’s efforts to avoid this situation.

“However, the Club believes that the consequences are specially harsh, in our juniors who have nothing to do with this issue.

“Therefore we are working tirelessly to be able to resume to normal activities very shortly.

“Updates will follow in the coming days.”

According to its website, Bangor City runs eight junior/youth sides.

While not mentioning the junior section specifically in yesterday’s statement, the FAW did say:

“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.”