At last, some good news. Or at least, some 'not bad' news; two clubs who started the week fearing that they might have played their last game will continue in existence, for the time being at least.
First, Croydon Athletic, the Isthmian Premier Division team that very nearly folded in the wake of the cricket spot-fixing scandal. This week The Rams were able to post a bond to the Isthmian League, returnable upon their completion of league fixtures for the season; and yesterday - Wednesday - they were able to complete all necessary paperwork, allowing their game at Aveley on Friday evening to go ahead.
It's easy to scoff at the people who run football at that level, but on this occasion I believe we should applaud the Isthmian League - and the FA - for their patience and understanding. Croydon Athletic appear not to be very popular in non-league circles, for the way they 'bought' their promotion last season, paying their players way beyond what you would expect a club with their crowds to be able to afford. It seems, though, that they have paid all their creditors, including HMRC. The club warns its fans that the budget will be 'very tight' for the rest of the season, and the team from now on will be 'very different.' But at least it still exists.
The other club with cause for celebration this week is Hinckley Utd, of Blue Square North. They have managed, yet again, to have a winding-up petition from HMRC adjourned, this time until November. This time there seems to be more cause for optimism than there was with previous adjournments: three local businessmen have been added to the board, and the club hopes to be able to pay its debt to HMRC through the sale of part of its property, which it 'expects to be finalised' by the time the next hearing comes round, in November. Hunckley remain under a transfer embargo, and have some of their permitted 16 players injured.
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