Wakefield FC and Farsley AFC battled it out in torrential rain during January
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The Toolstation NCEL Premier Division will operate with 21 clubs after the crisis at Wakefield FC finally reached a conclusion.
Wakefield were wound up last week at a shareholders meeting so after three weeks of uncertainty, the league can begin looking ahead to the new season.
Alarm bells started ringing in mid-June when Wakefield failed to turn up at the League’s AGM in Scarborough.
The FA and NCEL then received an email the following week from Wakefield informing them that the club would not be participating in the NCEL and FA Cup competitions and would be “wound-up” the following week.
Their landlords AFC Emley then responded with a stinging statement about Wakefield as their tenants’ demise would leave them with a financial problem.
The situation was still unclear and even League Secretary Brian Gould told the Non League Paper that details were “sketchy” about Wakefield’s future.
The league have effectively admitted in today’s statement that they were kept in the dark about the situation.
A NCEL management board statement said:
“Following speculation in recent weeks concerning Wakefield FC, the management board of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League are now in a position to make a statement on this situation.
“The League were made aware a few days after its Annual General Meeting by The Football Association of a communication by Wakefield FC to them stating that they would not be participating in the FA Cup and FA Vase for season 2014/15 along with withdrawing their membership of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League.
“The management board then attempted to secure a formal resignation from the club but failed to do so with the company owning the club being wound up at a shareholders meeting last week.
“As a result of this, the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division will operate with 21 clubs, one club short of its constitution of 22, for season 2014/15.
“No further statement on the matter will be issued by the League.”