SAD DAY FOR BARRY TOWN

Stuart Lovering has finally killed off the club he bought in December 2003


THE Barry Town Supporters' Committee and much of Welsh football has been stunned by the news that the Macwhirter Welsh League has accepted owner Stuart Lovering's request to withdraw.

As a result, Barry's record will be expunged with only two fixtures, home and away to Ton Pentre, to be completed.

"The BTSC is hugely saddened to see the record of Barry Town AFC expunged from the Welsh League after accepting Stuart Lovering's withdrawal," says a statement.

"We, like everyone else, are awaiting information from the Welsh League Management Committee on the exact details of what informed their decision.

"Once this information is received, the BTSC will take time to process its content before deciding upon its next steps.

"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the messages of support that we have received from across Wales, the UK and all over the world.

"This support is hugely humbling and very much appreciated."

Lovering, who installed himself as secretary earlier this season in place of David Cole, withdrew the club from the Macwhirter Welsh League's Division One just four days before the end of the season.

This resulted in the late postponement of the fixtures against Ton Pentre.

Barry dominated Welsh football for many years and were champions of the Welsh Premier League seven times between 1996 and 2003.

But, after winning the treble in 2002/3, financial problems surface and, with debts of £900,000 after the brief reign of John Fashanu at the club, the Dragons were relegated in 2004.

The first season back in the Welsh League brought more troubles, with a cut in the playing budget mid-way through the season resulting in the departure of manager David Hughes and more players.

A dispute with the Council over a rent review also forced them out of their Jenner Park home after 92 years, playing home games at White Tips Stadium, the home of Treforest FC.

However, in recent seasons the club's fortunes have revived and, with the BTSC funding and running the club, they reached the semi-finals of the Welsh Cup only a few weeks ago.

Awful news this. I don't suppose the Welsh League had that much of a choice within the scope of the rules but its sad news nevertheless. Since the fans were funding and running the club day-to-day the chairman's actions seem little more than spite. Hope they come back soon as a pheonix club, that they are recognised as the true heirs to the historic record of the club and that the chairman is fined at least to the equivalent of the Welsh Cup prize money for all the chaos he has caused this year.