Ground grading - Club Appeal to the FA

City will be appealing to the Football Association about the decision by the Conference Management Board, of which it was informed today, that the application of its rules requires Cambridge City to be relegated due to the Club not achieving a category B ground rating. This Management Board's decision was not unexpected. It is the Club’s understanding that there was considerable sympathy at the meeting for the Club’s position, but that the Management Board felt they had no discretion under FA rules.

The Club has a right of appeal to the FA, which has the power to vary this decision. We are confident that the wider issues involved, which include a High Court judgement that the Club had proved its case of bribery - and of fraudulent misrepresentations by an agent of Ross River in the sale of the Club's share of overage - will be taken on board at that stage. The fact that the Club was only inspected on 18 March is also a significant factor as there can have been no reasonable prospect of resolving all of the issues in the 13 days leading up to the March 31 deadline.