THE FUTURE of Barry Town FC hangs in the balance after the club's owner pulled the team from the league hours before Tuesday night's match against Ton Pentre.
Barry Town Supporters Committee (BTSC), who run the first team, are trying to organise the club's remaining two fixtures before the end of the season this weekend in a bid to stay in Division One next season.
Earlier this week chairman Stuart Lovering postponed the club's fixture against Ton Pentre on Tuesday (May 7) and notified the team and the Welsh League he was withdrawing the club from the league with immediate effect.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) said in a statement: "The Welsh Football League has received correspondence from the Barry Town owner Stuart Lovering withdrawing them from the league.
"The Welsh League Management Committee will be meeting on Monday night to discuss the latest developments at Barry Town. The FAW has great sympathy of all the supporters of this proud club that want to see the team play football, and wants the matter to be resolved as soon as possible. The association is in regular correspondence with all parties concerned."
Mr Lovering, who appointed himself club secretary last year, also withdrew the Barry Town Youth Team from its league, the Youth Division East, on Sunday (May 6) citing a lack of players to fulfill the fixture. Their record has now been expunged from the league with only a few games left of the season.
However a BTSC spokesman said the club had 17 players available and could have fulfilled the fixture.
Following the dramatic move by Mr Lovering BTSC held a protest meeting at Jenner Park on Tuesday after the game was cancelled and attempted to formulate an action plan to go forward.
Barry Town FC are due to face Ton Pentre again on Saturday (May 11). It is still unclear whether that or the previous fixture will actually be played before next Monday's Welsh League Management Committee. The BTSC is hoping the withdrawal from the league will not be confirmed until then (Monday May 13).
Ken Tucker, secretary of the Welsh League, yesterday (Weds) said: "Stuart Lovering has withdrawn the team from the Welsh Football League.
"This was following the notification to Ton Pentre that the match wasn't to be played."
If Barry Town were withdrawn from the league and their record was expunged it would affect both promotion and relegation.
Mr Tucker said both these issues will be addressed at the Welsh League Management Committee Meeting on Monday (May 13).
"Barry Town will be discussed at length at that committee meeting," he said.
David Cole, former secretary of Barry Town FC and part of the BTSC, said: "We are in negotiations with the FAW as they want us to play our remaining fixtures, but the Welsh League are saying once a team is withdrawn that is it."
Vale MP Alun Cairns has called on the FAW and Welsh Football League to do all possible to support Barry Town FC to complete their season
At the time of going to press Stuart Lovering was unavailable for comment.
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