Women’s FC loses its home ground
AWOMEN’S football team has had to leave its home ground following a dispute with club officials.
Bethel Football Club committee “unanimously” decided it was in their “best interest for them to leave” following what they claim were “a number of incidents”.
But the Bethel Ladies and Girls team – who deny any serious wrongdoing – say they should have been invited to a meeting of the committee to discuss any issues before they were thrown out.
Bethel FC runs a number of youth sides.
Secretary of Bethel FC, Sion Jones, who also represents Bethel on Gwynedd Council, said: “I do appreciate they are frustrated about this. But firstly we spent £30,000 on the fields last year and there has been a number of incidents where it was decided to drive on the fields.
“Cars went over the pipes and caused some damage to the drainage system.”
Mr Jones also claimed the women’s team were being investigated by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) over a “number of complaints” lodged against officers of the ladies’ team.
However the FAW, The North Wales Coast Football Association and the North Wales Girls Football League all say they’re unaware of any issues or complaints lodged against the ladies and girls teams.
He added: “Secondly, there has been a number of complaints about officers for the ladies’ team.
“The FAW takes complaints very seriously and if some officers are penalised, the whole Bethel club will be penalised - not just the ladies’ team.
“As a local councillor, I have spoken to them and have said that if I can support them in any way to raise funds and to help find a new facility, I will.
“But the committee has decided it is in their best interest for them to leave. They don’t want to risk the future of the youth teams.
“It is definitely not a decision the committee took lightly - problems have been ongoing for many months now.”
Iorwerth Williams, secretary of the women’s team, admitted there had been one complaint, about a parent in the dugout without the correct accreditation, and they had been fined £25.
Mr Williams described the decision to evict the teams as “heartbreaking” and the “last thing” they want.
“Our main concern is that we were never asked to give an explanation,” he said.
“And we have also learned not all members of the committee were made aware of the meeting and decisions were only made by very few members. Firstly, they claimed we had parked our cars on the field one weekend where the new drainage system was being installed - which is untrue.
“They also said they were in discussions with the FAW regarding a serious complaint against one of the manager’s of the girl’s team.
“If a meeting of such importance is held, they are supposed to give notice. As as a representative of the girls’ teams, I was supposed to have an invitation to all meetings. When com- mittee meetings have been called in the past, I have had invitations to attend.
“We should have been invited to put our view across. It has been made abundantly clear that they have been making life very difficult for us.”
Cllr Jones said a committee meeting is held every week, and the women’s team officials are aware of this.
Until the problem is resolved, the women’s team will play at Y Felinheli FC’s pitch, while the girls will play at the grounds of a local high school.