New football club in Bangor is a step nearer
Supporters’ trust to start trading immediately
A NEW football club in Bangor is a step closer as fears grow over the future direction of the historic club.
A supporters’ trust is being set up and will start trading immediately after an application to the Financial Conduct Authority was successful.
An application has already been submitted to the Football Association of Wales (FAW) to enter the new club in the Welsh system.
The decision was made at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held in April by Bangor City Football Club Supporters Association.
Bangor fans’ actions are not the first time supporter disenfranchisement had led to new clubs being formed, with Chester FC, AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester the most prominent phoenix clubs.
It comes after a torrid time which last season saw the former Welsh Premier League champions demoted from the top tier of the Welsh domestic pyramid to the Huws Gray Alliance (second tier), despite the Citizens sitting in third place in the league at the time, after failing to obtain their domestic licence.
The club have had a transfer embargo placed on them until the end of the year and have also been hit with a 42-point deduction after an investigation by the Football Association of Wales found the club had breached multiple rules though it has appealed this decision.
Off the field the club, which plays its games at Nantporth, has suffered months of serious problems, such as bills going unpaid, players not being paid wages and the resignation of club auditors.
A statement from the Bangor City Supporters’ Association said: “In April, we held a meeting at which it was decided to become incorporated as a Supporters’ Trust, following the example of a number of other supporters’ groups, including those running Chester FC and Wrexham AFC.
“With a view to actively engaging with, and involving, the whole community, and working with partners who share its vision for a cohesive, sustainable and inclusive future for competitive football in Bangor, the Association applied to the Financial Conduct Authority to become a Supporters’ Community Mutual widely known by the description Supporters’ Trust.
“On May 31 it was informed that its application had been approved and the new trust will start trading immediately.
“With a view to ensuring the continuity of competitive football of the highest possible standard in the city, and its catchment area, the trust is in the process of establishing a new football club which seeks to play at the highest possible level.
“An application for membership has been lodged with the Football Association of Wales and a decision is expected in mid-June.
“The trust already enjoys widespread support in the community which has seen hundreds of individuals becoming members (and future shareholders of the trust) in the early part of the year.
“Later this month there will be an open meeting to launch the new club and it is expected the shareholders’ ranks will swell substantially over the next couple of months as football supporters and the community in general become the owners of their own football club.”