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Council respond with Gateshead barred from National League playoffs over ground lease

Gateshead Council respond with Gateshead FC barred from competing in the National League playoffs over their ground lease.

It was quite the extraordinary day on Sunday, which started with clubs putting tickets on sale for the midweek playoff eliminator ties.

Gateshead are unable to participate in the National League play-offs due to their failure to meet the English Football League’s membership requirements.

The club did not obtain a “10-year security of tenure” at the International Stadium by the specified deadline of the 1st of March.

As a result, Gateshead cannot be replaced in the playoffs, despite finishing sixth in the table and being scheduled to face Solihull Moors.

Another swift however saw the National League go from initially saying hat Solihull would get a bye to the semi-finals but then adjusted the draw based on final league positions and now Altrincham, who finished fourth, will now get a bye to the semi-finals, where they will travel to Bromley, while Solihull will host FC Halifax Town on Wednesday for the right to visit Barnet in the last four.

GATESHEAD COUNCIL RESPONDS

In response to the announcement, Gateshead Council Service Director Michael Lamb said:

“We continue to be supportive of Gateshead FC who we have a very good working relationship with. We have offered a licencing arrangement in line with the requirements of its current league, which allows for further negotiations if the club achieves promotion.

However, we are currently working to appoint a partner operator for our leisure facilities – including Gateshead International Stadium. As we are not yet able to confirm how the stadium’s operations will be managed in the longer term, it has been difficult to provide the 10-year security of tenure the league is seeking.

We have offered several times to work with all parties to find a solution and we recently provided a letter which would give the league the assurances they were seeking, whilst at the same time protecting the interests of the council. The assurances included a 10 year agreement between the council and Gateshead Football Club, that includes a break clause in the agreement to ensure that any new operator is able to negotiate new terms with the club. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be enough for the English Football League.

Whilst the announcement by the league is extremely regrettable and we understand the club’s disappointment, our priority is to ensure that we can provide sustainable and accessible leisure services for all our communities.

We remain committed to working with all interested parties to achieve a positive resolution and will continue to advocate for the success of Gateshead Football Club.”

Further statement (22nd April)

“We’d like to assure our communities again that we’re continuing to support @GatesheadFC in finding a solution to their current situation.

“We’re very disappointed in the league’s decision and yesterday’s statement, which does not reflect the joint efforts of the council and the football club, over a period of months, to meet the league’s entry criteria. We will continue to work with the club on this.”

A statement from the club read: “Gateshead Football Club are extremely disappointed to find ourselves in the position as outlined in the statements released by the EFL and the National League.

“Rest assured we will continue to challenge both on their decisions, and we will endeavour to ensure that footballing matters are decided on the pitch.

“Therefore our players and staff remain 100% focused on the task in hand, and we wish to go on record to express our gratitude to the National League for supporting our challenge to the EFL.”

In a statement, the National League said it was “extremely disappointed” that Gateshead would not be able to take part after supporting the club’s application for the security of tenure, allowing them to extend the lease on the stadium, which is owned by Gateshead Council.

“Unfortunately, the response received was not supportive of the club’s requirements and placed the club at risk of a refusal of membership to the EFL and therefore forfeiture of any right to participate in the play-offs,” the league statement said.

“On 28 March 2024, following the deadline for licence applications to the EFL had passed, the council offered options to the club. However, in the opinion of the EFL these options still did not satisfy their requirements.”

An appeal by the club, which was supported by the National League, was rejected by an EFL arbitration panel.

“As the EFL strongly believes in the principles of promotion and relegation it is therefore highly disappointing that appropriate solutions have not been put in place over the previous two-year period, as avoidable circumstances are preventing Gateshead from progressing up the pyramid even if the club achieves success through sporting merit,” an EFL statement added.

“The League hopes that Gateshead and the relevant stakeholders can address this matter so that the club can meet the obligations of EFL membership and be eligible for promotion in future seasons.”

Twitter users hit back after seeing the Council respond with Gateshead barred from National League playoffs over ground lease…

@Sandance1888: Technically you have refused their request though haven’t you? By offering a different proposal, by definition, that means you’ve refused the EFL’s request and are submitting an alternative proposal.

@Magpie7712: So, you’ve refused their application then? Any deal with a new operator should be dependant on them honouring a 10 year tenure for the football club. What do you think would make the town more money? A poxy deal to run the stadium or Gateshead being in the football league?

@AnthPatterson: Disgrace that you haven’t sorted this for the town. Nonsense statement that says nothing.

@R93wWilson: Shame on you. Closing leisure centres and now this.

@arb_500: Let’s hope people register their displeasure in the local elections !!

@Tevsy0611: Strange time to go against the Heed when local elections are coming up. Hope yous get peddled

@jackgilhome: That statement says less than nothing

@robwall255: Absolutely no ambition for the town with the team in the efl more fans needing accommodation etc and more interest in the area ….. joke you’ve let the area down

@geordie_john: You can give them the 10 year lease and any sale should be dependent on the buyer honouring the lease. You’re an Utter disgrace

@LaneHusband1: You’re a disgrace of a LA to Gateshead as a whole, not just the Club. Miles travelled by the fans, money spent on tickets, travel, pints merchandise. A 46-game slog, 6th-placed finish. What it could have done for the town being in the FL. All for absolutely nothing. Shame on you.

@Dec6666: This is like a neighbour saying a kid in the street can play in their garden but once that neighbour moves out expecting the new tennant to offer the same courtesy

@dekfrancis1960: Spent all the money on widening the pavements in birtley !

@jonny999uk: Gateshead councils skint and flogging the stadium because it spent all the money making askew road and Birtley a cycle lane

@MBGBFC: You’re actually shafting your own town. The extra income generated by travelling fans for local businesses by having a football league club would be huge.

@Heedonistic_: In your earlier statement you mention you want to “provide sustainable and accessible leisure services for all our communities” – can I ask where these are and why it is seen the Gateshead FC community is not seen as sustainable or accessible? East Stand.

@McGowan_NUFC: You could appoint a ‘partner operator’ who had to work within those constraints. Why didn’t you?

@ToonArmyCanada: You have refused and this isn’t something you can wait to solve, they needed this weeks / months ago. Disgraceful.

@jak19178: If you lot told me it was Sunday today I’d be off to check my calendar. Hopefully you’re booted clean out in the elections.

@H4mmy14: So you refused until someone else can give it, how about granting it and then finding a partner who can keep to the necessary requirements? Win win for all parties.

@DavidOr73154085: Shameful, get this sorted!

@dcarlyle: Is this in the same way you worked with people trying to keep the leisure facilities in the area open.

@DJLKP: Howay. It’s all they needed to have a chance of promotion. The council have absolutely shafted them by not offering them the bare minimum of what was required.

@Danblanchflow: I am a season ticket holder. I doubt the operator will be ‘not for profit’. Commercial bodies hate small football clubs as they make a financial loss, The Heed is part of the heart of our Borough

@darlofanatic1: Harsh on Gateshead progressing potentially to the FL! Absolutely shameful. Feel for their fans!

@gillystevas: This really is disgraceful. Gateshead deserves better than this, and better than you

@jimmboro: Crazy that you have cost your own football team the chance to play in the football league 😅😳🤯

@Davie42782790: My take on all this is that the council knew of the situation, the league knew and the football club knew it before the season started, rules are rules but they should be sorted and agreed before the season starts, the whole situation is unbelievable

@lc_curry: Nope you’re a disgrace and the way you have always dealt with Gateshead has been so disrespectful

@GEORDIEVENUS1: Some council seats getting the chop on 7 May I think

@NichWithAnH: “Simply” is doing a lot of work, here.

@Danblanchflow: Gateshead Stadium should be owned & run by the Council. That is the only model that provides The Heed with long term security of tenure. Vote @TheGreenParty

@donmaarko: You have refused it. Wrap it up however you like but this is on Gateshead council and you’re to blame the Heed aren’t in the playoffs

@Matt_Severn: Why the hell wouldn’t you just give them the 10 year tenure they needed? Shameful

@NUFCupdates2022: Disgraceful. Sort it out 🤡

@Fletch703987080: The crowds may not be massive however there are many thousands who support the club when they can . You’re working towards.. typical political statement. Just act for the community you represent. Shocking!

@Barwineewindas: Fooling no-one. A contract with a break clause cannot provide ‘security of tenure’. Presumption then that the corporates you’re flogging GIS to wouldn’t agree to buy with @gatesheadfc as long term sitting tenants, or a break clause wouldn’t be discussed. We see your priorities 💰

@workedoffmydues: Utter rubbish. Like everything else in Gateshead it’s on its knees, Running on an £860k annual deficit the stadium is one of many public places struggling or closed. @MartinGannon002 time to go. Gateshead is in one hell of mess.

@gashjones: Complete joke. Stadium is going to be sold. Leisure centre going to be sold. Whats going to be left in 5 years time? Nowt.

@kaspel_: Not fit for office purpose or representing the people of the north east. Can’t offer us the lease that we need to become a football league club because you wanna sell the the stadium to put money in your pockets

@Kevd86: Its ok keep giving yourselves pay rises while running the city centre into the ground and closing leisure centres left right and centre and have a housing crisis on your hands with appalling repair rates, absolutely embarrassing from a council that take their position for granted

@Anagram602: Yeah yeah save your lies for the next local election that’s coming up after letting the people of Gateshead down again along with the EFL too

@Dickster69: Football should be such a simple, joyous game at all levels………. but there’s not much joined up thinking anywhere recently! There must be a feasible & sensible solution to this mess?

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