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Future of Isthmian League club uncertain as chairman and manager steps down

The future of one Isthmian League club is looking uncertain as their founder, chairman and manager announces that he steps down.

There is a huge amount of doubt for many non league sides along with still so many unanswered questions with pleas still being made for more cash to be filtered down to teams lower down the English football pyramid.

The many hours volunteers spend, the communities teams bring together, it is so sad to see so many clubs struggling, help and answers are desperately needed.

Ionuţ Vintilă made that sad announcement that he will be departing FC Romania, from the Isthmian League South Central Division, on Thursday morning.

They were founded in 2006, having progressed from Sunday League on Hackney Marshes to the Isthmian League.

He often stated how he always dreamt of being in the FA Cup, and since then they have achieved that and so much more than they could ever imagine.

Vintilă wrote: “Dear fans of the FC Romania team! I never wanted to write this words, to feel that this is the end, but after 14 years of football in England (amateur and semi-professional), successive promotions, cups won, memorable matches, participations in the FA Cup, the FA Trophy, FA Vase, today its ended the most beautiful football chapter of my life, called FC Romania.

“The reason: the lack of a sponsors or people to continue supporting the project at this level of football in the United Kingdom!

“Nobody and nothing, will be make me proud to see the name of FCR on Wembley, the news and articles in the newspapers of Europe or the appearance at some important sport televisions in the world!

“I have done everything that depends of mine for this club to keep it alive, but I couldn’t do it more.

“Thank you to EVERYONE to involved in this project, from beginning at who care like a sponsors, players, committe members, supporters, until my last day of management. The history will be remain in English football archive.

“Always together and in my heart FC ROMANIA. Ps. I looking forward for the next challenge if any clubs need my experience from last 14 years.”

Many questioned whether this would be the end for the Cheshunt based club, however he has revealed they will continue playing for another year, but anything after that looks uncertain unless someone else can come in and save them.

Journalist Ollie Bayliss said: “I understand that a new committee will ensure that FC Romania do have a side in this season’s Isthmian League South Central.”

LEAGUE HISTORY (SINCE FORMATION):

06/07 LONDON FOOTBALL SATURDAY PM PREMIER | 1/8 POS
07/08 LONDON FOOTBALL SUNDAY AM PREMIER | 3/9 POS
08/09 ESSEX BUSINESS HOUSES DIV TWO | 6/7 POS
09/10 ESSEX BUSINESS HOUSES DIV TWO | 4/9 POS
10/11 MIDDLESEX COUNTY LEAGUE DIV ONE | 2/11 POS
11/12 MIDDLESEX COUNTY LEAGUE PREM DIV | 2/16 POS
12/13 MIDDLESEX COUNTY LEAGUE PREM DIV | 2/16 POS
13/14 ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE | 5/20 POS
14/15 ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE | 6/20 POS
15/16 ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE | 3/21 POS
16/17 ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE | 3/21 POS
17/18 ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE | 3/21 POS
18/19 ISTHMIAN SOUTH CENTRAL | 16/20 POS
19/20 ISTHMIAN SOUTH CENTRAL | 19/20 POS

FC Romania was founded in August 2006 by a group of Romanian workers in England who wanted to play football in their spare time. Ion Vintila entered the team into the Sunday London Weekend League playing their games on Hackney Marshes. FC Romania won their Division in the first season and finishing runners up in the next. In 2008 FC Romania switch to Saturday football and joined the Essex Business House Football League, playing at Low Hall Recreational ground in Walthamstow, north east London. In 2010 the club moved to the Middlesex County Football League Division One, playing at Leyton Sports Centre and finished runners up in the first season gaining promotion. The following season in the Premier league FC Romania finished runners up but were denied promotion to senior football due to the ground regulations.

2012 FC Romania started their ground sharing relationship with Ryman League outfit, Cheshunt FC in Hertfordshire. They played another season in the Middlesex County Football League and again finished runners up. Also in this season FC Romania won the Middlesex County Senior Open Cup, beating Bratham 3-1 in the final at Uxbridge FC. The club applied for promotion to the Essex Senior League and played their first season in the ESL in 2013-14 finishing 5th. The following year FC Romania slipped one place to 6th but has been pressing for promotion in 2015-16.

In 2012 -13 season the club entered the FA Vase for the first time only getting past the first round. 2014-15 the club entered the FA cup reaching the 2nd round qualifying round just losing out to Sutton United 3-2, after beating Haverhill Rovers, Heybridge Swifts and AFC Sudbury on the way.

The club has gained a lot of attention in its short life from various media outlets in England, abroad and of course in Romania. The club and the manager have appeared in sports newspapers and magazines including , BBC Sport, Gazzetta dello Sport, L’equipe, The Times, The Sun , FourFourTwo magazine to name a few and on television in the UK on BBC on Japanese TV with NHK and on Romanian TV stations Pro TV and Digi Sport. The club have developed into a focal point for the Romanian community but has also attracted many local and English fans as well.

The club had ambition to progress through the leagues and reach higher standards of football while developing the club further. The aim was for them to eventually have their own home and become a respected and establish part of English football encompassing all the good things about England and Romania and being successful in everything they do.

The devastating news comes on the same day that Northern Premier League club Droylsden revealed that they were resigning from their division due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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A club statement read: “Droylsden Football Club have as of today resigned from the Northern Premier League and will also take no part in Cup Competition this season

“In a letter sent to the Northern Premier League Chairman Dave Pace described the decision as the most difficult he has ever had to make.

“In a letter sent to the Northern Premier League Chairman Dave Pace described the decision as the most difficult he has ever had to make.

“However the disruption caused by the Covid-19 crisis has left him with no alternative.

“The closing of the social club and its function rooms since the start of the pandemic, the main income source with no indication of any restart on viable trading terms along with a loss of income from the club’s main sponsor has left the club with no visible alternative income stream during the crisis.

“The club may hopefully survive this crisis and continue into the future in less challenging circumstances than we find ourselves in during the present”

“The club will be making no further statement at the present time.”

They become one of around 20 clubs to have withdraw from their league since July 2019, with a bulk of those being more recent due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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