Southend-based Essex Senior League chairman Robert Errington has hit out at the "dreadful injustice" of the Ryman League having been given permission by the Football Association to "steal" one of their major clubs - Ilford.

The Senior League had grudgingly expected to lose Enfield Town to the Ryman Division Two - which operates only on the same level as the Senior League in the non-league pyramid - after that club was invited to join on May 5.

But at the Senior League annual meeting, held at Brentwood, Errington announced that just two hours previously he had been advised by the Ryman that, after a board meeting held at FA headquarters, Enfield's invitation had been retracted with one being issued to Ilford instead.

The Senior League constitution was amended to replace Ilford with Enfield but still obviously meant one club departing.

Errington criticised "This dreadful injustice in the FA sanctioning another league to take an Essex Senior League club without exchange and for that league to have been so slow in their subsequent action."

The Senior League, and other competitions at their level, are bitter at the FA allowing the Ryman to continue with a Second Division - something that was meant to be wiped out under the new restructuring of the non-league game.

They feel that allowing the continuation of Division Two has been offered as a sop to the likes of Ryman chairman Alan Turvey and secretary Nick Robinson after the pair lost their controversial battle against the non-league restructuring at the arbitration stage.

The Senior League main section will run with 15 teams next season, but a Reserve Division has been re-formed though applications can still be taken for that for a while yet.

All the main officers were re-elected and John Taylor of Barkingside FC was Secretary of the Year.

Stansted won the Sportsmanship Trophy and Concord Rangers were the best in outside competition.

Published Wednesday June 9, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Echo