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No promotion!
Story courtesy of Burton Mail
The greatest season in Gresley Rovers’ history ended with a shattering blow today when they were denied promotion to the Beazer Homes League Midland Division.
News of Gresley’s fate was delivered by letter to the Newhall home of secretary Peter Jenkinson shortly before lunchtime today and gave no reasons for Rovers’ failure to climb the next rung of the non-league ladder.The letter said the Beazer Homes “regretted that Gresley’s application had been unsuccessful”.
It added that a full report on the findings of the league’s ground gradings committee would be forwarded shortly to Banks’s League champions Gresley, who have been rejected by the Beazer League on three occasions.
The vacancies in the Midland Division are filled by Solihull Borough of the Scoreline Combination and Yate Town, who switch from the Southern Division.
Jenkinson said: “I’m gutted. I don’t think there is anything more we could have done to please the Beazer League. It’s a real body blow. Everybody at the club went home full of joy last night and now they will all be devastated.”
Chairman Peter Hall and manager Frank Northwood were unavailable for comment, but Frank McArdle, the club’s development officer, described the decision as “absolutely shameful.”
Depending on the reasons for rejection, Rovers may now have to give serious consideration to moving out of their historic home at the Moat Ground, where they have spent more than £50,000 on improvements in recent years.