Brackley 'haven't been happy' with the National League Board

Brackley Town chairman Francis Oliver has admitted the club “haven’t been happy” with the way the National League Board have gone about things over the last few months.

All 66 National League clubs have been asked to back a no confidence motion against the National League Board and chairman Brian Barwick.

A letter detailing the plans to call an emergency general meeting, which was proposed and seconded by National League South clubs Maidstone United and Dorking Wanderers respectively, emerged on Monday with member clubs given until midday today (Wednesday) to respond.

A list of issues were addressed in the letter with one of them being about the decision to fine clubs who refused to fulfil fixtures before the North and South divisions were ultimately declared null and void earlier this month.

The National League season has been dogged with controversy with the North and South divisions ultimately ending early for the second year in a row after it emerged that grants, similar to the one handed out to clubs for the first three months of the season, would not be forthcoming for the remainder of the campaign which has had to be played behind closed doors.

The letter said it needed 10 per cent of clubs to back an emergency general meeting where the vote of no confidence would be taken.

Brackley were in the play-off places in National League North when the season ultimately came to an end and while he didn’t reveal what position the club would take, chairman Oliver gave as strong of a hint as he could.

“We will discuss the issue but, as a club, we certainly haven’t been happy with the way things have been handled, especially with the lack of communication from the chairman (Barwick),” Oliver said.

“We will discuss whether we are going to support the petition and we will have made our position clear by that deadline.”

Oliver insists Brackley are now only looking forward and, before next season starts on August 14, the new clubhouse at St James Park should be open and operational.

The Saints chairman conceded there have been “setbacks” during the building process but he expects the new facility to be open by the end of May at the latest.

“We have had a few setbacks, obviously, because of the way things have been generally,” he added.

“But we have got over all those and we certainly expect to have the clubhouse open by the end of May, although we hope it could be even earlier.

“There are still a few things to iron out so we don’t want to commit to a certain date but we will definitely be open by the end of May.”