The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

The conference set up an independant Board to oversee the Conference Clubs financial situations and the clubs have to submit on a regular basis updates on their currebt financial status.

The Board also liase with HMRC who advise the Board of any Clubs who are late paying Tax or owe Tax.

We have fallen foul in that we have said we are doing ok and then the HMRC saying we owe Tax.

I think it was said that HMRC say we owe PAYE and the club have disputed this, so we have been put under an Transfer embargo and now have to face a charge of breaking rules on financial statements.

My present company also had an dispute with the HMRC over PAYE that took 18 months to resolve because we stood our ground, My wifes company also had a dispute with HMRC over PAYE but settled what they asked because not big enough to fight them.

I can see us being docked 5 points as the Conference will believe the HMRC even though HMRC are the biggest cock up merchants in the civil service after the MOD.

It's easy enough to find a copy of the FA rules on their website, but the Conference seems to prefer to keep its rulebook much more private.

Simples, if you put in print the rules then you have to abide by them, if not in print you can make up rules as you go along.

Take for example the rule that "MARINE" ( i think thats the team) fell foul of by have only 3 sides to their ground so were denied entry into the Conference, However said rule suddenly never existed when Oxford were demoted.

If they deduct 5 points off us this year - and then it is proved that we shouldn't have lost points, can they add 5 points on for next season? ;)

Diamond Warrior wrote:If they deduct 5 points off us this year - and then it is proved that we shouldn't have lost points, can they add 5 points on for next season? ;)

Biggles wrote:I think it was said that HMRC say we owe PAYE and the club have disputed this, so we have been put under an Transfer embargo and now have to face a charge of breaking rules on financial statements.

I'm fairly sure we admitted the discrepancy and were in the process of sorting out the payment at the time of the last fans' forum. The fact that the transfer embargo is still in place, however, might suggest that it hasn't actually been sorted.

Was suggested on Radio Cobblers today that a past important person at the club was responsible for incorrectly filling in the form - and he was later dispensed with by the rest of the board, possibly when they discovered this - or possibly not...
However, he was at our club at the time so I don't think this is a loop-hole we can escape through..?

Dukes wrote:Was suggested on Radio Cobblers today that a past important person at the club was responsible for incorrectly filling in the form - and he was later dispensed with by the rest of the board, possibly when they discovered this - or possibly not...
However, he was at our club at the time so I don't think this is a loop-hole we can escape through..?

I heard much the same Dukes. I believe that the charge relates to the reporting to the Conference Board that we haven't paid the tax man. There is a form to fill out which was completed incorrectly.
We have requested a personal hearing I understand but I can't see a way out of it and I'm expecting a points deduction of at least 5 but wouldn't be surprised if it were more than that :(

It's not going to be more than 5 points surely? Speaking to a Kidderminster fan I was told that they commited this so called crime over and over again, and then didn't admit to it.

They were only deducted 5.

Let's hope the situation gets sorted quickly and if they decide to deduct points I hope it's sooner rather than later. It would be horrible to start next season on -5!