David Collins general secretary of the FAW

The FAW told Caernarfon and District League secretary John Pritchard it would only deal with a dispute he was involved in in English.

Mr Pritchard has won the support of local Plaid Cymru AM Alun Ffred Jones, who asked the FAW to reconsider.

The FAW declined to comment, but head David Collins was quoted in a newspaper saying it was policy to use English.

In a letter to Mr Pritchard, general secretary Mr Collins, said the association "conducts its business in English".

All I am asking is the right to speak in my own language John Pritchard, local league official

The letter, dated 1 March added: "To my knowledge our council has not overturned this policy, which is long-standing, and therefore until such time that that is the case, it will remain the policy of the FAW that all communications are conducted in English."

The language dispute began when Mr Pritchard's league fell foul of FAW rules about how many teams a player could sign for.

Caernarfon originally lost their case, but won on appeal.

Mr Pritchard said that throughout he tried to get the FAW to conduct its business with him in the Welsh language, but the FAW said it always conducted its affairs in English.

But Mr Pritchard said according to the rules of Fifa, world football's ruling body, it was the responsibility of each member association to translate into the language of its own country.

"All I am asking is the right to speak in my own language," said Mr Pritchard.

'Common courtesy'

"If I write a letter to them in Welsh, it's common courtesy for them to reply to me in the same language, I don't expect them to translate every single word in every single document, but I expect, in 2006, to be able to speak in Welsh if I go to a committee meeting," he added.

He said he was disappointed the FAW was unwilling to allow many of its Welsh language supporters to use their language, and said the case highlighted the need for a new Welsh language act.

"To refuse the rights of individuals to speak their first language is appalling," Mr Jones added.

Mr Collins was quoted by the Daily Post newspaper drawing comparisons with Fifa, which he said used only five languages despite having 207 national associations.