Cubs want points won against Chester City restored

The gates are closed at the Deva Stadium, home of Chester City

Ten Blue Square Premier clubs are demanding the points won from matches played against expelled Chester City should be restored.

The teams maintain Football Conference management was wrong to expunge Chester's playing record.

They are appealing to the Football Association in an attempt to overturn the decision.

The Conference has until 8 April to serve a reply, after which the FA will announce a date for a hearing.

The clubs are citing a precedent set in 2005 when the Northern League were forced to re-instate Spennymoor's record after the club went out of business.

But Luton manager Richard Money questioned the motive behind the appeal, which if successful, would mean the Hatters fall four points back in the title race.

Money told BBC Three Counties Radio: "I think it is a farcical situation."

Money, whose side drew twice with Chester, and therefore had only two points removed, said: "The League have made their decision, and as far as I'm concerned, that should be binding.

"I'd have a little wager that it is partly because we have won the last four games and people are suddenly flapping a little bit.

"When the decision was originally taken we were a little bit further behind. Now we are a little bit closer and suddenly one or two are beginning to mess their pants a bit and trying to overturn it.

"Everyone in this league has done everything they possibly can this year when they play us, and when they don't play us, to keep us in the Conference next season.

However a spokesperson for the 10 clubs, believed to include league leaders Stevenage and second-placed Oxford United, said: "The decision to expunge points so late in the season was not the right way of dealing with this situation.

"By the time Chester were expelled, 80% of the playing season had passed and we believe it would have been fairer to all to have awarded teams three points for the un-played games, a solution the FA has previously implemented.

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"This way all events that happened on the field of play, whether they be points gained or lost, bookings, injuries, bonus payments, goals scored etc all count, which is as it should be.

"We do not believe it is fair that points and the record of goals scored are expunged, yet bookings incurred in those games remain in force and count towards match bans".

Earlier this month Blue Square North side Fleetwood launched a similar appeal after Farsley Celtic's results were expunged when they went out of business.