Golds’ Division 1 promotion plunged into uncertainty as Chi win appeal

The Sussex County Football League is now holding an Emergency Annual Meeting on Monday to discuss the effects this will have on the league structure next season.

Golds boss Mark Bennett stressed that they have had no suggestion this means their promotion is at risk, although admitted if that turned out the case they would then appeal after being ‘categorically’ told ‘in writing’ they would be in Division 1 next year.

Bennett said: “I’ve heard that Chichester have won their appeal and the league have called our secretary and said they are holding an EGM on Monday.

“From the word go if they had said if Dorking or Chi win their appeals then we wouldn’t go up then fine, but we were told, categorically, we would be in Division 1 and we have that in writing.”

Littlehampton and Loxwood, who finished fourth and fifth last season, were both told they would be promoted due league restructuring, but after Dorking, who finished third, won an appeal to The FA to go up, having first been told they were refused promotion on ground grading issues, Loxwood were informed they were no longer stepping up into top flight at Dorking’s expense.

It now appears, Littlehampton may suffer the same fate, and Bennett added: “If it does we’ll appeal, we have been up and down. We’ve done work and made plans as the league said we’d definitely be in Division 1, we have got sponsors and things in because of that.”