Swansea City not up, say league chiefs

Apr 17 2008 by Blair Wood, Western Mail

SWANSEA CITY have been told their promotion to the Championship cannot yet be confirmed... by the Football League.

The bombshell has been delivered by league bosses just five days after Roberto Martinez, his players and jubilant Swans’ fans celebrated going up with their 2-1 win at Gillingham.

The Swans have been warned nothing can be rubber-stamped until the fate of Leeds United is known, with the Elland Road club going to independent arbitration as they seek to have 15 points reinstated.

The Leeds hearing, expected to last three days, started in London yesterday and will have widespread ramifications if it goes the way of the Yorkshire club.

Already league bosses have stated they “cannot confirm” that Swansea have gone up.

The news was first revealed in e-mails sent to Swans fans by Patricia Brown, a customer services official for the league, which were posted on websites.

“At this stage it is not possible to confirm that Swansea City have been promoted from League One to the Championship,” she was quoted as saying.

“In view of pending proceedings, we can only confirm the league table as it currently stands.”

The Western Mail contacted league communications chief John Nagle to try and clarify the situation. He confirmed his colleague’s stance, saying, “Promotion and relegation are not statuses that are conferred on teams officially until the end of the season and the summer AGM.

“The only thing the Football League can confirm is the league table as it stands.”

Told that on the league’s official website they stated only yesterday that Aldershot had been promoted to League Two, Mr Nagle replied, “That’s an editorial decision.”

The confusion over the Swans’ fate will enrage fans and leaves Martinez’s team still needing a further three points at this stage to guarantee their position in the Championship next season.

If they get their 15 points back, Leeds would jump from sixth to second in the table and move within four points of the Swans.

Carlisle would drop to third, seven points behind the Swans.

Each of the trio have three matches left to play and a possible nine points to gain.

Leeds were originally docked their 15 points after supposedly breaking league rules on insolvency. The club denied any wrongdoing and have taken their case to arbitration. Swans chairman Huw Jenkins said: “The Football League will take whatever decision it sees fit and we will abide by it. Whatever happens is out of our control and there is nothing we can do.

“We always thought we would get enough points to win this league because we are the best team in it – and we still do.”

The challenge is down for Martinez and his players to win Saturday’s Liberty Stadium clash with Yeovil and put the matter to bed for good.

Three points from that game would mean they could not be caught by Carlisle. It would take one further victory to guarantee being crowned champions.

Martinez already seems resigned to Leeds getting at least some of their points back, but believes giving them the full 15 would open a huge can of worms.

“Leeds are in a play-off position and I think they should remain in a play-off position,” said the Swans manager.

“If anything else happens, you won’t have heard the last of it because teams like Tranmere, Southend, Nottingham Forest, Doncaster, Carlisle and ourselves will be affected.

“Everyone will take their own route and it would be a massive war. I think Leeds may get some points back.

“But it would be unfair from a football point of view if their position in the table suddenly changed and, if I’m honest, I can’t see that happening.

“If the decision changes their league position this will be like another Bosman ruling. It would be a unique moment in football history and I don’t think that would be the end of it.”