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Conflict resolved over non-payment of Westport United fines Tom Kelly Reports The Mayo Association Football League have lifted their suspension on Westport United for non-payment of fines. The dispute was resolved on Sunday night following negotiations arranged and chaired by Mayo Dail Deputy Mr Michael Ring, T.D. Mediation talks, held at Mr Ring's constituency office at Quay Hill, lasted over ninety minutes before a one-page agreement was signed by both parties. United accepted the punishment meted out to them by the Mayo League for 47 violations in regard to the playing of illegal players as part of a major clampdown on abuses of the rules. A total of 11 points were deducted from their Premier Division team, action which resulted in the side being relegation from the game's top flight. A further 13 was deducted from the club's B team which subsequently withdrew from Division Three of the league. Westport United were also fined £1,410 which was doubled when the club neglected to pay the amount within a specified time period. United accepted the Mayo League offer on Sunday to reduce the fine to £1,000. But the league officials were not prepared to concede to Westport's appeal for a reduction on the points taken from their Premier Division side. A large portion of the action taken against Westport related to their failure to observe the B team ruling. Any player who is registered with the A team or has played more than 5 A team games is deemed to an established A team player for that season and cannot play for the B team unless he is regraded by the Mayo League's management committee. The Mayo League was represented at the arbitration session by Donal Benson, chairman, Tom Kelly and Joe Butler. Michael Rabbette, chairman, Sean Jordan, secretary, and Jim Cameron, first team manager, represented Westport United. United withdrew their threat of legal proceedings before the agreement was signed. Michael Ring T.D. said he was happy to have offered himself as a mediator for the overall good of the game. He thanked both parties for the fair and courteous manner in which they approached the talks. "It is always better that matters of this nature are settled around a table and not in the open courts. I did not want to see a situation develop whereby the town of Westport was left without a football club. After all it is the traditional home of the game in the county." PROFESSIONAL MANNER Donal Benson thanked Mr Ring for the professional manner in which he chaired the talks. He made it clear the Mayo League was not in the business of putting clubs out of football. He consistently appealed to clubs that he wanted to reach a situation whereby the league would not have to impose one penny in fines, but unfortunately that situation seemed to be a long way off. Mr Benson wished Westport United every success in the future. Michael Rabbette, chairman, Westport United, said he was glad the matter had been sorted out and the club could go back to playing football. He would have preferred to have been informed of the situation following the club's first breach of the rules in question rather than allowing the situation to develop. But it was pointed the breaches were revealed following a full scale investigation which was carried out a number of months into the season by the League's B team monitoring committee, and all the offenders were treated the same way. Mr Rabbette placed on record his gratitude to Michael Ring and his wife, Ann, who acted as secretary during the talks. Members of the Mayo League's management committee are expected to rubber-stamp the agreement this week, enabling Westport United to play in the F.A.I. Junior Cup next Sunday against Knock United at the Sports Park. They will also examine the possibility of reducing the fines on other clubs in this case by the same percentage by which the Westport United fine was reduced. Meanwhile, the Mayo League's suspension of Urlaur United was lifted on Thursday last following the payment of their outstanding fines.
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