Calderdale Council has issued a response after a compensation claim by FC Halifax Town for postponed games last season.
The Shaymen had to postpone matches 11 times last season, but were most frustrated at having to move three home games to alternative venues at the back end of last season due to the Shay pitch being unplayable.
Halifax played home games against Barnet and Ebbsfleet at Accrington Stanley’s Wham Stadium and hosted Oldham Athletic at Chesterfield’s ground in what was a more compressed schedule than normal, which it is felt played a part in the team being more fatigued in their play-off defeat at Solihull.
Writing in the matchday programme before Tuesday night’s home match with Oldham, chairman David Bosomworth said: “Tonight’s visitors (Oldham) were one of the three clubs affected by our ‘short notice move’ away from The Shay stadium at the end of last season.
“The pitch was so decimated after rugby fixtures being played on an overly wet surface, the only outcome was the pitch was going to become unplayable.
“Sure enough, we were told by the Council that there would be no chance of any more football fixtures before the end of our season.
“It left us with less than two weeks to find alternative venues to stage our three fixtures against Barnet, Ebbsfleet and Oldham Athletic, all of which had something riding on the results , due to promotion, relegation or play-off places achievement.
“Two fixtures were played at Accrington Stanley and one at Chesterfield.
“In polite terms, it was a nightmare to sort and agree with all the parties concerned.
“These were exceptional circusmatances outside of the normal scenarios regarding a match postponement.
“Whilst these occasions should be rare but still a part of the game and our climate for all football, we actually suffered 11 postponements during the season.
“To be told to relocate our home fixtures at such a pivotal time in the season and with the pressure to get fixtures played resulting in four fixtures in eight days, was in our eyes both exceptional and down to certain issues beyond our control.
“With all this has come a significant financial cost, around hiring of stadia, additional costs in the staging of these games and loss of revenue through diminshed gates, issuing of refunds due to distances involved.
“We have submitted a claim for compensation of circa £76,000 to the council in order for us to be properly recompensed for these extraordinary costs.
“We have had a brief reply from the council that simply states it is none of their responsibility (this will be in reference to the annual user agreementwe are signed in to), but they have offered one month’s free rent which is to a value of £3,939.75 prior to VAT, as a gesture of goodwill against some earlier outstanding balances we have going back regarding the lack of office and shop provision.
