Jody Brown- a Bostik League statement

The Bostik League entirely refutes the unwarranted allegations made by former Heybridge Swifts FC Manager, Jody Brown, in the Non-League Paper on Sunday.

In the article Mr Brown refers to “The lack of professionalism of the whole League” and alleged that the League did not help the Club at all with its fixtures last season when the Club performed extremely well in both The FA Challenge Cup and The FA Challenge Trophy. The Heybridge Swifts Club Secretary at the time will confirm that the League did everything it could to assist the Club which found itself in a very difficult position because of its success in those Competitions.

Mr Brown has implied that the League was against the Club or against him personally because of a personal matter with Aveley Football Club. The League entirely rejects any implication against the integrity of any member of the Board of Directors which, last season, included Heybridge Swifts own Michael Gibson.

Chairman Nick Robinson commented:

“I am surprised at the allegations apparently made by Jody Brown- whose disciplinary record can hardly be anything a manager would be proud of and who then accuses the League of unprofessionalism!”

He added:

“The League, through its Secretary, Kellie Discipline, goes out of its way to help all Clubs. It is acknowledged that Clubs which are successful in the National Cup Competitions do have a fixture problem and Kellie liaised with then Club Secretary Chris Daines to assist the Club as far as she could.

To then impugn the integrity of my Vice Chairman is really quite unacceptable. The Board takes great care to ensure that Directors do not make any decisions on Clubs in their own Divisions."

The League trusts that Mr Brown will take a step back and consider his comments during the time he is not employed by a Bostik League Club- and hopes that, on reflection, he will wish to withdraw his allegations.