Rob Elliot’s men finished sixth but got mercilessly booted out of the end-of-season shoot-out within 24 hours of the regular season-ending because the club did not have a 10-year lease on the council-owned Gateshead International Stadium.
An EFL statement said they had worked with Gateshead to find a solution over the past two seasons but that “avoidable circumstances” had led to their omission, a call that was backed by an independent arbitrator when the club appealed.
Gateshead expressed “gratitude to the National League for supporting our challenge to the EFL” but vowed to “continue to challenge both on their decisions” and “endeavour to ensure that footballing matters are decided on the pitch”.
Gateshead Council service director Michael Lamb said the authority was in the throes of appointing a new provider for its leisure services, which includes operating the stadium.
Solution
This story is from the May 26, 2024 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
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This story is from the May 26, 2024 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
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