THORNBURY Town should discover next week whether they will be reinstated into the Gloucestershire Football Association Challenge Trophy.

Winterbourne United resigned from the Toolstation Western League last week, which had knock-on effects for other organisations.

Thornbury have been left ‘disappointed’ that Winterbourne played their Gloucestershire FA Challenge Trophy third round tie last Saturday week at the Mundy Playing Fields, winning on penalties, when, days later, they resigned from their league.

The reasons behind the decision were unclear until yesterday (Wednesday) when United’s chairman Robyn Maggs issued a statement to explain the situation (on the right of this page).

Winterbourne resigned on Monday night November 30 and the Western League issued a statement in midweek saying: “It is with deep regret that we have to inform you all of the resignation of Winterbourne United from the Toolstation Western League Premier Division with immediate effect.

“The league table has now been updated to reflect the club’s withdrawal.”

But Thornbury say that the previous Saturday – November 28 – there was no indication that the shock news was about to break when they hosted Winterbourne in the Challenge Trophy.

The match was a thriller which ended 3-3 at full time and went to penalties which Winterbourne won 7-6.

But, on hearing of the resignation, Thornbury contacted Gloucestershire FA Football Services Manager Chris Lucker about reinstatement.

That issue went to the Gloucestershire FA’s Competitions Committee which met last Wednesday but the request was refused and, with Winterbourne out of the competition, a bye was created where the opponents United would have faced would go straight through to the last four.

After Thornbury Town heard of that decision, their senior section chairman Terry Payton appealed. He said: “I wrote again to Chris saying we were disappointed and asked for him to look at it again and that we should be reinstated because it is in the spirit of the game.

“You wonder why they would want a GFA competition to take place with seven teams in it and one through to the semi-finals. We know deep down there is little chance of us winning this but we would like the opportunity to come up against top teams from higher leagues and give them a good game.

“There is another (Gloucestershire) County League side still in the Trophy in Frampton (United) and if we were drawn together, there would be a County League team in the semi-finals.”

The GFA have now written to Thornbury to say their appeal will be heard at their council meeting on Thursday December 17.

Payton, however, wondered why Winterbourne played their Challenge Trophy third round tie in the first place.

He said: “Personally, I think their management must have known before Saturday (November 28) they would be withdrawing from the league. If we had done the same thing – beaten them and withdrawn from the league – they would want to be reinstated.