Administrator pulls plug on Bucks' league rivals

The Blue Square North play-off race was today set to be blown wide open - with AFC Telford United given a helping hand after Farsley Celtic were disbanded.

The administrator of the Yorkshire club is pulling the plug after rejecting a series of offers from the one consortium interested in buying the outfit.

Farsley were on the verge of being expelled from the Conference within days in any case, having failed to fulfil their last three fixtures, and their playing record is now likely to be expunged.

Should that happen, the Bucks would not lose any points and their goal difference would improve by two as they were beaten 3-1 at Farsley's Throstle Nest earlier in the season.

But they would jump one place to sixth as Eastwood, currently above them on goal difference, would lose three points after beating Celtic 2-1.

And Stalybridge Celtic, currently one point behind but with four games in hand, would also lose three points to dent their challenge.

"We are as disappointed as anybody with today's events," said Farlsey's administrator today, in a lengthy legal statement.

Dave Body, an administrator with the Football Conference, said they would now be seeking urgent talks with Adamson to confirm that Farsley had been disbanded.

A conference call Board meeting was being held this afternoon, where the expunging of Farsley's playing record from the league table was likely to be on the agenda.

It is just the latest crisis of a hectic season in non-League football, with Chester City also expelled from the league last week.

City were wound up in the High Court today - though fans groups are determined to revive football in the city by going down the community path made so successful by AFC Telford.

The Bucks were reborn after the old club's demise in 2004, and David Evans, of Chester City Fans United, wants to copy that success.

"Our model is AFC Wimbledon or AFC Telford, where a new club has been run on a very prudent basis," he said.

By CHRIS HUDSON