There are more woes in the National Football League (NFL) as Kembangan United is given the relegation orders two weeks after the season ended.
Just days before the Christmas holiday, Kembangan United were served a rude shock.
In a circular sent to all NFL clubs, the club was told that it was being relegated from the NFL Division Two to the Islandwide League (IWL).
See copy of circular below.
Kembangan United had finished seventh in the 11-team Division Two standings, but a ruling by the Appeals Committee then had them drop three spots into one of two relegation positions in the table.
As a result of the decision, Bishan Barx was saved from relegation whereas Kembangan United were then sent to take up the noose.
The circular was sent by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to all NFL clubs informing them that Bishan Barx, originally the club occupying the second relegation spot along with Bukit Timah Juniors, would have a total of 16 points reinstated.
Bishan Barx had been punished earlier by the FAS Disciplinary Committee for fielding a player which had not been given clearance by the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association (SAFSA). It is not known why the decision was overturned.
See tables after the decision was made.
No reasons for the decision were given on the FAS website, which in itself was rather farcical.
There is a posting on its home page about a decision made on 19 December. See below.
However, when one clicks on ‘here’, this is where it leads us to.
Kembangan United will stand to lose $8,500 because clubs which play in the IWL do not receive cash subsidies from the FAS.
A former NFL club official who spoke to The Monitor said the FAS is also responsible for the lack of professionalism in the NFL.
“The issues have been longstanding. Doesn’t seem like anything is changed,” he said.