Rebels fined after pitch row

8/ 3/2008

FC UNITED have been fined for failing to play a home fixture that was called off by landlords Bury.

The UniBond League have hit FC with a £500 penalty for not fulfilling their First Division North game against Woodley Sports at Gigg Lane on February 6.

FC have also been ordered to pay £65 towards the cost of the hearing - but the club has not been deducted any points.

The postponement caused controversy at the time, with the club issuing a statement in the aftermath accusing a Bury director of calling off the game after the pitch had passed a referee's inspection.

FC fans were also frustrated because the postponement denied them the chance of a public tribute to the Munich dead on the 50th anniversary of the air disaster.

But Shakers director Iain Mills, who has since resigned from the board over an unrelated matter, defended the postponement, arguing that it was in the best interests of both Bury and FC United as the game would have been the third in five days at Gigg Lane.