Henley Town’s near 32 year history as a Hellenic Football League Club is over after the Red Kites tendered their resignation.
The Oxfordshire club were, according to the excellent fchd.info website in to their 32nd year as a Hellenic Club but bow out with the club bottom of Division 1 East.
A statement released to clubs by the leagues General Manager Brian Kings states: “I have today received a telephone call from the Henley Town secretary indicating that a club committee meeting last night agreed to resign from the UHLSPORT Hellenic League with immediate effect.
“This has been confirmed in writing and I have responded to the club accordingly.
“As Henley Town have only completed 50% of their scheduled fixtures there will be a need to expunge their playing record for the 2017-2018 season. This will be undertaken by the UHL Webmaster who manages this site.”
What’s gone wrong?
Henley were relegated from the Hellenic Premier at the end of the 2016/17 season, a year after a swashbuckling side were promoted and won the Reading Senior Cup, beating Binfield in a breathtaking final at Madejski Stadium.
A new committee took over in the summer with ex Finchampstead boss Jon Laugharne due to manage the side along with the bulk of the successful Finch team that were demoted due to ground grading the same summer.
Laugharne had then attended the clubs AGM with events on the night making his position untenable.
Since then, the Red Kites have won just one league game back at the end of August and sit bottom of the Division with a goal difference of -54.
What happens to the league table?
According to Mr King’s statement the clubs record will be expunged, meaning all results by teams against them will be removed from the table.
What the revised #hld1e table will look like after Henley's record is sadly expunged. pic.twitter.com/T7gImf9Vby
— Football in Berkshire (@fiberkshire) December 6, 2017
The clubs affected the most will arguably be Chalfont Wasps who will lose six points while Milton United will lose the three points they earned in the recent win and become the division’s bottom side on four points.
AFC Aldermaston, Sandhurst Town, Virginia Water and Holyport will all also lose points.
What have the club said?
The official Henley twitter account has posted two tweets since the announcement, but with little information on why the decision was made and whether the club will continue in any format.
It's with deep regret that due to a committee decision made last night that The 1st team would withdraw from the Hellenic League.
— Henley Town FC (@TheRedKites_) December 5, 2017
A Big thank you to the Manager & Assistant Manager,players & people behind the scenes who helped out with there free time. Thanks to you all
— Henley Town FC (@TheRedKites_) December 5, 2017
We’re sorry to see a famous local club disappear and hope there are plans in place to keep the club going in whatever state that may be.
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Main image: Binfield vs Henley Town in the Reading Senior Cup Final by Rob Mack.
