Workington Reds will get to play their Chas Kendall Trophy clash against Barrow at Borough Park.

The south Cumbrian management team had been reluctant to travel, citing a series of already-arranged away friendlies.

It looked as though Reds would travel to Holker Street again – as they had done last year when the Trophy challenge was revived.

But Barrow chairman Brian Keen has intervened and the game has been fixed for Thursday, July 16 at Borough Park.

Reds were back in training on Thursday when the main absentee from last season’s squad was defender Andy Langford who is away on holiday. Shaun Vipond, back from Sweden and recovering from a broken collarbone, was at the session.

The second session was yesterday and the emphasis at the moment is on gradually improving fitness levels before the first scheduled friendly at Gretna on Saturday.

Meanwhile Reds directors are holding their breath over the demise of Unibond League side Newcastle Blue Star.

The north east club has officially been wound-up and they still have one further payment to make to the Reds over the final £10,000 which was owed for the recruitment of Tommy Cassidy as manager.

Newcastle Blue Star secretary Jim Anderson said: “Nearly 80 years of history is now at and end and the blame lies at the doors of Soho Square. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

The problems stemmed from Blue Star’s move to link-up with Newcastle Falcons rugby union club two years ago at Kingston Park.

The club failed to inform the Football Stadia Improvement Fund of their switch having been given cash to upgrade their old Druid Park home in 1999.

Director of football Bob Morton said: “We explained to the FA we were not aware of having to replay the grant if we moved and they just said we should have read the fine print. I don’t know what’s the point of the FA if hey refuse to protect clubs.”

But the FA Leagues manager Mike Appleby responded: “A good offer was put to them by the Football Association to stagger the repayments. Clearly the offer of instalments hadn’t been taken-up.

“Perhaps the club’s supporters should be asking questions as to why it wasn’t.”

The fixtures for the 2009/10 season in Blue Square North are due out on Wednesday – and there could still be some stings in the tale.
Blue Star’s late demise means the Unibond Premier League will run a club short – and there are still some possible developments which would effect Blue Square North.

Farsley Celtic’s existence is hanging by a thread after the taxman called in debts of £200,000 and they are due in the High Court on Wednesday.

Even if they are given more time to pay Farsley will be forced into administration and Blue Square North could run one team short.
Celtic president John Palmer explained: “It’s a race against time. We do owe a large amount in tax and had hoped to pay it off in one go with money from the land adjacent to the stadium.

“But Leeds City Council has sounded our death kneel after rejecting planning permission for building. That p-lot last year was worth £2million. Now it is worth less than a quarter of that and we will have to wait until October at the earliest to get our money.”

Should Celtic avoid compulsory closure and instead be forced to seek administration they will automatically be liable for a ten-point deduction.

And if you thought that was the end of the turmoil you’d be wrong.

Kings Lynn are prepared to go all the ay to the Court of Appeal if need be to reclaim their place in Blue Square North.

The linnets were thrown out after failing to carry out £350,000 of improvements by April 1 and their initial appeal to the FA failed.

Majority shareholder Michael Chinn said: “I’m prepared to put up the money, and it will be a lot of money, for the appeal, because I believe, and so do our legal people that we’ve been wrongly treated.

“I’ve got the resources and I won’t be bullied by the Conference.”

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