The chairman of a football league told a fan of one of its clubs to ‘go f*** yourself’ in a row over the venue for a crunch fixture.
Aled Duckfield, who follows Manchester United offshoot FC United, posted a screenshot of an email sent to him by Northern Premier League chairman Mark Harris in which the expletive-laden advice was delivered.
Duckfield had written to Harris to express his outrage after the league decided that FC United’s crunch home match with Stockton Town should be played at a neutral venue.
The game, now set for April 21, has been the subject to no fewer than six postponements previously thanks to issues with the playing surface at the rebel outfit’s Broadhurst Park home. On one occasion Stockton had made the 115-mile journey only for the match to be postponed an hour before kick-off. The hosts subsequently paid for their travel costs.
FC United officials made representations to the NPL suggesting alternatives but league bosses have now decided the match, between two promotion-chasing sides, will instead be played at the nearby home of Curzon Ashton. It is thought one of the proposals was to pencil in FC United’s home ground as a venue with Curzon as a back-up should the pitch not be deemed to be in a fit condition on the morning of the game.
Duckfield emailed Harris on Tuesday evening, stating that the decision was ‘diabolical’.
‘There is also the chance we could win the league at this fixture as well and to take this away from our supporters from being in our own ground shows the incompetence and lack of governance present at the NPL,’ he wrote. ‘You clearly have an issue with us, maybe it’s because we know how to do things properly..’
Duckfield adds that the league ‘should be ashamed of yourselves’, calls for Harris to stand down from the board and states: ‘you best believe you created a fire for us FC United supporters that as you are aware will not be put out’.
Six minutes later, at 9.27pm, according to Duckfield’s post on X, he received a response from Harris via his league email address.
‘Thank you for your lovely email,’ it read, ‘now go f*** yourself’.
A spokesperson for the Northern Premier League told Daily Mail Sport: ‘Following a reported communication between Chairman Mark Harris and a member of the public, the League can confirm it is actively investigating this serious matter, with an urgent meeting convened for Friday morning.’
It is understood that Harris subsequently and quickly sent a further email to apologise for his comments. Officials are aware of the situation, are looking into it and a board meeting is planned for Friday. The FA are also aware of the situation.
Duckfield added: ‘I’m shocked by this response to my email from the Chair of The Northern Premier League and member of the FA Council Is this an acceptable way for those in power to speak to football supporters who express genuine concerns?’
FC United were formed in by a group of fans in protest at the Glazer family’s debt-burdening takeover of Manchester United in 2005. They moved to purpose built, 4,900-capacity Broadhurst Park in Moston, Manchester, in 2015.
This season, gates have averaged more than 1,800. FC United are currently two points behind the leaders with a game in hand and four to play with Stockton a point outside the play-offs.
