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Does anyone know when the Transfer Window for signing frees/loans ends? I think it's March sometime...
If the reason for not signing James Harper was purely financial then this could end up being not entirely disastrous, if we can replace Labadie on the wage bill with Harper.
Of course, if we appeal and things drag on it may be that we don't have time to come up with a deal for Harper.

I am compelled to ask that, if selected for Jury service, that you say something appalling racist to the clerk when you arrive in order that you were sent home. Any verdict you delivered would be extremely unsafe if you're happy to find a man guilty of an offence for which he may be sent to prison for five years based on what we've seen here.
Talk on the internet is the cheapest of it all, I desperately hope this is a classic example.

Matt.

where is our signing mr. Cooper a very good player , from what I have seen , has stated his preferred position is central midfield. we don't lack midfield players, we lack someone to stick the ball In the back of the net, Benyon gets at least 2 chances every game, and cannot score he is western league at best.we need a sniffer .. goal scorer, Danny Sullivan has not been given a chance . he cannot do any worse.we finally get rid of mansell and Hawley , there is 1 left Benyon. we will stay up..... if we do

What a curious post.

Matt.

Listening to HE podcast David Thomas says the FA written explanation for Labadie's suspension is not expected to arrive at Plainmoor until tomorrow late afternoon. The club then has to 6pm on Monday to appeal and he undersatands that this is likely. In that event an appeal hearing would be in April sometime.In the meantime Joss would be free to carry on playing.
Were Labadie's suspension to kick-in (sooner or later) then Chris Hargreaves will have to decide to replace him with a) Harding, b) Mansell, c) a new loanee or d) according to DT it is possible that Craig and Yeoman will be recalled from Dorchester after their match at Bath on Saturday.
Don't forget that still-to-be-seen Cooper might be available?

If Cooper is available, I would say go with him to fill Joss' gap (crude double entendre very much meant). If not, Harding. I don't think a new loanee will do anything for us unless they're actually experienced. The last thing we need is another 15 year old who's never played a league game.

By the looks of the highlights, the official camera seems to be in a very similar position to the Chesterfield fan's mobile phone footage. There is no way that the FA could be 100% sure that the biting actually happened. I do think going through the courts could see the ban turned over, but on the other hand, is it worth it for a player who might only be with us for 11 more games?

This seems to give the club the choice of three options:-

1) Fight it properly through the courts and get a player who could be very important to our relegation battle, and the costs could be reclaimed from the FA (assuming the case is won).

2) Make an about turn, sack Joss and use the money for another player. Possibly then opening up the club for an employment tribunal, as the club have so far supported him.

And then, the option I really hope they don't take.

3) Appeal through the FA, which would come to nothing as the FA would not want to be seen to backtrack on a decision and carry on paying his wages until the end of the season until he leaves for a higher paying job.

I don't think the courts is an option until all other avenues have been exhausted so an appeal through the proper FA channels would be needed anyway.
I don't think an employment tribunal would be applicable here for a fixed term contract that is ending in less than four months. If there was any trouble it would more likely come from the PFA and may result in court action for breach of contract.

Im sat on fence here as haven't seen the evidence..........why didn't he (Labadie) attend the hearing and protest his innocence, I'm assuming he is allowed to do so and as it was likely to end up with a lengthy ban I would have thought he would have wanted to stand up and give his account ????????

ET hear employment disputes, the clue is in the name.

Roo, Jaws gave his written account which was accepted. That saved him a trip up to London and back simply to read his statement aloud. Written submissions lose nothing in credibility or evidential weight.

Matt.

ET's only hear disputes in certain circumstances, and undoubtably this would not be one of them, so perhaps adapt your condescending tone to something you know about. As I do this for a living I'm acutely aware of access to tribunals etc. A dismissal for this offense would not have access to a tribunal. Only if we managed to breach his contract would there be an issue, which would be hard to do on his current T&C's

I do agree, it does seem strange that Ladbadie did not attend the hearing in person bearing in mind the seriousness of it all. Hopefully we will appeal and this should stretch things out for a few more weeks before any ban starts. The evidence does appear rather flimsy - the video evidence is not conclusive and the selfie photo taken afterwards - is it proof of a bite mark? I hope our club stands up for Labadie on this one because we desperately need if we have any chance of making a fight for survival. We are hardly blessed with goalscoring midfielders!

LocalGull wrote:ET's only hear disputes in certain circumstances, and undoubtably this would not be one of them, so perhaps adapt your condescending tone to something you know about. As I do this for a living I'm acutely aware of access to tribunals etc. A dismissal for this offense would not have access to a tribunal. Only if we managed to breach his contract would there be an issue, which would be hard to do on his current T&C's

Are you familiar with the terms and conditions of his contract, including what would constitute a breach?

Do people ignore me deliberately?

It's not strange that we didn't send him along at all. You didn't read it last time, so you won't read it this time, but I feel better for having made the effort.

Matt.

ferrarilover wrote:Do people ignore me deliberately?
It's not strange that we didn't send him along at all. You didn't read it last time, so you won't read it this time, but I feel better for having made the effort.
Matt.

Ah, there you are Matt.. :~D

Well, some people may ignore you, others may on occasion disagree (as you know), but I'm with you on this one; it would have been pointless for him to attend if there was nothing to add to the written evidence and submissions. However, I wonder if it would be advisable for him to attend an appeal hearing (if any). I feel he would be well advised to do so. What think you?

I feel an appeal would be handled properly, with proper representation. Examination of his evidence and a cross of the 'victim', as well as, were it in our favour, examination of an expert witness (a pathologist to confirm our deny that the wound caused is a bite). If we go to town on the evidence, it soon starts to seem very dubious. In this event, yeah, I'd ask for his attendance.
The FA are morons, so they were always going to find him guilty. Wasting time and effort sending him up there wouldn't have made any difference.

Matt.