Football: Fury blame Tauranga as promotion bid squelched

Santiago Hassan was part of the AFC Fury team who have had their appeal against exclusion from this season's Northern Regional Football League Division Two competition rejected. Photo/File

AFC Fury founder David Cook is irate his club's appeal against disqualification from promotion to the Northern Regional Football League Division Two has been dismissed.

The club, who won promotion to the same league contested by Tauranga City United by beating Papakura City FC in a home and away playoff last season, were found to have fielded ineligible foreign players.

Cook maintains an injustice has been done and sees Tauranga City United as the source and cause of the problem.

Tauranga City officials supplied information to the Auckland Football Federation during the investigation.

"We signed a player, Alejandro Ferrari, from Tauranga City United, who it transpires had not obtained a clearance from overseas," Cook said.

"So not only were Tauranga whistleblowers in this matter they were actually the cause of the problem.

"Contrast that with current Tauranga City United players Jack McNab and Sam O'Regan, who were correctly cleared to play in New Zealand by Fury before going on to play for Tauranga."

Cook said it was unreasonable to expect a club to seek clarification of a player's eligibility when no such tool was available to clubs.

"For Fury, the obstacle adds to the legend.

"It has already been denied two promotions in the past few years due to league restructurings," he said.

"The challenge will be to get an even better team together and do it all over again, beat the teams with ineligible players and those who play legally while building club strength for the next push."

Cook said Fury were prevented from taking the matter before the courts because New Zealand Football rules disallowed such process to member clubs.