Turmoil at Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty Football Union is reeling from allegations of financial difficulties, the resignation of a director and discrepancies over match attendances.

Independent board member Neville Nicholson has resigned, prompting claims by Rotorua Mayor Grahame Hall of "huge discrepancies" in attendance figures at NPC games at Rotorua last season and allegations of financial difficulty.

The controversy has erupted when the union's board is trying to secure a sponsor for next year's NPC and allocate games between Rotorua and Tauranga.

Nicholson said yesterday that he had resigned because he could no longer support the direction the board and the chief executive were taking.

Speculation suggests Tauranga will be given the major share of next year's pre-season and NPC games.

Union chairman Stuart Harvey would not comment on Hall's claim that the union was in a serious financial position.

He said the correct time to do so was when annual reports were presented on December 31.

- NZPA