National League: Dover Athletic's results expunged and fined £40,000 while Bromley put Alan Dunne and Roger Johnson in temporary charge

DOVER ATHLETIC have been fined £40,000 and have had their results expunged from the Vanarama National League table.

 

An Independent Panel, commissioned by the National League, has met to hear the cases of 18 member clubs charged with alleged breaches of League Rules.

All clubs involved can appeal to The Football Association.

A National League statement said: “An Independent Panel has ruled that Dover Athletic are deemed guilty of four breaches of Rule 8.39 for failing to meet fixture obligations between 16 February and 27 February.

“The club will play no further part in the 2020-21 playing season, with the club’s existing National League results expunged.  A 12 point deduction for the 2021-22 playing season and fine of £40,000 have additionally been issued.

“The Panel had regard to financial information provided by Dover Athletic and fully respected the responsibility of the club’s directors under Company Law.

“However, the Panel also had to consider the integrity of the Competition and the actions of Dover Athletic in relation to the other 22 clubs that continue to incur much costs as they fulfill their fixtures.

“Dover Athletic had avoided costs by not completing their season alongside the other 22 clubs. In addition, The National League basic award meant they were significantly benefiting from not completing the season compared to the 22 clubs that continued.

“The Panel concluded that three points per breach should be deducted from the club’s record in Playing Season 2021/22.

“In view of the current financial situation and in order to reflect the approach taken in other cases of breaches of Rule 8.39, the Independent Panel reduced the initial fine by 20% to £40,000.”

Andy Hessenthaler's side had played only 15 league games this season and were rooted to the foot of the table, having collected 10 points.

Meanwhile, Bromley have confirmed that player-coach Alan Dunne, 38, and Roger Johnson, 37, have taken temporary charge of the club ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Wrexham, supported by Mark Hammond.

The trio were part of Neil Smith’s management team, although Johnson was appointed as the clubs reserve team manager at the start of the season.

Dunne, who made 388 appearances during his 14-year stint at Millwall, has also played for Leyton Orient and has been at Hayes Lane since signing as a player in January 2017.

Johnson, formerly a centre-half at Charlton Athletic, made 64 appearances for Bromley between 2017-2019 before a season out of the game, before being appointed to run the Suburban League side before the campaign was curtailed.

The Lillywhites decided to part company with Smith yesterday morning, ending a near 10-year association at his home-town club.

Bromley have slipped down from seventh-place to tenth-place – with 41 points from 28 games following Dover Athletic’s results being expunged from the league table.