Infinity forced to withdraw from the Wessex League after losing home ground following racist language

Only promoted from the Hampshire Premier League last summer, after 37 games unbeaten across the two pandemic-scarred seasons, Infinity have pulled out with 15 matches of their debut Wessex Division 1 campaign remaining.

Now they will look to regroup and return to the HPL in 2022/23.

Infinity signed a groundsharing arrangement (GA) with Hythe & Dibden in 2020, and have played at Claypits on the Waterside in the New Forest since the start of last season.

But Hythe pulled the plug on the deal after an Infinity player was sent off in a league match for discriminatory language in December. Though the player subsequently left the club, Infinity were still left homeless in a move which co-owner Jody Hoare said breached the terms of their agreement.

The club are now taking legal advice on whether they can claim this season’s rental fees back from Hythe as Hoare claims they weren’t given the 30-day notice that the GA mentioned for any party wanting to terminate the deal.

Infinity’s fixtures had been suspended since they last played a Division 1 game on January 3, a 3-2 defeat at Romsey.

Hoare took the decision to withdraw the club at the weekend ahead of a scheduled EGM next Sunday where all Wessex League clubs were to vote on whether to keep Infinity in the league.

Proposals to play home games at Havant & Waterlooville and/or AFC Stoneham were vetoed by Wessex officials as there was no official GA in place.

Hoare claims that divisional rivals Newport are being allowed to play ‘home’ games at nearby East Cowes Victoria without an official GA having been signed either.

Wessex League chairman Nick Spencer, though, told The News that Newport DO have an official agreement in place through until the end of the season.

Hoare said: ‘It’s a bit raw at the moment.

‘The (Wessex) league have clearly not helped us at all.

‘It’s left a bitter taste in the mouth. I feel we have been forced out of the league - a case of jump before we were pushed.

‘We were only asking for a bit of leniency and a bit of help for the remainder of the season.

‘I feel sorry for (chairman) Paul Collins. We were paying fortunes to play at Hythe - massive amounts - and Paul was paying it. It’s thousands of pounds wasted.’

Infinity had nine home league games left to play this season. Hoare said Hawks were happy to host a handful at Westleigh Park but could not sign an official groundsharing deal as HPL club Clanfield currently play home games at the stadium.

Hoare also spoke to Hampshire FA CEO Neil Cassar and AFC Stoneham chairman Mark Stupple with a view of playing some games at the Wessex League Premier Division club’s Stoneham Lane HQ, which is owned by the county FA. Though the 3G pitch is busy, Infinity could have played some games on a Friday night.

‘Neil and Mark were happy to help if the league were willing, but the (Wessex) league said basically it was a groundsharing agreement or nothing at all.’

Following the incident which caused Hythe to terminate their GA with Infinity, Hoare arranged for all his players and club staff to attend an online discriminatory course to improve everyone’s knowledge.

‘I was told (by a Wessex League official) that it wasn’t worth the paper it was written on,’ said Hoare. ‘They said it was a workplace one (course), and nothing to do with football. It (the course) wasn’t FA registered, so what was the point of doing it?

‘I could sense the animosity towards the club.

‘The league have kind of forced our hand. Every turn we made a door has been slammed in our face.

‘I feel we have been victimised massively.’

A Wessex League statement released to The News read: ‘The Wessex League received written notification from Infinity FC that the club has resigned from the league effective from 6th February 2022.

‘Infinity FC co-owner Mr Hoare has worked tirelessly to find an acceptable solution to the issue of the club not having a suitable ground that meets the ground grading criteria required for clubs to compete at Step 6 in the FA National League System, without success.

‘This is an unfortunate conclusion to a difficult situation for the club.

‘The Wessex League wishes Infinity FC good fortune for the future.’

Asked if he felt the Wessex League had done all they could to help Infinity, Spencer replied: ‘In my opinion, yes.’

He also confirmed that the GA rule was made by the FA, not the Wessex League.

‘The Wessex League don’t have any rules as such, we are bound by the rules of the Football Association. All we have are league directives.’

Spencer also said the Wessex League have ‘no jurisdiction’ to get involved in disputes between two member clubs - in this case, Infinity and Hythe.

Hythe & Dibden chairman David Cox confirmed to The News that the incident of racist language was the primary reaso behind the decision to sever ties with Infinity.

‘As a football club, we can’t accept that,’ said Cox. ‘We just can’t, it’s not in our make-up.

‘It didn’t just happen on the field, it happened in the clubhouse (after the game) as well.

‘I know we’ve done the right thing in not accepting it.’

Infinity were being managed by Wayne Grant, who left Paulsgrove early in the season to step up to the Wessex League.

On the pitch, the club were having a tough time with 10 defeats in the last 11 Division 1 matches played. In seven of those games they let in four or more goals, including an 11-2 drubbing at Newport.

Infinity have had a nomadic existence since being formed in 2006. They played home games in the Winchester area and then Southampton before settling at Knowle Village.

A GA was arranged with Hythe & Dibden in 2020 because that was the only way Infinity would be able to realise Hoare’s dream of stepping up to the Wessex League.

The longer-term plan was to play at a new pitch that was being laid as part of a new housing complex at Wickham, but that has been delayed by the pandemic.

Hoare said the club are unlikely to revisit Knowle Village if they are successful in being readmitted to the Hampshire Premier League next season.

‘I can’t really see it as an option,’ he said. ‘It’s not being played on at the moment but I wouldn’t want to stir up a hornet’s nest with the residents there.

‘I would prefer to find a ground in the Knowle and Wickham area, as that’s where our future will be, but we can’t just turn up at a rec somewhere.’

Infinity’s squad contains many players who have played at a higher level than Division 1 of the Wessex League. They include ex-Southampton pro Jamie White, ex-Portchester defender Liam Bush and one-time Gosport Borough and Baffins striker Kurt Watts.

Players will now be free to sign for other clubs, with a view to potentially boosting promotion hopes or improving relegation prospects.