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Outset advise Dover Athletic Football Club on pandemic fine
Our Managing Director, Sean Gorman and Senior Employment Lawyer, Simon Tovey have been advising Dover Athletic Football Club on their 12 point penalty deduction and £40k fine after they were forced to stop playing during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lack of funds.
Dover Athletic's funds dried up after the grant funding was pulled, and with no supporters allowed to watch the matches, they had no choice but to stop playing for the rest of the season. Unlike bigger clubs, grassroots football clubs like Dover rely on ticket sales and don't have the same deep pockets as other clubs in the National League.
Sean Gorman said "The impact of the pandemic not just on Dover, but on so many football clubs is likely to be severe and long-lasting. Like many others, we stand behind the approach the club has taken and believe it was not just the right approach, but the only approach available to them. It’s a privilege to be able to show our support and do what we can to help ensure that the future of the club is protected for all of its fans."
Jim Parmenter, Chairman of Dover Athletic Football Club thanked Sean and Simon for their legal and practical advice which has been freely given, saying "I must pay tribute to and thank both Sean Gorman and Simon Tovey of the Outset Group Maidstone for their legal and practical advice, which quite frankly has been superb. Without them we could not have come this far and all our supporters should be extremely appreciative of what they have done for our club and we are as confident as we can be that we have a just and indisputable case."
A fan has set up a fundraising page to support the club with their £40k fine, which you can support here.
Featured in Kent Online:
Andy Hessenthaler will remain as manager of Dover Athletic next season in the National League
Other coverage about the story
Kent Live: Dover Athletic 'on the brink of collapse' after players refuse to take pay cut
The Guardian: Dover warn they could be weeks from insolvency as Covid-19 takes toll
