CELTIC SHOW A UNITED FRONT!

UNDER-FIRE chairman Paul Barthorpe insists Farsley Celtic's future is secure with the 'bottleneck' of off-field problems set to be resolved by starting 2025 back at home.

- Andy Mitchell

Work to install a 3G pitch at The Citadel was due to be completed in September but the discovery of materials related to the ground being a former waste site, requiring specialist contractors, has seen progress stall.

Home matches have had to be played at Bradford Park Avenue, Guiseley and even as far away as Alfreton Town after the club was hit with a registration embargo from the National League on September 23 for "non-compliance with financial regulations".

The concerns of fans were exacerbated by late notice and mixed messaging over where some home matches would be staged with frustration boiling over at last weekend's FA Cup fourth qualifying round clash with Kettering Town where Barthorpe's vehicle was vandalised.

Things went further this week when The Yorkshire Post published a statement attributed to the club's players, claiming loyalty had been pushed to "breaking point" over the late payment of wages.

Barthorpe told The NLP that he had been plugging the financial gaps but his four-week absence following a sudden bereavement had led to salary problems which were now resolved. He said the embargo was over a separate contract-related issue and that things would fall back into place once the club had its base back.