New appeal urged

DANDENONG soccer fans are calling on Dandenong Thunder to appeal to a higher authority after Football Federation Victoria reaffirmed its original decision to fine the Victoria Premier League club and make it play behind closed gates.
Thunder was fined $8000, lost six premiership points and was ordered to shut its gates for four home games after an incident at the Thunder-Bentleigh Greens game on 16 April, when a club supporter was said to have spat on a referee as he left Green Gully Reserve.
Though the supporter was not identified, FFV charged Dandenong. It was the club’s third serious misconduct offence in 14 months.
Thunder appealed the FFV action. It not only lost the appeal, but the fine was increased to $20,000. However, instead of having to close the gates to the public for four weeks, the club has to play two games without supporters inside the reserve. The loss of six points remains.
This verdict was handed down on Tuesday.
Unhappy supporters are now urging Thunder to take the matter to a higher authority. The FFV ruling made news nationwide and has polarised support.
Dandenong appealed a series of sentences handed down last month as a result of a serious misconduct offence in the round nine match between the Thunder and Bentleigh Greens.
Last year Dandenong faced a similar reaction from the FFV, when it was ordered to close its doors for two home games and was stripped of three premiership points after a fan called a referee “a cheat”.
Mark Rendell, the chief executive officer of FFV, said his organisation did not support clubs who continued to break the rules. “FFV has broad commun-ity support for its zero-tolerance prog-rams and would not retreat in its appr-oach to ensure clubs provide a safe and family friendly environment,” Rendell said.
“I strongly urge the club leadership to take action against the persistent so-called ‘supporters’ who are dragging the club down again.”
The first lock out will be on 25 June when Dandenong hosts Northcote City.