It was confirmed on Tuesday that the club’s failure to meet an application deadline has cost Portadown a spot in next season’s IFA Premiership - forcing fans, officials and players to accept at least one season in the game’s second tier.

Portadown have issued the ‘Times’ with an exclusive statement in which the directors accept full responsibility for the mistake and call for unity.

“The chairman, board of directors and officials of Portadown Football Club take ultimate and full responsibility for the failure of the club to ensure that the application form to the new Irish League Invitational League was lodged before the 4pm deadline on Monday, March 31,” said Mr McMahon. “We realise that our supporters will be greatly disappointed and, in some cases, disillusioned by this turn of events.

“I can assure those supporters that no-one feels that disappointment more keenly and personally than the board of directors and officials.

“We have worked extremely hard over the past number of years to ensure that Portadown Football Club is one of the leading sides in local football.

“We have spent considerable time and effort and invested substantial amounts of money to ensure that Shamrock Park was brought up to standard to help gain entry into the new league.”

The statement appeals for fans to unite behind the Ports in a bid to move forward, with the directors aiming to “concentrate on moving towards our long-term goals in achieving success for the club and the town”.

It also confirms that manager Ronnie McFall will be placed “in as strong a position as possible to strengthen his playing squad and ensure that promotion is obtained”.

Club representatives met with the IFA appeals board on Monday night in a bid to reverse the executive committee’s decision to reject Portadown’s application into the Invitational League. It was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the original verdict would be upheld, with the club’s response to that decision as follows:

“Without trying to deflect from our failure and the justified criticism from supporters, we are nonetheless disappointed at the IFA’s attitude in allowing an administrative deadline to overrule all the ground improvement work we have done, our playing record over the last 18 years and the financial restructuring of the club which we have overseen.”

Portadown must now apply to the Premier Intermediate League before May 31.

Text us your views on Portadown’s expulsion to 81800, starting your message with PTTEXT and then a space.

Turn to page 71 for the statement in full.