Thomas still cannot play. I'm trying to find a lawyer that will work pro bono and I'm looking to take the story to the media.
His agent knows someone at scum rag and obviously I said no to any help from them. Hopefully the story is of enough interest that someone will run it and be on our side!
Here is an email I've sent to a lawyer requesting help, this will give you all an update of what's going on :-
Dear [retracted]
You have been recommended to me by [retracted] of [retracted] .
I want to tell you up front that I cannot afford a lawyer and I am looking for someone that can help pro bono, or if you feel that their is an opportunity to sue for compensation giving whatever share of that you require.
If you cannot work pro bono or for a percentage of any compensation then I completely understand and respect that and I highlight my financial situation at the beginning of my email so that you do not waste any time unnecessarily.
I am hoping you will see this case as one that can be played out in the media and thus gain publicity for your law firm that would justify working on this case.
My son, Thomas [retracted], is a British born citizen who has lived in Mexico all his life. He is a talented football player and last season was in the U20 & U17 squads of Lobos BUAP, a Liga MX team in Mexico.
Thomas came to England with me in August of this year. He is going to school taking 3 'A' Levels and plans to go to university to study International Business.
He went for trials with Southport, a tier 6 profesional club. Originally he was put with the U21 team and then after Southport disbanded the U21 team he was moved to the U18 team.
Southport applied for international clearance on 24th September, a delay caused by incompetence of an employee who no longer works for them.
The English FA still have not given international clearance to my son and furthermore Southport have now told me that due to insurance reasons Thomas can no longer train with them until they can register him.
This means that now Thomas cannot play or even train in England due to the actions (inaction) of the English FA.
The full time line is as follows :-
23rd August representative of Southport told me the request for International clearance had been initiated
24th September Southport apply for international clearance
9th October English FA request additional information
10th October additional information requested returned to the English FA by Southport
11th October English FA request additional information
15th October additional information requested returned to the English FA by Southport
30th October No response from English FA, I send an email to the English FA with additional information and requesting a resolution
Southport, under the instructions of the English FA applied under Article 19 2a. I provided all the material requested by the English FA to show that we are here for non football reasons. I have my own business in Mexico and I am looking for clients here in Europe and my son has enrolled for A levels.
Of course, this does not mean that Thomas wants to abandon a promising football career and he wishes to play at the highest level he can possibly achieve. He has a football agent who has several trials promised with clubs at a much higher level than Southport but they will only see Thomas after he has gained international clearance.
The PFA have been unofficially helping me and through the advice of [retracted] at Centerfield in Manchester, we have been told that Thomas should receive international clearance under FIFA Article -19 2b (page 22 of regulations).
They cited the case of the Benjiman Garre case - Argentinian to Manchester City - https://www.theguardian.com/football...amin-garre-cas.
The PFA have been unofficially speaking to the English FA on our behalf. They have unofficially told the PFA that they will not grant clearance under article 19 2a because they do not believe we are here for non footballing reasons. They will not grant international clearance under article 19 2b because they say Southport do not meet the football standards required under article 19 2b i.
These are unofficial answers. In the meantime they have given no official answer to Southport for an international clearance request first made on 24th September.
He will turn 18 on 1st March and then article 19 will no longer be relevant, however he will have missed a full season of football and probably lose the chance for half a dozen trials with clubs as high as the Championship. Besides that he will have lost 1 year of development.
The English FA have effectively destroyed his chance of a career in football before it has even started.
At the moment my son cannot train or play football at any level in the country of his birth, he cannot leave the country because he is studying here. The English FA seem to be judge and jury and are, in my opinion deliberately, giving no answer.
I do not know what else to do!
Can you help?
It's so incredibly sad that my son is being punished for returning to his own country.
His agent knows someone at scum rag and obviously I said no to any help from them. Hopefully the story is of enough interest that someone will run it and be on our side!
Here is an email I've sent to a lawyer requesting help, this will give you all an update of what's going on :-
Dear [retracted]
You have been recommended to me by [retracted] of [retracted] .
I want to tell you up front that I cannot afford a lawyer and I am looking for someone that can help pro bono, or if you feel that their is an opportunity to sue for compensation giving whatever share of that you require.
If you cannot work pro bono or for a percentage of any compensation then I completely understand and respect that and I highlight my financial situation at the beginning of my email so that you do not waste any time unnecessarily.
I am hoping you will see this case as one that can be played out in the media and thus gain publicity for your law firm that would justify working on this case.
My son, Thomas [retracted], is a British born citizen who has lived in Mexico all his life. He is a talented football player and last season was in the U20 & U17 squads of Lobos BUAP, a Liga MX team in Mexico.
Thomas came to England with me in August of this year. He is going to school taking 3 'A' Levels and plans to go to university to study International Business.
He went for trials with Southport, a tier 6 profesional club. Originally he was put with the U21 team and then after Southport disbanded the U21 team he was moved to the U18 team.
Southport applied for international clearance on 24th September, a delay caused by incompetence of an employee who no longer works for them.
The English FA still have not given international clearance to my son and furthermore Southport have now told me that due to insurance reasons Thomas can no longer train with them until they can register him.
This means that now Thomas cannot play or even train in England due to the actions (inaction) of the English FA.
The full time line is as follows :-
23rd August representative of Southport told me the request for International clearance had been initiated
24th September Southport apply for international clearance
9th October English FA request additional information
10th October additional information requested returned to the English FA by Southport
11th October English FA request additional information
15th October additional information requested returned to the English FA by Southport
30th October No response from English FA, I send an email to the English FA with additional information and requesting a resolution
Southport, under the instructions of the English FA applied under Article 19 2a. I provided all the material requested by the English FA to show that we are here for non football reasons. I have my own business in Mexico and I am looking for clients here in Europe and my son has enrolled for A levels.
Of course, this does not mean that Thomas wants to abandon a promising football career and he wishes to play at the highest level he can possibly achieve. He has a football agent who has several trials promised with clubs at a much higher level than Southport but they will only see Thomas after he has gained international clearance.
The PFA have been unofficially helping me and through the advice of [retracted] at Centerfield in Manchester, we have been told that Thomas should receive international clearance under FIFA Article -19 2b (page 22 of regulations).
They cited the case of the Benjiman Garre case - Argentinian to Manchester City - https://www.theguardian.com/football...amin-garre-cas.
The PFA have been unofficially speaking to the English FA on our behalf. They have unofficially told the PFA that they will not grant clearance under article 19 2a because they do not believe we are here for non footballing reasons. They will not grant international clearance under article 19 2b because they say Southport do not meet the football standards required under article 19 2b i.
These are unofficial answers. In the meantime they have given no official answer to Southport for an international clearance request first made on 24th September.
He will turn 18 on 1st March and then article 19 will no longer be relevant, however he will have missed a full season of football and probably lose the chance for half a dozen trials with clubs as high as the Championship. Besides that he will have lost 1 year of development.
The English FA have effectively destroyed his chance of a career in football before it has even started.
At the moment my son cannot train or play football at any level in the country of his birth, he cannot leave the country because he is studying here. The English FA seem to be judge and jury and are, in my opinion deliberately, giving no answer.
I do not know what else to do!
Can you help?
It's so incredibly sad that my son is being punished for returning to his own country.
if you can get some media attention such as is intimated below you might have some more luck..!
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