CWMBRAN Celtic have lost their Sport Arbitration tribunal to appeal their demotion in the Welsh League, writes Michael Pearlman.

As revealed in Argus Sport, Celtic are yet to play a league fixture this season after an extraordinary row with Welsh football’s governing body, the Football Association of Wales, which has lasted six months.

Celtic finished fourth bottom of the Welsh League, Division One, last term, but were relegated by default at the end of the campaign with no eligible club able to meet the criteria to replace the relegated Afon Lido in the Welsh Premier League.

The row has gone on for an incredible 186 days – when the FAW refused to extend Division One to 17 teams - with Celtic and Ammanford United (demoted from Division Two to Three) arguing that the FAW had failed to comply with their own competition rules.

Celtic have already made clear their dissatisfaction with how the matter has been handled throughout, with accusations made that FAW chiefs ignored letters and took longer than necessary to arrange an appeal, lodged on July 22 but not heard until August 26.

They finally had their case heard by an independent party on Tuesday, October 14, at the FAW headquarters – having described it as their last chance saloon - with the arbitrator asking for extra time to consider his findings.

Celtic were informed of the decision at 5pm on Friday, October 17 but are declining to comment until they have time to assess the findings of the arbitrator.

The issue means Celtic are not only 10 games adrift in the Welsh League, Division Two, but they must also cover their legal costs, understood to be around £2500.