New documents issued by Football Gold Coast to clubs have suggested that Burleigh Heads were following orders when they declared the 2020 season was cancelled

New documents released to clubs by Football Gold Coast have emerged which cast doubt over Burleigh Heads ‘rogue’ status following a bungled social media post earlier this month.

DEBATE continues to rage in Gold Coast football circles over the accuracy of a statement from a “rogue” club whose social media post this month claimed the season had been cancelled.

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On May 8 following several virtual meetings between clubs and Football Gold Coast, the Burleigh Heads declared on Facebook the football season had been axed.

Football Gold Coast general manager Damien Bresic described the statement as being the product of a club who “didn’t listen” and confirmed the season wasn’t cancelled.

Burleigh Heads captain Matt Hilton celebrates his opening goal in the 2019 Gold Coast Premier League grand final against Surfers Paradise. Picture: Ryan Kazmer/East End Digital

Burleigh president John Bray admitted the club may have used the “wrong terminology” but was simply trying to suggest the 2020 season as originally planned would no longer run in full and so they hoped to work quickly to refund members in light of the modified season.

Now new documents, issued to clubs by Football Gold Coast suggest Burleigh were simply following orders.

Clubs were provided with templates for a letter to send to members and a social media post.

Both the letter and social media post confirmed that Football Gold Coast had ruled out continuing the season as it was initially planned.

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“After consultation with each club, Football Gold Coast has decided that the season

as originally scheduled to commence in February/March is no longer viable or possible,” the letter read.

“Football Gold Coast is in conversations with member clubs to design an alternative season for the balance of 2020.”

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Burleigh’s statement supported the fact that alternative seasons were being explored.

It also complained of a lack of clarity with start and finish dates and “impacts of any positive COVID-19 diagnosis in the community or more specifically within a team on the continuation of a teams or Club’s participation.”

Football Gold Coast’s letter template to members did not reference the impacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case but stated a return to play timeline would emerge in the coming months.