The 1st FC Kaan-Marienborn had actually announced a withdrawal to the Kreisliga C. Suddenly, however, the team from Siegen is grouped in the Oberliga. The boss expresses his opinion.

Before this weekend, 1. FC Kaan-Marienborn caused a great stir in the Westphalian Football Association.

Instead of making a new start in the Kreisliga C, as announced in March, the team from Siegerland, which finished fifth in the Regionalliga West, was relegated to the Oberliga Westfalen for the 2023/2024 season.

Nobody would have expected that! 1. FC Kaan-Marienborn will not retire to the Kreisliga C, but will be grouped into the Oberliga Westfalen for the coming 2023/2024 season.

“They have made an application for the Oberliga. The deadline for Kreisliga C has expired. It is extremely unfortunate. But we have no problems with Kaan-Marienborn. They are doing something that is legal. They are going one league lower after the regional league withdrawal,” Reinhold Spohn, chairman of the Association Football Committee (VFA), told RevierSport on Friday.

After consultation and agreement with the association, we will now submit a formal special application as quickly as possible in order to officially complete the withdrawal after all. I apologise in particular to those clubs whose hopes of promotion or non-relegation have been dimmed for a short time.

Florian Leipold

Now Kaan-Marienborn board chairman Florian Leipold is speaking out. He speaks of a “misunderstanding”.

“In order to put a stop to further speculation, rumours and theories, I would like to comment on the reports that 1. FC Kaan-Marienborn would like to keep a back door open to higher-class football. In the end, it is simply a misunderstanding. After an informal consultation with the association, we were of the opinion that an informal letter is sufficient to complete the withdrawal of our 1st team from the regional league and all other leagues. This letter has been sent to the association in due time.”

The 1st FC Kaan-Marienborn will try to rectify the formal error in the next few days and subsequently officially register for the Kreisliga C. Leipold emphasises that a start in the Oberliga Westfalen is out of the question for the team from the Siegerland.

Leipold: “In the end, it was clear to us all along: the club will not play higher-class football in the next few years and it is not in our interest to block other clubs. After consultation and agreement with the association, we will now submit a formal special application as soon as possible in order to officially complete the withdrawal. I apologise in particular to the clubs whose hopes of promotion or non-relegation have been dimmed for a short time. “