KEY POINTS:
Auckland City have withdrawn their protest over three lost competition points and will now meet Manawatu in Palmerston North next weekend for the right to face Waitakere in the NZFC final.
The playoffs had been delayed indefinitely because of Auckland's appeal which, if successful, would have significantly altered the finishing order of the top three and also opened the door for counter appeals.
Auckland's board decided yesterday morning, however, to drop their appeal "for the good of the game".
The appeals committee had agreed to hear the case again but the earliest this was likely to be done was March 31, meaning that, because of O-League commitments, the playoff might not have been held until Easter.
Now the grand final, which will probably be held at North Harbour Stadium, is likely to be played some time between April 9 and 15.
Together with the prolonged delay over the A-League licence, it has been a bad look for the game in this country and was a significant reason why Auckland decided to drop the case.
"We feel we have been harshly done by," Auckland chairman Ivan Vuksich said. "We feel frustrated and generally embarrassed for the game and hate to see this thing happening. It's very sad and that's why we started to look for solutions. It's time it was sorted out on the park."
The saga centred on the selection of James Pritchett for Auckland's match against Waitakere on October 29, which Auckland won 1-0.
Auckland maintain that it was New Zealand A coach Stu Jacobs who decided to leave Pritchett behind for the tour of Vietnam after the defender explained to Jacobs that he was struggling with an injury. He was still prepared to travel but was replaced by Waikato's Tim Schaeffers.
With Pritchett and the club believing he was no longer required, he played for Auckland against Waitakere after having recovered from injury. Less than 24 hours later, without any protest from Waitakere, NZS awarded the points to Waitakere.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport and Sparc were prepared to hear the protest but NZS's regulations didn't allow it.
"I think NZS acted too hastily [in the first place]... and, once they made that decision, tried to hang on to it for grim death," Vuksich said.
NZS chief executive Graham Seatter welcomed Auckland's stance.
"I'm very relieved," he said. "It was a hugely negative way to finish the season so I'm very pleased Auckland City have taken the approach they have. Who knows when it might have been sorted out otherwise?
"We believed that the rules were clear and that our decision was consistent with Fifa regulations. Auckland had a different view and clearly our procedures need to be tidied up, which will be done at the next [NZS] congress in May."
Qualification for the O-League and the chance of claiming US$1 million for playing in the Club World Cup has been a significant factor in why the matter was pursued by Auckland so vigorously. Vuksich said they had spent close to $10,000 in legal fees, while NZS's bill could be closer to $25,000.
Ironically, Manawatu is probably the side that has lost out the most. The three points Waitakere were awarded saw the West Aucklanders take one of the two O-League spots this season when Manawatu had been in the lead and it also denied them top spot and automatic entry to the O-League next season.
Waitakere have now claimed that place for winning the league. At least now the other spot and who will win the NZFC will be decided on the park.
