A Brighton football team have been relegated and fined after finishing third in their league.

Ericsson II finished third in Division Three of the Brighton, Hove and District League last season and their first team were relegated from Division Two.

However, soccer bosses insist that no club may have more than one side in the same division.

Consequently Ericsson II were demoted to Division Four and when the disgusted players left to play a higher standard of football, the club were fined nearly £100.

Husham Hamdan, 31, is the secretary of Ericsson Football Club and works as a product manager for the Burgess Hill-based company.

He said: "I asked the league to leave the teams as they were and we would switch the players. But when the leagues were published they demoted the second team to Division Four in order to allow the first team to be demoted to Division Three.

"The second team are disappointed not to be playing in Division Two and there's no way the players wanted to play in the fourth division. They are angry and disappointed so they have left to find other teams.

"I spoke to the league and they told me it was one of the hardest decisions they had to make in the last 20 years."

Unfortunately for the club the enforced relegation of the Ericsson II clearly precipitated the break-up of the side.

Hamdam said: "The players felt they had no choice but to leave. They were really surprised when they heard the league's decision. They couldn't believe what had happened but that is the league's decision.

"I called the league to check that what I had heard about the team being demoted was true, and they confirmed it. I spoke to the players and we told the league we would have to pull out.

"The players weren't happy because it seems a little unfair to have a good season, finish third, just missing out on promotion and still go down. The lads didn't want to play in Division Four so they had no choice but to leave really."

Ericsson II players have found new clubs in the county and Hamdan insists no-one bears any resentment towards the league. But he admitted everyone connected with the club was bemused when a letter fining them £95 arrived.

Hamdan said: "I told the league at the AGM that we accept the decision but will have to pull the team out of Division Four. Then about a month ago I got a letter saying the team has been fine £95.

"I thought this was probably a mistake, so I called the league but they told me there was no mistake and we have to pay.

"I sent them a cheque saying I think you should reconsider your decision not least because I had already told them of our plan to pull the team out before they published the final tables. At the last meeting they said that the letter was noted."

The fine was paid from the players' subscriptions and Hamdan added that the whole episode had been very unsavoury.

"The fourth division has only four teams in it now which is unfortunate."

The league's spokesperson and chairman, Steve Wuyts, told Park Life: "In accordance with our league rules it was necessary to relegate Ericsson FC from Division Three to Division Four for the 2001/2002 season, despite them finishing third, as a result of their first team finishing second to bottom in Division Two and being relegated to Division Three.

"It is unfortunate that as a consequence of this action Ericsson had to withdraw their second team because we as a league exist solely to provide football to our member clubs. However like all responsible bodies we have to be governed by the rules to which we adhere."