More worries for Vitesse’s Coley Parry as Patro Eisden also in hot water over licencing issues

Over the last few days, Vitesse were relegated from the Eredivisie without even getting on the pitch. The side were deducted 18 points by the KNVB, leaving them on -1 points and ending their decades long stay in the Eredivisie. This will certainly not have been the news that Coley Parry, a club investor and an individual who wants to take over the club, will have wanted to hear.

Yet for Vitesse fans, they will certainly be wary of Parry’s involvement after revelations were made about his Belgian side Patro Eisden. The side, currently competing in the Challenger Pro League, are understood to not have a licence to play in any of the top three Belgian football tiers. This is certainly alarming considering how far into the league we are and that the side are set to compete for promotion to the Belgian Pro League via the play-offs.

The KNVB have already been unsure about whether or not Parry’s Common Group should be allowed to have a stake in Dutch football with Vitesse, with a lack of clarity over where the money has come from. This did not appear to be an issue for the Belgian FA initially, but now it will certainly become one. Other clubs in the Challenger Pro League will certainly have reasons to complain, especially those who have submitted their papers in order and complied by the rules throughout.

This also brings into question what would happen if Patro were to win the play-offs? There are rumours that if this were to happen, and the side were then not able to acquire the licence for the Pro League, the side who finished third in the top flight and lost the play-off would be able to remain for next season.