A youth football league has hit out at claims it kicked more than 300 young players out of competitive football.

Club Secretary of Rap-Aid Youth Football Club, Tim Aleshe, called for answers in September after Cheshunt Youth Football League rejected the club’s application to play as part of the league.

According to Mr Aleshe, the league was not transparent during the application process he says deprived hundreds of young people from Enfield from playing as part of a competitive league.

However, a league statement released to the Enfield Independent said: “This statement is untrue and misleading. Like all prospective teams, Rap-Aid were made aware of the deadline for applying for admission to the league.

“The deadline of May 31 was made clear both at league meetings at which the club was represented, via the league website and is in the league handbook which all teams were issued.”

According to the league, Rap-Aid sent their application six weeks late, and it was “treated no differently” to other clubs who did not submit their application on time.

The league statement said: “The league’s decision-making in relation to this issue has subsequently been scrutinised by the County FA who have confirmed that the correct procedures were followed.”

Mr Aleshe told the Enfield Independent in September that he applied for ten teams to be part of the league, but according to the league the club's application was for only one team in the under-sevens category.

The statement said: “This is inaccurate and a gross exaggeration of the truth. In fact, Rap-Aid only sought to register one team at under-seven level.

“The maximum number of children that can be registered for an individual team at this level is 14.”

Mr Aleshe, who set up the team three years ago to banish postcode rivalry in Enfield, told the Enfield Independent today Rap-Aid will apply to become part of the league next year to see if the teams are welcomed back.

He said Rap-Aid, which comprises ten teams ranging from under seven-year-olds to under-15s, continues to train weekly and he is hopeful the situation will be solved next year.

He claims it is league regulation for any under-sevens team to become part of the league no matter what time the application is sent.

Mr Aleshe, whose team had been part of the league since 2009, said: “I am moving on and trying to keep positive.”