Al Bangura battles to stay at Watford

WATFORD Football Club have today completed their application for Al Bangura's work permit, following yesterday's private meeting with the Minister of State with responsibility for the Borders and Immigration Agency, Liam Byrne. At that meeting the Minister gave Al Bangura an undertaking that The Home Office would make a concession for the 19-year-old to apply for a work permit, which he would not ordinarily be able to do through conventional channels. Iain Moody, Head of Football Operations at Vicarage Road, along with Bangura's legal team, have this evening couriered all of the relevant documentation to the Borders and Immigration Agency, who are part of the Home Office. With the work permit application lodged, Watford can look forward to a personal hearing with an independent panel, which is likely to happen in early January 2008. At that hearing, Al Bangura and Watford Football Club will be given a decision on whether the application has been successful or not.The news follows the hard work and petitioning from local MP Claire Ward who has supported Bangura’s fight to stay in the UK every step of the way.