A father who sued a football club for £3,000 after claiming it was racist for substituting his son, 10, has to pay it back because court documents were not sent to the team. The father took Berkshire-based Winnersh Rangers to a county court after his son's coach took the boy, 10, off the pitch during a pre-season football tournament in summer 2018. He claimed that the club substituting him was 'emotional abuse' and 'racism'. The club, which is funded by donations, said it didn't attend the court case because it was not informed about it. A father who sued a football club for £3,000 after claiming it was racist for substituting his son, 10, has to pay it back because court documents were not sent to the team. The club's chairman Matt Joy and secretary Phil Chick told the hearing they only knew a court had ruled in favour of the parent 'by chance' and that the papers were sent to a field which it hires to play matches. Mr Chick is pictured arriving at court. And at an appeal hearing at Reading County Court today it was revealed that the court documents were mistakenly 'sent to a field' which the club rents for matches instead of the club's offices. Overturning the £3,235 fine and ordering the case go to a new hearing, District Judge Byass said: 'I accept, as a matter of fact, the claimant was provided with [the club's] address. 'I also accept the address used on the service of proceedings was an address where the club plays rather than a postal address. 'The default judgement and debt order has been set aside.' The club's chairman Matt Joy and secretary Phil Chick told the hearing they only knew a court had ruled in favour of the parent 'by chance'. They explained a postman who was returning to the pitches to provide a notice letter luckily turned up on a Saturday morning while a team was playing a match. District Judge Stephen Byass told the father, who can't be named for legal reasons, it was clear the address he gave on the notice of proceedings was not the club's actual address. He overturned the fine and ordered the father to return the cash until a new trial can be held and the club can form a defence. The youngster was substituted during a pre-season football tournament in 2018 while playing for Winnersh Rangers' Aztecs youth side. His father then brought his son back to training at the beginning of the new season, before suddenly removing him from the team in September and accusing the club of racially targeting the player. The father took Berkshire-based Winnersh Rangers to a county court after his son's coach took the boy, 10, off the pitch during a pre-season football tournament in summer 2018.Players from one of the club's teams are pictured in a huddle The father of the 10 year old boy arriving at Reading County Court Mr Chick, who is under 10s manager as well as club secretary, said the club were 'disappointed' to lose the player, and conducted two investigations alongside Berkshire FA, who cleared the club of any offences. He said the boy's father had also initially reported the club, based in Wokingham, to the local council's child protection department. Overturning the £3,235 fine and ordering the case go to a new hearing, District Judge Byass said: 'I accept, as a matter of fact, the claimant was provided with [the club's] address. Mr Joy is pictured leaving court When the case was brought before the court last month, the club was fined £3,000. However, Mr Chick said the first they knew about the result was when they received a letter telling them they had lost and were being fined. He explained that the letters were sent to a field where it plays its games. Mr Chick said: 'That's a field where we hire pitches. The club address is my address and we had not received any notice prior to the final debt order. 'We did receive the final debt letter, but that was by chance. 'A postman came on a Saturday when there was lots of parents there and children playing football. The postman tried to deliver the letter and asked parents for the club's chairman. 'It's a small club, so they knew who Mr Joy was and that's how we received the letter. It was by chance.' The judge said the football club must now submit their defence to the parent's claims, then a new date for trial will be set. All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility