DANNY JOY... TO SWEET FA
THE match report remains on the club’s official website: ‘Danny Drives Motors To Promotion’ – a reminder that this should have been a glorious season for Vauxhall Motors of the North West Counties League.
But after the FA scrapped the season for the legions of clubs below the National League, it’s a car crash.
Vauxhall Motors – like Jersey Bulls from the Combined Counties League – had already secured their promotion, thanks to a Danny Cross winner in the 1-0 at West Didsbury & Chorlton last month.
Another 20 clubs were heading their leagues by anything from seven points up to 25.
Now there is a feeling that many officials have had enough. North West Counties League chairman Paul Lawler said: “Myself and my colleagues spend a considerable time working. We are all volunteers.
“I am now seriously considering whether it’s all worth the time, effort and stress. I am sure many feel the same.”
MP Kate Osborne, whose Jarrow constituency covers runaway Northern Premier League leaders South Shields and Northern League promotion-chasing Hebburn Town, insisted: “I will keep up the pressure on the FA as the decision will massively hurt local football clubs and will have huge financial implications.
“To recklessly cancel the league is totally unacceptable.”
South Shields chairman Geoff Thompson is now considering a legal challenge, after his club lost out on the chance to play at the highest level in their history.
Ex-newcastle star Rob Lee (below) has sympathy for the club, situated just 12 miles from St James’ Park.
“I am sure the season could be completed,” he said. “If you ask South Shields if they were prepared to play three games a week I’m sure they would.”
If time ran out, the majority of clubs were in favour of finalising tables on an averagepoints-permatch basis. But the FA said: “The truth is the consequences of clubs being promoted is that others would need to be relegated. Application of the points-per-match model would result in certain clubs that currently sit above the relegation zone falling into those places.”
The FA emphasise the PPM system doesn’t address how to deal with play-off matches that would identify a winner.
The National League could now be looking to end the season without playing. Clubs would vote on how to sort promotion and relegation, with a null-and-void option.
WATFORD want to bring Club Brugge winger Krepin Diatta to the Premier League this summer.
The Senegal international, 21, has impressed Hornets’ scouts who have alerted Nigel Pearson. The Watford boss is keen to strengthen and is ready to battle Hertha Berlin to land Diatta (above).