Seligman ‘sorry’ for cheating

FOOTBALL DAVID SELIGMAN believes MJSL chiefs must take a share of the blame for Heaton Park Rovers’ points deduction.

HPR landed themselves in hot water for fielding ineligible players against South Manchester Sports 2nd last week.

Following a complaint, an investigation discovered four players were played under false names.

The 7-2 win was expunged with South Manchester awarded the win. Seligman’s side were then handed a sixpoint penalty.

Seligman has issued an apology but says a lack of Jewish players is making it impossible to field teams and fears for the league.

He said: “We apologised and owned up to the offence. As a club we have never failed to raise a side but, on this occasion, we were struggling. We didn’t envisage SouthManchester to be so bad and that we would win 7-2.

“For me, the problem is more deep rooted. In 10 years how many Jewish teams will there be in Manchester? We are so short of players and we are at rock-bottom.

“As a club we are desperate not to leave and play in the non-Jewish league. We want the MJSL to flourish but there is simply a lack of players. More needs to be done to encourage young lads to play football.

“The League must take responsibility for that. We are not the only club fighting to find 11 players every week.”

Heaton Park – who were vying for the title last season – have seen their bid to mount another assault at the top all but extinguished in the wake of the probe.

They have zero points and now sit one place off the bottom of the table.

MJSL secretary Paul Rose believes the severity of the punishment against HPR was fair.

Rose said: “Their actions were not in keeping as an FA chartered standard club. “You would not expect that. This is disrespectful to the other team and the league. We would rather the game had been called off.

“You can’t tell lies and hope to get away with it. We felt the six point punishment handed out was in keeping with the offence. They have up until Friday to launch an appeal.”

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Paul Rose