IT’S GOTTO BE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, FENTON
Boss calling for unison as Shields cruelly miss out
SOUTH SHIELDS joint boss Graham Fenton reckons the Football Association’s decision to void the 2019-20 season should be rolled out across the football pyramid.
The Mariners were one of the clubs most severely hit by the FA’s announcement on Thursday as their hopes of promotion to the National League North – their fourth in five seasons – were dashed.
After their 5-3 home win against BetVictor NPL Premier Division title rivals FC United, South Shields were sat 12 points clear at the top of the table with nine games of the season remaining.
But any thoughts of money-spinning north-east derbies against neighbours Gateshead and Darlington have been ended by the FA’s decision to declare the season as void.
“To be told we are done, with eight games left, we feel the decision is very harsh,” said Fenton the former Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City striker.
“People will come back by saying that we haven’t won the league and I get that – but based on other teams not getting two points per game, we were confident that we could job done.
“That’s been taken away from us.
“There is public stuff saying we are trying to protect clubs financially – but this has hit us financially.
“It’s hurting at the moment and we are hoping that we can appeal, and the FA will see sense and what we are doing on and off the pitch will be recognised.
“If the Premier League, EFL and National League are extending their league, why can’t the leagues below? It doesn’t make sense to me.
“It can’t be a case of one rule for one and one for the other – no matter what level they are at.”
It had been a season of change for the south Tyneside outfit as they took the first steps towards functioning as a professional club.
The Mariners have been working with a hybrid model of part-time and full-time players throughout the campaign and a number of players have been enticed to the north-east in the hope of helping the club achieve a fourth promotion in five seasons.
Progression
There have been success stories too as the likes of former FC United duo Nathan Lowe and Jason Gilchrist and on-loan Blackpool goalkeeper Myles Boney have taken South Shields to within touching distance of another promotion.
On and off-field planning to compete in the ultra-competitive National League North was already well underway and Fenton insisted that talk of the FA’s decision being made to save money for clubs is incorrect. “It’s huge, it’s immense and I keep seeing this rhetoric coming out that they are trying to
help clubs save money,” said the Mariners joint-manager.
“But I can’t tell you how much this has hurt us financially. People will say Geoff Thompson [South Shields chairman] and the club can afford it – but that’s not the case at all.
“He is forking out a lot of money on and off the field and this was a huge year in our progression.
“We are trying to get to becoming a full-time professional club and we are a little bit ahead of the game on that.
“We are in-between being part-time and full-time and the next step into the National League North was a huge step for us.”
Fenton admitted that he felt for the Mariners fanbase, who have rallied around their side in their numbers throughout the campaign.
The club are averaging attendances of over 1,700 for home games during the season and were set to host even bigger crowds with the likes of Morpeth Town and Whitby Town set to visit south Tyneside in the remaining weeks of the season.
Fenton hailed the supporters for sticking with the club and vowed to repay them for their faith next season.
“We are lucky that we have such a loyal fanbase at the club and we are hurting for them at the moment,” he added.
“The money they have lost out on is disappointing because they have paid good money to support us with season tickets, matchday tickets, travelling to away games and merchandise.
“They will stand by us and, if this decision is upheld, we will do all we can to repay them on the pitch next season.”