Kentish Express Ashford & District
It’s business as usual – on the pitch
Danny Lye insists it’s business as usual on the pitch at Ashford United as the fall-out continues after the club missed the Ryman League promotion deadline.
Player-boss Lye admitted he had “the hump” when he learned the paperwork failed to arrive at the Football Association offices at Wembley last week, with the club now launching an appeal to be allowed to make a late application.
Chief executive Denise Peach said: “We have received a letter this week outlining the process and I am expecting to be asked to attend a personal hearing next month.”
Lye added: “Why would the club not send in the application? They have done it every year in the past.
“I had the hump and had a few words when I heard the news but wouldn’t question what Denise does. We are appealing and hope the FA will make the right decision.
“As far as the players are concerned, we had a small conversation about it last week but it wasn’t mentioned at Tunbridge Wells on Saturday.
“We are just going about our business, winning games of football and are rather good at it.” Lye also showed his positive intentions by bringing in new signing Ben Wilson on dual-registration terms from Hythe Town.
United beat off interest from Southern Counties East League Premier Division rivals and Boxing Day opponents Sheppey United to sign Wilson who came off the bench to score in the 5-0 win at Wells on Saturday.
Lye said: “He is naturally leftfooted and gives us options, firstly as George Savage has been struggling with a back injury and secondly with a couple of systems we might want to play.
“I didn’t know about Sheppey’s interest – I spoke to (Hythe boss) Clive Cook about him – he said he wanted to come to Ashford and knows a few of the players already.”
Sheppey won 2-1 when the teams met at Homelands in September, since when the Islanders have maintained their promotion push.
Midfielder Ben Davisson is rated “touch-and-go” to be fit, in what is Ashford’s last game until Tuesday, January 10 (against Canterbury in the League Cup).
The scheduled home fixture against Corinthian on January 7 has been put back 10 days due to the opponents’ involvement in the FA Vase.
‘We are just going about our business, winning games’