yes a shame to see and gutted for Wednesday. my Hull mate is piping up about parachute payments for them, they want Lord Windass of Hull back quick sharpish i think!
very sorry about Luton toward Pat, obviously a minority of saddoes made the news this morning trying to get at the travelling fans, but falling at the first hurdle never fun.
the Blue Square regional finals are interesting, Bath and Woking from the south are two good names (good food at Woking and an excellent large stand the away fans can get top vocals in thanks to echo and its height the last time i went which was admittedly years ago), but in the north Fleetwood have had an awesome season and probably deserve reward, playing Alfreton. the prospect of a tiny e mids town like Alfreton (not that Fleetwood is a massive place) having a Conf National club enthuses me
Hucks asked why do some non-league fans appear to have an antipathy toward Forest Green, in the Alty case it's certainly as a result of the behaviour of their club secretary a few years back when Alty were at the start of that three-year run of reprieves from relegation from the Conference National (all legitimate reprieves, though very sad that other clubs suffered, but it is what it is; the latter two seasons Boston had serious murky financial issues and the authorities demoted them, and then very sadly the final season of this troika of felicity from the Alty pov, Halifax went into liquidation and so bye-bye Halifax); Alty were set to have an 18 point deduction which got overturned when the authorities relented, this was the source of the deduction
James Robinson is devastated that Altrincham have been deducted 18 points after it was discovered that he was ineligible to play for them.
Robinson did not have international clearance when he signed for Altrincham in November after a spell in Iceland.
James, who is now playing in Australia, asked his dad Paul to speak on his behalf and he told Five Live: "He's devastated, it's upset him no end.
"He had a great relationship there and doesn't feel they are to blame."
Robinson joined Altrincham from Accrington in November following his stint abroad but he only made two reserve appearances for the Conference leaders.
However, it was only when Robinson left Altrincham to join Australian side Richmond Eagles in February that the problem was discovered.
Paul Robinson added: "He (James) reckons that administrative staff at Accrington should have sorted his international clearance out."
Director of operations for the Conference League, John Moules, insists they had no other choice but to deduct the points in which James appeared.
Moules said: "James Robinson had never appeared on any Conference team sheet or registration sheet other than that of Altrincham. We have to follow the rules set by the FA and follow them religiously.
"The board had to apply the rule. It is not our rule. It is the FA's rule and we had to follow it to the letter."
loads of fans of other Conf clubs at the time (in particular i recall Aldershot and York) were up in arms on Alty's behalf and other clubs were doing bucket collections and circulating petitions etc but FGR's secretary ticked off a lot of other Conf clubs by writing to every other secretary and lobbying for Alty to get sent down. i think a (it's all relative don't forget) Alty's tinpot part-time set up contrasted w the professional Accrington earnt the sympathy of most of the rest of the Conf (which is largely a full-time set up these days of course).
funnily enough i was once threatened w a night in the local jail (or 'gaol' i'd like to think in the West Country) by two constables at FGR years ago for the wicked crime of being among about 200 Alty fans who happened to all en-masse be shouting abuse at our own manager for something or other. they beckoned me over (i don't know, my voice must have carried) and read me the riot act before i was contrite enough to slink back. randomly, at the end of the game they found me, shook my hands and apologised, and said they had over-reacted at the time (!)