Fury at non-league season that never was
Shifnal Town joint-boss Danny Carter has accused the FA of taking the easy way out following their decision to null and void the season at all levels beneath the National League.
In their first campaign in charge, Carter and his right-hand man Andrew Carrier had guided Shifnal to the brink of promotion from the West Midlands League Premier Division.
Shifnal were six points clear at the top, with a game in hand on their nearest rivals Bewdley, and set to be playing in the Midland League next season.
But their promotion hopes have been ended by the FA and they will be playing at the same level next season after the proposed restructure of the non-league system was put back a year.
“I’m devastated, absolutely devastated,” said Carter. “I think it’s a shambles of a call.
“The decision takes away from sides that have worked hard and done well and it rewards sides that don’t deserve to be rewarded.
“I think average points per game would have been the right way to go.
“We are over 70 per cent of the way through the season and you are where you are on merit. The league table doesn’t lie.
“I think they have made the decision too quickly.
“And I think they have taken the easy way out. Null and void it, no promotion and relegation and probably not as much backlash as they would have got if they had used average points per game to decide things. I’m gutted for everyone at the club because we have worked really hard this season.”
Market Drayton Town chairman Mick Murphy added: “You have to feel sorry for the teams at the top like Shifnal.”
Whatever the FA’s decision, Drayton would have been fine as their 4-0 triumph at Wisbech Town in their final game before the season was suspended took them off the bottom of Northern One South East, above Wisbech in the table and on points per game.
“That win against Wisbech could have turned out to be quite vital, but there are more important things going on,” added Murphy. “(Staying up) is massive for the club – 12 years at that level, I’m not sure how we have done that.
“We just hope society gets back to as normal as possible now.”
And he added: “I have to thank all the people that look after the ground for us, and the sponsors.
“At our level, they are completely vital because we don’t get big crowds and we don’t have someone chucking in 20 or 30 grand.”
