Oswestry Town fired up for another push for glory

Leonard, who was appointed from Welsh second tier outfit Guilsfield in November, guided the Park Hall outfit to second place in the North West Counties First Division South before non-league’s steps three and below were expunged by the Football Association.

The FA’s decision, which was ratified after an open letter of protest from numerous non-league clubs, means the hard work put in by Leonard and his team will be worthless.

In a division where four clubs were primed for promotion due to the summer’s restructuring, Oswestry sat second and 13 points clear of fifth.

The former midfielder accused the FA of making a ‘hasty and easy decision’, adding that the governing body had lost touch with such clubs and leagues.

“It’s disappointing. I think it’s a hasty decision, that’s how it looks to me,” said Leonard, whose side were 16 points behind leaders Vauxhall Motors.

“It’s like the FA saying ‘who are they down there? Oh that’s fine’.

“I think it shows a lack of understanding and connecting from the FA, just like ‘we will null and void them, it doesn’t matter, they will be fine’.

“I think it’s just the easiest decision for them.”

Leonard replaced Matt Burton, who had made a solid start to the campaign with Oswestry, but resigned from his role and subsequently joined Whitchurch Alport of the league above.

The manager followed in the footsteps of his father Carleton, a former long-serving Shrewsbury Town and Oswestry defender, in representing his hometown club.

He added: “When so many games have been played and so much has been put into the season, I think points per game is the fairest way to do it.

“If we had only played 12 games I would completely understand it being null and void. But many teams, and not just us, put in so much time, effort and money. It’s disappointing for myself, players, coaching but it’s the committee and sponsors who have put money into the club.

“I think the FA has lost touch with the lower leagues like us.

“A points per game ratio is the fairest way and most people would agree.

“Vauxhall Motors are the best team in the league and deserve to win it. We’re the second best team having played more than 75 per cent of the season.

Leonard, an academy coach at Oswestry’s landlords The New Saints, continued the fine start made by Burton and has lost just six games in 21 in all competitions since mid-November.

Oswestry’s target was to secure promotion to the NWCFL’s Premier Division this season and the squad was boosted by emerging young players who joined on loan from TNS, such as young striker Harry Bower, who bagged 11 goals.

Experienced TNS stalwarts such as Chris Seargeant and Steve Evans – who is assistant at the Welsh Premier club – have also played key roles in the squad, while the Saints’ academy directer Jason Brindley is Leonard’s assistant.

Goalkeeper Mason Springthorpe, the former Shrewsbury Town youngster who was sold to Everton as a prodigious young talent in 2011, is impressing back in his home county.

Oswestry made the final of the Shropshire Premier Cup where they were due to tackle the winners of the semi-final between Shifnal Town and Allscott.

And they reached the two-legged semi-final of the PlayerMatch.com League Cup, albeit going down 3-0 in the first leg to AFC Liverpool.

But Leonard’s men will be ready to go again next season as they plan another push for promotion.

“We’ll go again and I’ve already started identifying players and what we want to do next season,” Leonard said. “We’ll be hard at work whenever pre-season is to try to improve and we’ll be ready to go again.

“If we don’t go up then it motivates me, the players and the staff to win the league next season.”