Banned: Wakefield FC boss Paul Lines
Banned Wakefield FC chief Paul Lines has turned to scouting while his brother-in-law runs the show on an Evo Stik Division One North matchday, writes James Grayson.
Lines has been handed a six-game stadium ban by the FA as punishment for an incident which involved referee Adam Burgess at the end of last month’s 7-0 defeat to Warrington Town.
The former Yorkshire Amateur boss has described the suspension as “scandalous” and intends to appeal the punishment in a bid to get it reduced.
Lines cannot enter a stadium that Wakefield are playing in until the visit of Curzon Ashton to Belle Vue on November 30th.
His only contact with his team is through score updates via social media or text message and the situation has left his assistant and brother-in-law Stephen Crilly in charge on a matchday.
Crilly led Wakefield to an incredible 3-2 victory at Ossett Town last night after the Bears were losing 2-0 with 15 minutes to go.
Whilst serving his ban, Lines intends on watching Wakefield’s upcoming opponents and he was at Throstle Nest last night to see Saturday’s opposition Burscough.
He told Sports Performer: “There’s no other way round it, I’ve got to do that (scout opposition). If there are a few teams playing in the local area that we’re playing in the next few weeks then I may be able to get some info on them.
“It will help the club and it will help Steve by having some insight into the teams coming up.
“Steve has been seeing to the games, obviously with my instruction. I pick the team and do the tactics and he goes and does his best for us.
“We have a good relationship and the thing with me and Steve is we were both married to two sisters in the same family so he’s my brother-in-law so I think I can trust him.
“Hopefully he can get the best out of them and can pick a few wins up.
“I’m getting score updates from Twitter and the chairman Simon Turfrey.
“The club has fully backed me and they have sent an appeal off to the FA saying ‘it’s not fair, we can’t afford to have our manager off for six games, especially with it being a club who doesn’t pay’.
“Hopefully (my ban) it won’t affect the players too much
“I’ve lost three players in the last week. I lost Lee Turner to Garforth, Chris Hitchings to Pontefract and Shaquille Clark says he wants to leave.
“But, I’ve brought one in Adam Hayton and I’m looking to bring two others in.
“I have contact with the players at training, but the thing what disappoints me is that I have no contact with my players inside the ground or the changing room which I think is scandalous.”
Last night’s second consecutive league win moved Wakefield level on points with Ossett in 19th on 15 points. Lines’ team are well on course to overhaul last season’s total of 17 points which kept them up due to Garforth Town’s low points total.
Lines admits Wakefield will need more this season and he said: “It is tough as usual with no money.
“We’re solvent and not in debt, but it’s hard getting players. Players have left and replacing them has been difficult. I did sign Adam Hayton last week from Ossett Albion and he has made a difference to us.
“I also signed Rob Bordman and he has just been finding the net every week, he’s averaging a goal a game.
“The target this year is a point a game so I’m looking for 42 points. That’s the target I have given the players and after last night we are now a point-per-game ratio of a point a game.
“If we can keep that going consistency throughout the season I’ll be a very happy man. We survived last year out of the relegation zone by 20-odd points, but I’m looking for more than that.
“I think this year is one of my toughest years. In the last two years that I kept them up it has been bad enough and hard enough to keep them up.”