Toolstation NCEL Division One
Selby Town in action against Northallerton Town
Selby Town chairman Ralph Pearse believes the FA need to make step six clubs more aware of all the requirements to enter the Emirates FA Cup.
Because the competition is oversubscribed, step six (NCEL Division One) clubs across the country are judged by a points-per-game ratio . It is a not well known practice that has been used for a few years.
This year the cutting point was 1.64 and Selby’s ratio fell short at 1.425.
Selby, along with Knaresborough, wrongly thought that finishing in the top ten would guarantee admission into the world renowned tournament.
Mr Pearse was understandably “stunned” when his club received an email at 4pm on Thursday which said their application had been rejected.
“My immediate reaction was disappointed because last year the team who finished tenth in this league went into the FA Cup,” Mr Pearse told Non League Yorkshire.
“This year we finished tenth and expected to be in it. Apparently there is a certain points-per-game ratio to get in and unfortunately we didn’t get to it.
“I personally didn’t know about it (the rules) so we’re disappointed. We went on what happened last year.
“If we had known at the start of the season we wouldn’t have been disappointed. We would have been able to work it out for ourselves that we wouldn’t get in.
“Clubs need to be told about the criteria to get in right at the start of the season.
“This year we’re hoping to put a team together to get us in the FA Cup and the top six, that’s the aim.”
Effort was phenomenal
Missing out is harsh on Selby’s players. Selby ran through brick walls in the congested end to the season to earn a top ten finish, in the belief they would be playing in the FA Cup in August.
Selby collected 25 points out of a possible 51 in two months so Mr Pearse is also disappointed that his club’s players have received no reward.
“The effort (by the players) was phenomenal, especially considering we had to play seven games in 21 days (in April),” he added.
“We weren’t going to get in the top six so the goal was to get in the FA Cup. The FA Cup attracts players to the club because it is the biggest competition in the world. Everybody wants to be in it at Non League level.
“The effort has been chucked back in their faces, along with the people who run the club.
“We’re down here all the time. We were supporting the players, saying things like” ‘get a win today, a point next week and we’re in’.”.
“Unfortunately all the effort put in by the players and the people running the club has gone unrewarded.”
Surely if the clubs secretary was worth their “salt” they’d (secretary) would be familiar with the FA’s regs’?