Farsley AFC manager Neil Parsley believes the West Riding County Cup should be a summer competition
A summer pre-season tournament is the way the West Riding County Cup should go, Neil Parsley believes.
Farsley AFC were involved in one of seven first round ties which took place earlier this week and all attracted low crowds.
The Evo Stik Division One North side strolled to a 7-0 victory over Glasshoughton Welfare and when asked where the County Cup ranks in terms of importance, Parsley told Non League Yorkshire: “It doesn’t really.
“We want to do well in every game. There are some big clubs in the cup and we obviously want to win them, but if you asked me the question: what would I rather take, a play-offs place or to do well in the cup competition.
“If I’m being honest, I’d take the play-offs place.
“I believe the County Cup should be played in the summer.
“I think you would get better crowds due to the better weather.
“If the teams were pooled in two groups, it would be easier for managers to organise their pre-season fixtures.
“I think it would be better all round for referees, officials and it would make it a more intriguing competition for the supporters.
“I’ve said it for a number of years and I’m still an advocate of that. Some managers would disagree and I’m sure the people down at the West Riding will disagree.”
Farsley return to league action this weekend after FA Cup and West Riding action – ten days on from the victory at fellow high-flyers Droylsden.
The win at Droylsden was significant as Farsley bounced back from a devastating 4-3 defeat to Mossley three days earlier.
Parsley, whose side head to Radcliffe Borough tomorrow, said: “The Mossley defeat was a shock.
“To go 3-2 up in the last minute and lose 4-3 was a massive shock and I haven’t been involved in many games when that has happened.
“If you are a stats man and you analyse it. When Tommy Taylor has had very little to do and we concede four goals from six attempts and we have 21 attempts, it is a freak result.
“That is what we put it down to and it was a fantastic performance at Droylsden.
“It ranks in there as one of the best performances that I have seen as manager of Farsley.
“Droylsden pass it around, but our game-plan and ethos of how we are trying to play worked down to a tee.
“I’m happy with how it is going.
“It would be nice to get to 20 points inside the ten games. It is a difficult test at Radcliffe because they are unbeaten at home.
“But Ossett Albion went there last Saturday and got a decent result so I will be speaking to Richard Tracey and finding out their strengths and seeing if there are weaknesses we can exploit.”