Cray Valley PM were undoubtedly the form team of Bet Victor South East when the FA pulled the plug on the Non-League season last week after a run of eight wins in a row had taken Kevin Watson’s side to within touching distance of the top of the table.
Veteran keeper Andy Walker has played a big part in Valley’s climb out of the SCEFL to the verge of the Bet Victor Premier via of course last season’s FA Vase Final.
Yet despite his experience in both the professional game and the Non-League circuit, even Walker has been left puzzled and disappointed by the FA’s decision to declare arguably Valley’s biggest League campaign in the club’s history null and void.
Walker told KSN, “It’s kind of the only way I guess, yet at the same time no-one is happy with that way if you like!”
“I don’t know what decision could have been made if I’m honest, because no matter what decisions were made, someone was going to have an issue with it.”
“It was always going to benefit someone and be to the detriment of someone else – I don’t honestly see that there was another way around it.”
“Maybe they could have waited certainly in Non-League terms, they could have waited a little bit longer to see what develops and see what the options are to complete the season.”
“There must be reasons why the decision has come out so quickly and am obviously gutted being from a club who were going for promotion and we were in a good position to do that, but first and foremost it needs to be people’s health and safety that are in mind – and from that I think that this was the only decision they could make!”
Walker then demanded consistency across the game and that the FA now mirror their Non-League decision across the higher Leagues in the game.
He said, “If they are now to go any other way with the Premier League and the Football League, I believe that it will be scandalous!”
“Yes, the crowds certainly in the Premier League and League football are obviously way over and above anything that the like of us (Cray Valley) are going to get.”
“So therefore, surely the pro game should have been the one looked at first and say that no way that season can be finished with the amount of people that they’re going to get watching them.”
“Secondly and ultimately if they think that our supporters think anything less of our club than Liverpool or Manchester United then they’re very much mistaken and that I think is what they’re suggesting if they allow them to continue with the rest of the football season.”
“It was our first year at this level and for it just to be scrubbed is an absolute gutter!”
One Kent Non-League side are still waiting to hear if they are still on the Road to Wembley in this season’s FA Vase, as Corinthian still wait to learn the fate of their Semi Final with Hebburn Town.
Walker of course played a massive part in Cray Valley’s run to Wembley last season and has nothing but sympathy for the Corinthian players and the uncertainty they now face.
Walker said, “What are they supposed to do as they’ve got no games now to play and yet they could still be looking at a Vase Semi Final and maybe a Final?”
“The boys keep themselves fit these days but there’s the ball work and your match fitness that you can’t recreate on your own.”
“However, it will be the same for all the teams left in it. I would like to see the competition played out as in my mind it shouldn’t be made any more important than League games but having experienced the “Wembley thing” just last year, I wouldn’t want that taken away from anyone as they’re so close.”
“I don’t even think it would be a massive issue if that ran into next season really would it?”
“You could easily play the Semi Finals pre-season and then find a date in September say for the Final at Wembley! I do hope they find a way through that problem and whoever maybe gets their day out at Wembley.”