The FA care more about England than the rest of us, fumes Folkestone Invicta secretary

Folkestone Invicta secretary Neil Pilcher has criticised the Football Association for arranging an England European Championship qualifier on the same day as the third qualifying round of the FA Cup, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Ryman Premier League club welcome British Gas Business Division One South & West strugglers Hillingdon Borough to the Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road next Saturday at 3pm - the same time as England’s European Championship qualifier against Estonia at Wembley Stadium.

And just a few miles away, at Reachfields Stadium, Hythe Town, the sole Kent League survivors in this season‘s FA Cup competition, welcome Ryman League Division One North club Ware

Clubs can only change the date and or kick-off time if their opponents agree, but Hillingdon Borough haven’t and Mr Pilcher feels the club will lose revenue as fans stay away and watch a rejuvenated England instead in pubs, at home, or at Wembley Stadium.

Chatham Town have brought forward their Ryman League Division One South clash with Metropolitan Police to the Friday evening, to entice more fans to Maidstone Road.

But Mr Pilcher, venting his displeasure on the fans; forum at www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk, said: “I have read with interest the various comments concerning us switching times and dates for our FA Cup games in both this and the previous round.

“In normal circumstances the FA won’t allow games to be changed unless for security reasons, Police advice or the like, or if the ground is unavailable on the original scheduled date, due to groundsharing.”

A crowd of 264 watched the goal-less draw with Windsor & Eton last Saturday, with many fans in the local area deciding to attend the FA Cup second qualifying round clash between Hythe Town and Dover Athletic, which attracted a crowd of 1,109 to Reachfields Stadium.

Mr Pilcher added: “Clearly neither of these applied to the Windsor & Eton game in the second qualifying round and the fact there was a big game down the road at the same time wouldn’t have been an acceptable reason (to switch kick off time or date).”

Mr Pilcher said that Hillingdon Borough didn’t want to come down to east Kent at a different time or date.

“Moving onto this round, due to the fact an England game has been arranged at the same time, the FA have given permission for games to be altered to either the Friday night, Sunday or Saturday lunchtime - subject to both teams being in agreement,” he explained.

“Unfortunately for reasons that I can understand on both sides, we have been unable to agree and so will kick off at 3pm as normal on the Saturday.

“Whilst this is a shame and will cause decisions to be made as to which game you watch and the attendance will possible suffer, one is left wandering why England was arranged for that time on the Saturday, knowing full well it was third qualifying round day in the FA Cup.

“If that had been arranged for the Friday it would have meant one game being arranged instead of all those in the FA Cup, not to mention all the other League and Non-League games being played around the country.

“Perhaps they have shares in the telephone suppliers as judging by the number of calls I have had with the very amiable Hillingdon secretary. If this was repeated for every game a fortune would have been made!”

Back on the pitch, Neil Cugley’s side, who are eight games unbeaten, travel to Leyton on Saturday (3pm) and AFC Wimbledon next Tuesday (7:45pm).

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Leyton v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 6^th October 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Leyton Stadium, 282 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7LD