WITTON manager Brian Pritchard believes the season should not be made longer to allow rival clubs more time between games.

He told the Guardian he will not support AFC Fylde’s petition, launched on Saturday, to add at least another week to the current campaign to fit in their remaining fixtures.

League officials will discuss the issue during a meeting tomorrow.

“We shouldn’t go a minute past the agreed date,” he said.

“I have sympathy with Fylde’s reckoning, but I’ve been in a similar position as a player in the recent past and we were told to get on with it. We even played on successive days a few years back.”

Pritchard was on the pitch when Witton, in April 2006, played nine league games in 21 days to complete their programme before an agreed deadline.

They lost six of their final seven matches, finishing eighth.

He warned clubs would have to be careful with spending if fixtures were arranged for the first week in May.

“There are economic factors to consider; players’ contracts usually expire in the final week of April, for example. Clubs would have to find an extra week’s wages, which might not be easy if they don’t have a home game,” he added.

“Of course the weather has been a factor this season, and in fairness to Fylde I’d urge people to think back to earlier in the campaign for an explanation as to the problem.

“The FA Trophy calendar had changed this year to fit in the final this weekend, which hasn’t helped one bit.”

Fylde, following today’s postponement against Hednesford, have a dozen league games left.

The Coasters returned to the table’s top five following a 4-0 win at Whitby in midweek, the first time they have occupied a play-offs place since October.

In a statement, chairman David Haythornthwaite said he would urge the league to act.

It read: “A number of clubs, including us, find ourselves in a very difficult situation. For Fylde it was brought about in the main, by our successful cup runs.

“While we appreciate it may not be in the interest of many clubs, especially those who have fulfilled their fixtures already, we hope that pragmatism and fairness will prevail.”

League operations manager, Alan Allcock, said that the fixture list will be discussed by Evo-Stik Northern Premier League officers on Sunday.

He added: “I have asked the board to at least consider a week’s extension.”

Pritchard, whose team’s home date with Rushall Olympic also fell foul of the weather on Saturday, warned that a solution should be found for next season, not just this one.

He said: “The Premier Division will have an extra two teams, so the situation could be even worse.

“I’ve raised this issue, in programme notes and to whoever would listen, but it’s just felt like I’ve been a lone voice.”

Witton Albion
Northern Premier League Premier Division
2005-2006 run-in

April 08 Ashton United (h) W2-0
April 14 Marine (a) W1-0
April 17 Farsley Celtic (h) L0-1
April 19 Blyth Spartans (h) D1-1
April 20 Ilkeston Town (a) L0-2
April 22 North Ferriby United (a) L1-5
April 24 Gateshead (a) L2-3
April 26 Radcliffe Borough (h) L0-1
April 29 Matlock Town (h) L2-4