City could be Senior Cup outcasts (From Hampshire Chronicle)

City could be Senior Cup outcasts

4:43pm Wednesday 11th February 2009

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THE Southampton Senior Cup saga took another dramatic twist this week when Southampton FA secretary Dave Munday declared that, for the first time in 100 years, Winchester City will not be invited to play in next season’s competition.

The Southern League club have played in the Cup every year since its inception in 1909, when they reached the final, but Munday is adamant that this year will be Winchester’s last.

City have been at the centre of controversy since appearing to break at least two Cup rules this season – fielding an ineligible player, Jono Richardson, against Stoneham in the second round and then not playing Netley Central in the following round by the due date of November 15.

Southampton FA’s refusal to state publicly their reasons for not taking action against Winchester only served to further inflame feelings among other clubs.

Netley subsequently withdrew from the cup in protest and five of the quarter-finalists threatened to do likewise if City remained.

According to Munday, Winchester should never have been in the competition in the first place.

“It’s in the rulebook that they are out of the area and it is something that should have been picked up years ago,” he said. “Winchester certainly won’t be in the Senior Cup all the time I’m secretary of this association,” he added.

The rule, which appears on page 13 of the SFA handbook, states: ‘The area of this association shall be that portion of Hampshire as bounded by a line drawn from a point south of and including Warsash, to and including Bishop’s Waltham, to and including Old Alresford; then to a point south of but not including Winchester’.

Winchester City secretary John Moody said: “Technically, Dave Munday is correct. But, traditionally, this football club has played in the Southampton Senior Cup since it started and our reserves have played in the North Hants Cup.

“If that’s what they want, so be it, but this club would be absolutely appalled if the Southampton FA took this action.”

A second board of inquiry into Winchester allegedly fielding an ineligible player against Stoneham is due to be conducted by the Hampshire FA this Friday.

Keep up to date with sport in this week's Hampshire Chronicle

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