Hardy has his say

TONY BUGBY’S weekly look behind the scenes at Boundary Park

ALAN Hardy, Athletic’s chief executive, has helped the Football League to formulate a new policy discussion document on ground regulations for the 72 member clubs.

Mr Hardy was on the working party which looked at many areas aimed at raising standards.

The most far-reaching proposal is a ban on an event taking place on a ground in the 48 hours before a first-team fixture is played.

This will have far-reaching implications if it is passed because there are 16 ground-sharing partnerships, most of them with rugby clubs.

Stockport County, for example, would be affected as Sale Sharks often play rugby union games on Friday nights before the day of a soccer match.

Athletic would not be affected as their ground-share agreement with Oldham Roughyeds stipulates the rugby team cannot play 48 hours before a football match.

Other items contained in the report include the mandatory provision of frost covers and/or undersoil heating, accommodation for away supporters, floodlighting levels, size of changing rooms, enlarged benches as seven substitutes can be used in many cup competitions, and the provision of warm-up nets.

ATHLETIC’S Puma Youth Alliance match at Burnley, who are top of the North-West Conference, was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

But the decision was taken at such late notice that the Athletic team were only 15 minutes from the Clarets’ Gawthorpe training complex when they received the news.