LEAGUE FAIR PLAY

The final monthly Fair Play awards of the season have gone to ASHTON UNITED, BAMBER BRIDGE and GOOLE respectively. Ashton, with three cautions in five games, were winning the Premier Division prize for the second month in succession whilst “Brig” belied their lowly overall season disciplinary record in the First Division North to incur just one a caution during April. In the First Division South both Goole and Stamford also had just one caution recorded against them in the month and as both also identical Technical Area marks the award went to Goole on their better overall season to date record.

Ashton’s successive monthly awards in March and April propelled the club well clear of their nearest rivals in the race for the Premier Division overall season prize of £1,000 to complete a most remarkable story. Last season the Hurst Cross club had finished rock bottom of the Fair Play table but Chairman Dave Aspinall and his Board decided that something had to be done. During the close season they worked with manager Danny Johnson to improve the club’s disciplinary record and succeeded to such an extent that they have scooped the top prize all of which goes to prove that if there is a will then there is a way. Chasetown and Whitby Town had identical records in second and third places and share £750.

There was also a remarkable a story in the First Division North where no fewer than three clubs recorded less than one caution per game throughout the season which ended with last year’s FA National Respect and Fair Play winners Lancaster City landing the First Division North £1,000 Fair Play cash for an incredible third season in succession. Witton Albion edged this year’s FA National Respect and Fair Play winners AFC Fylde out of second spot by the narrowest of margins averaging 0.94 disciplinary points per game against 0.95. Albion pocket £500 whilst Fylde take home £250.

First Division South Fair Play winners Leek Town also recorded less than a caution a game but with an average of 0.88 disciplinary points per game were 0.01 points behind Lancaster for the best record overall in the League meaning that the President’s Cup for Fair Play goes to Lancaster City by the narrowest of margins. Brigg Town took second place in this Division with new club Ilkeston adding third place in the Fair Play table to their second position out on the pitch.

This season saw the League as part of its Respect Programme put up £4,000 in prize money to go the clubs in each of the three Divisions that had least dissent cautions / foul and abusive language dismissals in all competitions including the League Cup, FA Cup and FA Trophy in addition to League fixtures. Premier Division champions Chester FC won the top tier first prize of £750 with just three dissent cautions whilst Nantwich Town and Stafford Rangers shared the second and third place money with four cautions each.

Curzon Ashton and Witton Albion who contested the First Division North Play-Off Final shared first and second place prize money in that Division’s Respect awards and with only two cautions each in the entire season in all competitions. Another club involved in the play-offs, Farsley FC, shared third place prize money with Trafford on three cautions.

In the First Division South Leek Town pocketed another £750 for winning that Division’s Respect prize money with just three dissent cautions in all games whilst Goole and Romulus shared second and third place prize money with four cautions/ dismissals. Goole, like Ashton, have enjoyed an extraordinary turn around discipline wise this season. Year after year Goole have had a very poor record on discipline and have usually finished in the bottom three season on season. But their excellent record on cutting out dissent this season has seen them improve in the overall Fair Play table to a very creditable fourth place.

The final Fair Play Table may be found via the League Info/Downloads tab at the top of the Home Page.