CURZON LOSE £10K

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CURZON ASHTON were left counting the cost of FC United fans' decision to boy­cott yesterday's game after just 297 turned up at the Tameside Stadium,

Chairman Harry Galloway believes the UniBond North side could have lost £10,000 after the Red Rebels fans' no-show, following their objec­tion to the 12.45pm kick-off.

"What could we do about it?" said a dejected Galloway, who watched his side slip to a 2-0 defeat against United.

"I think it could have been prevented by the league -there was no need for it to come to this at all.

"Of course we are disap­pointed by the gate because we were expecting at least another 1,000 on top of that.

"There were about 10 to 20 FC United fans in disguise around the ground, but we had budgeted for far more.

"It has cost us about £10k and for a club like Curzon Ashton that is a lot of money."

FC United chiefs had asked fans to boycott the game after it was chosen for UniBond TV - and an early kick-off.

Despite accepting United's reasons, Galloway added: "It's written into their constitution that they are not going to be pushed about by TV compa­nies with regard to kick-offs but I would never support a boycott from our supporters on this issue."

Meanwhile, a record crowd of 467 watched FC United reserves beat Club AZ 3-1 in a home top-of-the-table Cheshire League Division Two clash.

NLP Sunday, 30 December 2007