LAST SEASON’S FA Cup finalists Everton will not be allowed to enter this year’s competition.
Imagine the uproar at Goodison Park if the game’s officials made such a decision.
Well that’s the prospect Waterloo Dock are facing in the Liverpool Senior Cup.
Waterloo fought their way past AFC Liverpool, Tranmere and Burscough last season to become the first side from the Liverpool County Premier League to reach the final.
Facing a Liverpool Reserves side containing a star-studded international brigade of Rafael Benitez’s finest young talent, many would have been surprised the Dock were only sunk by a late goal from Krisztian Nemeth after matching Gary Ablett’s side for most of the game.
Their gallant efforts seemed to have been ignored at Walton Hall Park though after the Liverpool County FA axed Waterloo and all clubs from their level from competing in this season’s Senior Cup competition.
The County FA claim that their decision is down to ‘ground criteria’ but because their Edinburgh Park ground on Townsend Lane does not have floodlights, Waterloo played last season’s ‘home’ tie with Tranmere at Bootle.
Waterloo manager Jim Davies said: “The lads are gutted. To say it’s a bit hard to take is an understatement.
“We weren’t even told directly about the decision to exclude us. Our league secretary (Iain Munro) received a letter informing him of the County FA’s decision which he passed on to us.
“I know he’s devastated like us by the decision and has written back to them to put the case forward for clubs at our level.”
The Senior Cup is one of Merseyside’s most historic football competitions dating back to 1883 and featured the first Everton v Liverpool derby in 1892.
The tournament was opened up to ‘grass roots’ clubs at Waterloo’s level when the Liverpool County Premier League was formed in 2006.
However, Davies feels that his side were still the victims of snobbery from some of Merseyside’s more established clubs when competing last season.
He said: “We heard a few whispers as we were progressing that we might not be allowed back.
“It’s like the big boys were happy to let us in so long as we went out early doors but as soon as we did well they didn’t like it. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened it we had won it.
“Liverpool were great with us in the final and wrote us a lovely letter afterwards but Tranmere didn’t seem to want to play us.”
County FA spokesman Geoff Swinnerton says that he sympathises with Dock’s plight but insists the wishes of the competition’s senior clubs need to beconsidered.
He said: “Going back in history, the Senior Cup, as its name suggests, is for our senior clubs.
“The rules always used to be that they needed their own private ground with floodlights.
“Waterloo Dock have proven themselves to be the finest amateur club in the area on many occasions and certainly didn’t disgrace themselves in last season’s final.”
