ARGUS COMMENT: Fixture pile-up is nightmare for County (From South Wales Argus)

ARGUS COMMENT: Fixture pile-up is nightmare for County

12:10pm Saturday 23rd March 2013 in News By Kevin Ward - Editor

WE have huge sympathy for Newport County as they enter the last few weeks of the football season.

Dreadful weather and the inability of one particular rival club to stage matches on time means County face playing 11 matches in less than four weeks before the season ends on April 20.

County are not the only team in the Blue Square Premier league to be facing such a fixture pile-up. Braintree Town have 12 matches still to play.

County have four matches in the next week alone as they play today (weather permitting) and then next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

It is a ridiculously congested and punishing schedule.

Whether playing a game every 2.5 days will have a negative effect on County's promotion push remains to be seen.

But we cannot imagine such a scenario being allowed in the Football League or the Premier League.

The BSP is the fifth tier of English football. The vast majority of players within it are full-time professionals.

Would any other professional football league anywhere in the world expect its teams to play so often?

Those in charge of the BSP say the season will not be extended beyond April 20.

They are wrong. It should be extended, even if that means the end-of-season play-off final taking place at a venue other than Wembley.

We do not want preferential treatment for Newport County, just a level playing field for everyone.