Legg wants season extended after another call-off

LLANELLI manager Andy Legg says the Welsh Premier must consider extending the initial part of the season which is due to end on January 15.

His game at Neath tonight was called-off after six to eight inches of snow fell on The Gnoll to become the eighth postponement of the campaign for the Reds.

“We don’t have another match until Boxing Day and that leaves us to play 10 matches in three weeks, which is an impossible task,” says Legg).  “The Welsh Premier need to look at this.

“Obviously, it’s their decision and we will have to abide by what they decide, but it’s my players I feel for.

“They have not kicked a ball in anger since November 13 when we played Aberystwyth in the Welsh Cup, so they are far from match fit.

“If we are rushed into playing three or four times a week then I fear there will be injuries piling up. The situation is becoming worse than last season.”

Asked whether Parc y Scarlets is being considered as an alternative home venue in the short term, Legg said:

“I believe our general manager Nigel Richards is considering approaching them.  It might be possible, though it might be too expensive.

“The cost of putting our ground right – a drainage collapse is the problem – is massive but something needs to be done as we cannot go on like this.

“We applied for a grant last year to get the work done, but we didn’t get it.”

Carmarthen manager Tomi Morgan also hit out at what he branded a “ridiculous system” after claiming his forecast the 12-team set-up was a backward step has been proved correct.

“If we had a 16-team league with 30 matches we wouldn’t be in the position we are now,” Morgan insisted.

“The postponed games could have been rearranged before the end of the season, but now matches have to be completed by January 15.

“It’s ridiculous and because of the pressure put on clubs, matches are being called off too late to stop the opposition from travelling long distances before the decision to call off games is made.

“Many games could have been called off the day before, but the league are desperate for them to be played and are forcing clubs into making early- morning inspections on the day of the game.

“Some teams have travelled half the length of Wales by then.”