Forfar manager Dick Campbell has launched a blistering attack on Scotland’s football governing bodies for this year’s early start to the season.
The Loons will line up against Buckie Thistle at Station Park on Saturday in the Ramsdens Cup at the same time that the SPL gets under way.
Campbell described the decision to kick-off on July 23 as “a disgrace,” and insisted that part-time teams haven’t been taken into consideration. He may only have a squad of 13 for the fixture and he expects other lower league managers to be in a similar predicament.
“This could only happen in Scotland,” he said. “The SPL and SFL are only thinking about Rangers and Celtic, not the likes of Forfar.
“To start the season this early is absolutely crazy. It’s a joke. We were involved in the play-offs so we’ve only had five weeks off. Because my players aren’t full-time they have to take their holidays in the school break and that’s what we’re in the middle of just now.
“This weekend I’ll be without two players because of weddings and holidays. It also belittles the tournament.
“If that wasn’t bad enough, the season starts with two cup games and you can only play signed players. So I can’t even use trialists.
“If I don’t manage to bring anyone in by Saturday I’ll have 13 players and that’s what I’ll go with because I won’t sign someone just for the sake of it.
“What rubs salt into the wound is that in a couple of weeks the SPL will have a weekend off.”
Campbell has revealed that the rushed pre-season has already taken its toll.
“We would normally have around 19 sessions before we have a game and this year we only trained five times before we played a match,” he said.
“We’ve already picked up a few injuries as a result and it’s the same with other part-time clubs. The SFA, the SPL and the SFL need to take a look at themselves and speak to the people who know about the game.”