Skipper wins appeal but can we keep him?

[Cookie]

Fleet defender's appeal is upheld

 

by Tony Hudd

GRAVESEND officials have hit back at the Football Association, who upheld Lee Protheroe’s appeal against his sacking.

 

The club referred the matter to the FA and the Nationwide Conference management committee following allegations that the defender divulged Fleet team tactics to a friend who plays for Stevenage.

 

It was alleged that 30-year-old Protheroe, who is on loan at Margate, spoke with an unnamed player on the morning of the Fleet’s match at Broadhall Way on Saturday, March 25. Gravesend lost the game 2-0.

 

Protheroe admitted as much and although the Fleet accepted the Stevenage player was a friend, they decided the action constituted gross misconduct and sacked him.

 

Protheroe appealed and the FA wrote to the player and also the club,informing them that they could not take disciplinary action while he was still at Margate.

 

All Fleet chairman Brian Kilcullen would say was: "My understanding is that we cannot take action against someone who is still one of our employees because he is temporarily playing elsewhere."

 

Club secretary Roly Edwards offered what he described as purely a personal point of view when he said: "I believe the FA have opened a can of worms.

 

"I cannot think of any other employment law situation where the issue of who has the contract and who pays the wages doesn’t matter."

 

Protheroe, who joined the Fleet on a permanent basis from Canvey Island at the start of the 2004/05 season following a spell on loan, said: "I was worried that I would be suspended and wouldn’t be able to play again this season. I just want to see out my loan deal so I’m glad I can remain a Margate player until the end of the season."

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I hope we can sway him into staying on after the season ends. Would be a massive signing for us ready for next season if we can.After all we ARE going for "gold" next season with whoever we have in charge.

Come on MFC Directors dangle a carrot & come on Lee think hard about remaining with us, with a club who are beginning on the road,not just to a recovery,but to re-newed glories again. Am sure we would all like you to be a big part of that here at Hartsdown.

[Northants Blue]

Couldn't agree more. We need players of Lee's calibre to stay. Once one commits the rest will follow!

 

Would think it would be very difficult for Lee to go back to the fleet after what has happened.

[Chris1]

Would be great to have LP on board next season.

 

As long as we don't get drawn against Stevenage of course.

[Cookie]

l.o.l.

[ScratMFC]

I wonder how much this damage LP's reputation? If this does, I wonder whether other teams will want to sign him?

 

Recently fallen star Mark Bosnich was starting rumours that Gravesend where gonna sign him, which wasnt true. OK his offeence was very different to LP's but hes still un-employed because of it.

 

I hope that we can sign LP, he would be a great signing for us. With this over his head, it may well be possible to sign him.

[Gate Watcher]

Protheroe is a fantastic player. Great skill on the ball and really class for this league. I think it would be really worth the clubs while if it comes down to it where money & expenses count. I know Lee has to travel a long way for home games but I really hope it would be possible to sign him. He is a player that demands others raise their game as well his own being raised and his influence is massive.

[Cookie]

I dont really think that what he was accused of really warrants a sacking.I can see why the club took their action but really did it really influence the result that much.After all whoever plays its down to the game and the teams performances on that day as to the outcome. Yes,giving out details of your own team to the opposing team,albeit via a personal level is probably wrong & yes,opposing managers can pick a team accordingly to suit that line up but its not a major crime is it? Well not low down the leagues such as the Conference is. Had it been the Premiership I could understand it more & whilst the crime itself is the same would it really have as big an affect as it would in the Premiership? Something somewhere tells me the manager was just looking for something to pin on him.Surely just a behind closed doors warning would have been enough.Maybe they dont get on,I dont know. But their loss is our gain even though for the moment in be on a temporay basis.

We need to capitalise on this situation and try & benefit from it. Hope it works out that way.

[Hempstead Gaz]

I suspect Lee told his Stevenage chum that Liam would go 5-5-0, play no recognised strikers, play route 1 hoof it up the pitch football, and would make poitless substitutions on 87 mins.

We could have told him the same information.

[Andy .]

looks like you need him back in your squad ( but we need him to stay here ) funny how you were pushing 4 a playoff spot not so long ago and now your just fighting to get a win , footballs a funny old game.At least you are safe and can start building again for next yr , i just hope we get the result we need on monday at folkstone and Hendon lose then we are safe and we can have Jay Saunders off you so we can put him in middle with jk and lp . There`s only 1 way for us and that`s (UP)...........................................

[jc]

Was that an anti-Daish posting Gary?

[seasidesteve]

of course we can keep him if he likes it here. he will not go back to gravesend again and i think he wants to stay part time

[FleetFanatic]

Quote:

ScratMFC said:
Recently fallen star Mark Bosnich was starting rumours that Gravesend where gonna sign him, which wasnt true.

Wasn't that Grays, rather than us???

[FleetFanatic]

Quote:

Chatham Gary said:
I suspect Lee told his Stevenage chum that Liam would go 5-5-0, play no recognised strikers, play route 1 hoof it up the pitch football, and would make poitless substitutions on 87 mins.
We could have told him the same information.

I think those tactics are rather ambitious, even for Liam. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In all seriousness, I think Lee should still be with us.
But he won't be playing in a 'Fleet shirt, not after the Protheroegate scandal.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Quote:

jc said:
Was that an anti-Daish posting Gary?

Perish the thought. I did imply I would not post anti LD postings on OUR forum. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />