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Deal for Law falls through
10:15pm Monday 3rd March 2008
Comments (56)Nicky Law will NOT now be Bradford Park Avenue's next manager after a day of sensational claims and counter-claims left them having to apologise to his current club.
The debacle will have damaged Avenue's relationship with Alfreton Town and left them red faced, while also leaving Law looking naive.
Avenue chief executive Bob Blackburn handled the negotiations with the former Bradford City boss and was assured by him that he was not under contract as manager of Blue Square North outfit Alfreton.
In good faith, Avenue made the announcement that Law would be on board by today, only to later discover that would not transpire.
The Derbyshire club issued a statement on their website insisting Law was just months into a three-year contract and would not be allowed to leave.
Blackburn had handed him UniBond jackets, Avenue club tracksuits and coats with Law's and proposed assistant Russell O'Neil's initials on when the pair came to watch Avenue at Harrogate Railway Athletic on Saturday.
The chief executive was so confident on Thursday evening, after receiving word from Law that the deal was done, that he had the kit prepared on Friday knowing Law was attending the match to cast his eye over his new squad.
Blackburn was unable to contact Law on Sunday or today but was informed by text message from Law that he was under contract at Alfreton and would be unable to work for another club without substantial compensation.
Avenue director Kevin Hainsworth, who - along with Blackburn and club chairman John Dean - was involved at every step, said: "It has been a bad day but we are happy that from our side we did everything above board.
"Nicky applied for the job when he heard of the vacancy. He specifically told us that he was not under contract but when Alfreton put out their statement Nicky admitted he had signed a piece of paper but didn't realise what it was.
"It came as a shock to us and we contacted Alfreton to express our regrets - but we will brush ourselves down and it has just made us more determined to find the right man.
"We didn't want to discuss it at length today, we just decided to reconvene at 9.30 tomorrow morning and take it from there.
"The search commences from here. We obviously have something to go on because there were others who applied along with Nicky and unfortunately they just missed out because of his vast experience.
"So there are already some very good candidates on our shortlist and we hope to move things along quickly and have our new manager in place by Saturday for the home game against Lancaster City."
Avenue should have been at home to Ossett Albion in the semi-finals of the West Riding County Cup tonight but the tie was postponed.
Hainsworth explained: "The pitch was suffering from a combination of things - snow, rain and standing water.
"We felt there was a possibility of removing the snow but the forecast was bad so the referee called it off after an inspection.
"It could be rearranged for tomorrow or next Monday but that is something else that will be discussed this morning."
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Your Say YourBradford Telegraph and Argus
emj, says...
10:50pm Mon 3 Mar 08
Did it never occur to them to contact the managers club first?
That would have been the decent thing to do.
As for Law, just signing something but didnt know what. The mind boggles at his sheer stupidity.
Perhaps the stans are better of without someone so daft.
emj, says...
10:50pm Mon 3 Mar 08
Did it never occur to them to contact the managers club first?
That would have been the decent thing to do.
As for Law, just signing something but didnt know what. The mind boggles at his sheer stupidity.
Perhaps the stans are better of without someone so daft.
emj, says...
10:50pm Mon 3 Mar 08
Did it never occur to them to contact the managers club first?
That would have been the decent thing to do.
As for Law, just signing something but didnt know what. The mind boggles at his sheer stupidity.
Perhaps the stans are better of without someone so daft.
acidal, Bwadford says...
5:07am Tue 4 Mar 08
We all believe you didn't know what the piece of paper was Nicky.
LOL
acidal, Bwadford says...
5:07am Tue 4 Mar 08
We all believe you didn't know what the piece of paper was Nicky.
LOL
acidal, Bwadford says...
5:07am Tue 4 Mar 08
We all believe you didn't know what the piece of paper was Nicky.
LOL
acidal, Bwadford says...
5:07am Tue 4 Mar 08
We all believe you didn't know what the piece of paper was Nicky.
LOL
Bantam 58, keighley says...
8:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
Bantam 58, keighley says...
8:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
Bantam 58, keighley says...
8:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
Bantam 58, keighley says...
8:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE, Penn,Staffs says...
9:37am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE, Penn,Staffs says...
9:37am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE, Penn,Staffs says...
9:37am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE, Penn,Staffs says...
9:37am Tue 4 Mar 08
peter, skipton says...
10:29am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE wrote:Daft comment really. Should have posted this appointment when he supposedly got the job. The fact is that Nicky Law had two promotions with Buxton, who are my friend, a division higher than BPA.
Glad he didn't get the job, never rated him.
peter, skipton says...
10:29am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE wrote:Daft comment really. Should have posted this appointment when he supposedly got the job. The fact is that Nicky Law had two promotions with Buxton, who are my friend, a division higher than BPA.
Glad he didn't get the job, never rated him.
peter, skipton says...
10:29am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE wrote:Daft comment really. Should have posted this appointment when he supposedly got the job. The fact is that Nicky Law had two promotions with Buxton, who are my friend, a division higher than BPA.
Glad he didn't get the job, never rated him.
peter, skipton says...
10:29am Tue 4 Mar 08
HIPPIEDAVE wrote:Daft comment really. Should have posted this appointment when he supposedly got the job. The fact is that Nicky Law had two promotions with Buxton, who are my friend, a division higher than BPA.
Glad he didn't get the job, never rated him.
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
11:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
11:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
11:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
11:14am Tue 4 Mar 08
Boring Stan, Bradford 1974 says...
11:51am Tue 4 Mar 08
Boring Stan, Bradford 1974 says...
11:51am Tue 4 Mar 08
Boring Stan, Bradford 1974 says...
11:51am Tue 4 Mar 08
Boring Stan, Bradford 1974 says...
11:51am Tue 4 Mar 08
Big Mal, Bradford says...
12:13pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Big Mal, Bradford says...
12:13pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Big Mal, Bradford says...
12:13pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Big Mal, Bradford says...
12:13pm Tue 4 Mar 08
peter, skipton says...
1:03pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L. wrote:Probably someone like you. Everybody makes mistakes -except you? This is Non-League football after all, so these things happen. Life goes on, so you just relax down there in Spain.
what kind of a fool signs any piece of paper,without checking out what it means,the man must think fans are as foolish as he is,if this is how he conducts his self,avenue have had a lucky escape,and if i was the chairman of alfreton town,i would like an explanation,the only person to blame for this fiasco is nickylaws.
peter, skipton says...
1:03pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L. wrote:Probably someone like you. Everybody makes mistakes -except you? This is Non-League football after all, so these things happen. Life goes on, so you just relax down there in Spain.
what kind of a fool signs any piece of paper,without checking out what it means,the man must think fans are as foolish as he is,if this is how he conducts his self,avenue have had a lucky escape,and if i was the chairman of alfreton town,i would like an explanation,the only person to blame for this fiasco is nickylaws.
peter, skipton says...
1:03pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L. wrote:Probably someone like you. Everybody makes mistakes -except you? This is Non-League football after all, so these things happen. Life goes on, so you just relax down there in Spain.
what kind of a fool signs any piece of paper,without checking out what it means,the man must think fans are as foolish as he is,if this is how he conducts his self,avenue have had a lucky escape,and if i was the chairman of alfreton town,i would like an explanation,the only person to blame for this fiasco is nickylaws.
peter, skipton says...
1:03pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L. wrote:Probably someone like you. Everybody makes mistakes -except you? This is Non-League football after all, so these things happen. Life goes on, so you just relax down there in Spain.
what kind of a fool signs any piece of paper,without checking out what it means,the man must think fans are as foolish as he is,if this is how he conducts his self,avenue have had a lucky escape,and if i was the chairman of alfreton town,i would like an explanation,the only person to blame for this fiasco is nickylaws.
richard, cleckheaton says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
richard, cleckheaton says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
richard, cleckheaton says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
richard, cleckheaton says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Simba, Liversedge says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Simba, Liversedge says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Simba, Liversedge says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Simba, Liversedge says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
5:56pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
5:56pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
5:56pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
5:56pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
6:06pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
6:06pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
6:06pm Tue 4 Mar 08
D.J.L., Torrevieja,Spain. says...
6:06pm Tue 4 Mar 08
campion bantam, bradford says...
12:17pm Wed 5 Mar 08
campion bantam, bradford says...
12:17pm Wed 5 Mar 08
campion bantam, bradford says...
12:17pm Wed 5 Mar 08
campion bantam, bradford says...
12:17pm Wed 5 Mar 08
Alfreton Town refused Nicky Law permission to take up the manager's position at Avenue
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emj, says...
10:50pm Mon 3 Mar 08
Did it never occur to them to contact the managers club first?
That would have been the decent thing to do.
As for Law, just signing something but didnt know what. The mind boggles at his sheer stupidity.
Perhaps the stans are better of without someone so daft.