Thackley have started the season in fine form but assistant-manager Graham Clifford has one gripe – Sunday football.

He said: “We have two players, Matt Morgan and Ross Daly, who are suspended for more than a month because of red cards and suspensions they have picked up playing local football.”

The Dennyboys’ number two has the greatest respect for the Sunday morning game and scouts for talent in the local leagues.

However, the disparity in the severity of disciplinary action against the players has long been an issue with top non-league sides.

Clifford added: “We have built a squad here of 20 to 22 players and all of them can walk into the side. When we have injuries or a few games in quick succession, it works well because we need them all and they all get a run out.

“When some of them play on Sundays and get a yellow card or a red, the suspensions from the County FA are far longer than the ones handed out by the full FA if they play for our first team.

“You can’t blame the lads. They want a game with their mates and the ones that are not getting a game are a bit frustrated.

“We are not a Guiseley in the Conference League where we can bang them all on contract which prevents them from playing Sunday football.

“We don’t have the resources to do that so we ask them, plead with them, not to play in the Sunday leagues.

“That is not because it’s a poor standard. It’s because of the suspensions that they leave themselves open to.

“If they got a one-game ban for a red card, three for one deemed violent conduct, and one or two for an accumulation of bookings, it wouldn’t be a problem.”