'We feel we've had a double punishment' - Rushall Olympic boss on league allocation appeal

Two weeks ago the Pics discovered they had been placed in the Northern Premier League Premier division at step three of the non-league pyramid following their drop from National North after two seasons at step two.

Long, the former Tividale, Alvechurch, Stourbridge and Walsall Wood boss, had only been appointed after relegation at the end of April and admitted the club were left "bamboozled" given the expectation was to be placed in the more Midlands-based Southern League Premier Central.

As such, the Walsall club have appealed the decision from the Football Association and their hearing will take place early next month.

Vice-chairman Nick Allen has spoken of the 'catastrophic' affect moving into the Northern Premier - which features a host of Lancashire and Yorkshire clubs as well as trips as north as Cumbria and Teesside - could have on club finances.

And boss Long said: "It's a tough one, it's certainly not ideal. We were totally bamboozled."

Long admitted a frustration that another club in the Southern Central Premier in Barwell, where Rushall expected to drop, had been given a reprieve from relegation due to Yorkshire club Farsley Celtic dropping from step two to step five having failed to secure a step one to four licence.

"We were relegated and take our punishment and drop into step three," Long added. "Barwell were relegated and maintained their status in the Southern Central, with no punishment at all.

"It's like we've had two punishments. Relegation and then being moved into the Northern. It feels we've been punished twice and Barwell have got away without any punishment."

Long explained how the lengthy journeys and travel costs will hit the Dales Lane club in the coffers and the club will also miss out on well-supported derbies they would have enjoyed in the Southern equivalent. As such the only league fixture of any real local notability is Hednesford Town.

"Every away game now bar Hednesford is going to be a coach journey, people don't realise some journeys are double-drivers, which costs more than a single coach," said the Pics boss.

"We also miss out on so many local derbies. Yes there is Hednesford and they are so well supported, but we could've had Stourbridge, Halesowen, Bromsgrove, all bringing supporters to the ground.

"It's the coach travel, it's the derbies, it's recruitment as well. Some players just don't want the travelling."

Player recruitment is prevalent point for Long in particular, who is undertaking a Pics rebuild following relegation. He is keen to build a local core and has already brought in Bromsgrove left-back Carter Lycett and retained last season's player of the season former Wolves youngster Liam McAlinden, who both hail from Cannock.

Long has also recruited Darlaston Town hotshot striker Aaron Bishop and is hopeful more will follow.

He said: "It's a rebuild after a relegation and then to have that curveball thrown at the last knockings ... things were going really well.

"And do you know what? They are not going badly now, I'm quite happy with where we're at.

"I want to keep it more local. I'm a big believer in team spirit. I've had that at Alvechurch and Tividale, it's worth 10 points a season. It's no fault of the players that lived further afield. They don't want to hang around in the bar before an hour-and-a-half's travel home. It's understandable. But I believe it's important to build spirit."