I thought long and hard about whether to respond but decided I needed to as my integrity has been brought into question.
It is easy for people to come on boards like this and make a statements that can harm the reputation of someone they simply don't know or by posting untruths. Before posting I wanted to speak with AP and tonight we chatted for a long time. We had a very amicable conversation and ended in a friendly manner. Prior to this telephone call he thought I was fraud touting playing experience to recruit players to play for the DA. I think his opinion had now changed. I have respect for his tenure in soccer within sc and feel no ill will to his post now we have had chance to talk.
I played for Sheffield United from 1994-1998 in the youth academy, reserves, and one time for the first team in a game versus Everton at the opening of the new John St stand.
I was captain of the academy for the 1996-97 and 1997-98 season. I played over 30 times for the reserves of over the same two seasons.
Evidently my name is not appearing on the Wikipedia website. I believe it is because I did not appear in a first team league match. However AP assures me, after talking with wikipedia, that I should appear based on my youth career.
To be honest I don't care that my name is not up there. My coaching career has never been built on my past playing experience nor have I have used it to recruit a player to come play on my team.
AP says he did the research (I believe him)and upon his findings felt I was a fraud. After talking with me I feel as though he would reconsider that notion.
I love the game of soccer and respect all that put their lives into it. I love SC and hope we can find a way to provide all levels of the game for its players given the new landscape. As adults and coaches it is important for us keep the best interests of the players in mind. My opinion is in SC hat means finding a way to keep the DA as an option to our players for now and the future. I also understand others will disagree and feel no HS soccer is too big a price to pay for SC in order to have DA. The culture of soccer in the USA is changing, time will tell if it is for the better. I say we would be doing a disservice if we, soccer coaches of sc, did not try and work together to find a way to make it work for the players of SC to participate in the league sanctioned by our governing body.
Let's look at solutions for the game to prosper not for ways to destroy each other.
Also please remember SCU Battery did not make the change to the rules regarding HS participation.
On a final note- my conversation with AP was amicable and ended in a friendly manner.
If anyone would like proof of my participation with Sheffield United I am sure Sue Strickland would have some photos or newspaper clippings in my scrapbook back in Hull
