Note that this page is from our Gresley Rovers archive. It may not be related to the new Gresley Rovers (formerly Gresley FC until 2020).
Acklam speaks out
Story courtesy of Burton Mail
Goal-happy Gresley striker Paul Acklam this week spoke for the first time of the referee’s decision that turned his season of glory on its head.
And he confessed: “I felt like quitting the game.”Acklam was speaking in the aftermath of his sending off last week at Hinckley Town – a decision that could cause him to miss Gresley’s vital title run-in.
“I’ve only been sent off once before in my career. But I deserved that and I didn’t feel too bad about it. But the other night I felt sick – I honestly felt like packing it all up. I don’t know if he meant it or not but their player hit me in the face with his elbow. I suppose a bit of frustration was creeping in and in the heat of the moment I flicked my foot out at him – in fact I hit my teammate Graham Jones.
“When the ref got his book out I thought: ‘oh no, he’s not going to book me for that!’ I couldn’t believe it when he sent me off. I felt terrible about it.”
Gresley now plan to appeal the sending off.
