'Embarrassing' administration error cost Jack McKay chance to play against former club Chesterfield in FA Cup for Curzon Ashton

An ‘embarrassing’ administration error cost Jack McKay the chance to play against Chesterfield in the FA Cup for Curzon Ashton.
Former Chesterfield player Jack McKay had to miss out playing against his former club. Picture Gareth Williams/AHPIX LTD.Former Chesterfield player Jack McKay had to miss out playing against his former club. Picture Gareth Williams/AHPIX LTD.
Former Chesterfield player Jack McKay had to miss out playing against his former club. Picture Gareth Williams/AHPIX LTD.

The winger, who was released by the Spireites in the summer, was accidently not listed as a substitute on the official team sheet despite being named on the one handed to the media.

Nash manager Steve Cunningham wanted to bring McKay on at half-time but was unable to do so.

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Cunningham said he was ‘embarrassed’ at the situation and apologised to McKay.

"We were trying to make the sub and then someone came up and said you are trying to put a sub on who is not on the team sheet,” Cunningham told Nash TV.

“I had a game plan and I left out three or four players to use them in a very specific way and unfortunately I was not able to do that. It was unfortunate that an admin error has cost us a substitution I was trying to make at half-time.

"I am absolutely distraught for Jack because obviously he played for Chesterfield previously and his friends and family were here so I can only apologise on behalf of the football club on that one because the club has let him down today.

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"As a a club collectively we have let him down and it has also affected my plans because I have made plans to bring him on for a specific reason and I can’t even do it.

"It was embarrassing in the dressing room telling the player and, as I say, I can only apologise to him and his family.”

Chesterfield ran out 4-0 winners at the Tameside Stadium and Cunningham had no complaints with the outcome.

“The better team won on the day, there are no excuses,” he said.

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“There was no bad officiating which cost any goals or anything like that, we just got beat by the better team.

"You can see the strength in their squad and the quality they have got. They have maybe rested four or five of their big-hitters but the players who have played were still effectively as good.

“You could see they were physically stronger, quicker and they are a full-time outfit so we will hold on our hands up and lick our wounds a little bit.

"Some players did not perform the way we wanted them to, my tactics have not pulled off as much as I wanted them to because of not being able to use the (McKay) substitution and a couple of defensive errors have probably made it look worse than it is

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"We were not bombarded, we were not overrun, I think 4-0 probably flatters them a little bit but they were the stronger team, the better team and they deserved to win, I will make that very clear and I wish them all the very best.”

Cunningham also had some nice words to say about Blues boss James Rowe.

"The management team was very complimentary to us, I can’t speak highly enough of him, to be honest. It is the first time I have met James in person and what a guy he is. The offer of future contact, I can only say thank you for that as well.”