FOOTBALL: Felixstowe United joint manager Ian Watson wants to look forward and forget about the happenings of last season.

His team was denied the Kingsley Healthcare SIL Senior Division title in 2009/10 because they fielded an ineligible player and had points deducted.

But the man who manages jointly with Karl Baldwin says that is all behind them now.

“There is still a certain amount of bitterness and a feeling that there is one rule for one and not for others,” said Watson.

“The issues will come back at times and some games might be a bit tense, and we definitely feel we have a point to prove.

“But we have to respect decisions made by the Football Association and the SIL.

“They are the people who put a lot of effort in to enable football to run as well as it does at our level.

“We have to take it on the chin and move on.”

The recently married Watson goes as far as to say that it was United’s inability to take maximum points against teams below them in the table that ultimately cost them the title last season.

“We would have been out of sight anyway if we had not drawn and even lost matches that we should have won,” he admitted.

“In those terms we are the ones to blame. But it has increased our appetite to make sure we have no slip ups this time around.”

Watson’s team entertains Crane Sports tomorrow having won both their opening games and it is just the game that the manager is looking to see his side find more consistency.

“Crane will not be easy to beat,” he said. “Like every SIL side you cannot take your foot off the pedal.

“We did well to beat Achilles last week and that was pleasing having signed three players from the Ipswich-based club in the summer.”

Experienced defender Sean Bell and brothers Luke and Liam Hillyard have moved from Salmet Close and they have been joined at United by Andy Crump from Grundisburgh, who is now playing as an out-and-out striker in successful partnership with Tom Childs up front.

“We call Luke and Liam the Jedwards after the scatty singing duo,” added Watson, who is also keenly anticipating the up-coming Suffolk Senior Cup game against Ridgeons League Ipswich Wanderers.

“They must be favourites, but we are capable and in the mood to make it a good year on two fronts.”

Senior Division leaders Old Newton and reigning champions visit Framlingham Town seeking to maintain their 100% record, while Woodbridge Athletic are in the same boat when they entertain East Bergholt.

Promoted Stanton are the fourth team with a 100% record, but have just played the one game. They are in action at Capel Plough where Pat Tynan is now back in managerial mode along with Archie Arnold.

Newcomers Haughley will be seeking their first points of the season at Grundisburgh and so will Westerfield who play host to Peter Gorham’s Ransomes Sports.