AFC FYLDE chairman David Haythornthwaite has criticised neighbours Fleetwood Town after they signed highly-rated youngster Dion Charles.
The 20-year-old had attracted plenty of interest from the Football League after an impressive season with the Coasters, netting 18 times for the National League North outfit.
The ex-Blackpool youngster signed a new Fylde deal last September but the Football Association never received the paperwork, making him a free agent at the end of last season.
Fleetwood took advantage, taking the exciting winger to Highbury on a two-year deal, much to the dismay of a disappointed Haythornthwaite.
“We appealed to the FA and provided them with all the evidence but they were not prepared to help,” he told the club's website. “The only option therefore open to us was to pursue legal action and we employed the services of a legal team specialising in football matters.
“In the meantime, Dion's agent was offering him to all and sundry including Nottingham Forest who rang us to find out what was happening as they sensed something wasn't right. When we explained the situation they immediately respected our position and backed off.
“However, in the last 48 hours we have learnt that Fleetwood have now signed him. I have made my feelings known in no uncertain terms to their chief executive Steve Curwood and their chairman Andy Pilley.
“This episode unfortunately shows the really bad side of football and some people's total lack of ethics. The fact that no one from Fleetwood has even had the decency to call us sums it up – it is dog eat dog and nothing else.
“We have and will always try to run this football club properly and despite incidents like this we will continue to do so.
“There is no doubt that we were at fault for not checking that the FA had received the contract in the first place, but mistakes do happen and if you know our secretary Martin Benson you would know he is distraught. That however does not excuse the actions of those involved.
“The matter will now go to arbitration.”
