The fiesr leg of Cup Semi-Final to be staged this Friday at Armadale took a farcical turn when James Birkinshaw was selected for BOTH teams. He was named in his customary Number 6 slot for Monarchs but also was named as Number 7 for the Sheffield team.
James has his contract held by Sheffield although he has not featured in their team since being axed in mid-1997. The spent the remainder of the season on loan at Newcastle and remained at Brough Park for the whole of the 1998 season. This year he moved on loan to Workington but lost his place due to a spell on the sidelines with friction burns. Bu the time he was fit, Workington had made new signings and with Barry Campbell and Darren Groves scoring big points at reserve, he was released.
With Peter Boast out with a long-trem injury, many saw James as an obvious candidate to replace him. Neil Machin failed to spot this option and instead James came to Armadale to provide cover for David McAllan.
Monarchs did a deal with Workington who had paid Sheffield for a one year loan of Birkinshaw. This brought the 19 year-old to Armadale as track reserve. He is not part of the Monarchs declared 1 to 7 but can continue to cover for McAllan. Because James in not in the named Monarchs' lineep, he is free to turn out for other teams. He has guested for Berwick a few weeks back and more recently made two appearances for Sheffield against Glasgow and at Newport.
There was some stuff from the Sheffield (and BSPA) Press Officer Nigel Pearson about Birkinshaw having been recalled from loan. However Pearson is not treated that seriously since he and the Sheffield promotion continued to insist, against all logic and evidence, that Sheffield rather than Monarchs had qualified as wild cards for the Premier National Trophy knock-out rounds.
While Peter Boast has been out injured he has been covered by Adam Allott. It seemed very strange timimg to draft in James Birkinshaw just when Boast was recovering and set to come back. James was named in the Sheffield team for Friday, an act which might have been judged as psychological warfare, had it been made by any other promotion.
John Campbell commented: "Jamie is also in our lineup! And without question, we are in the right. We signed Jamie for the season, because he was dropped from the Workington team. Sheffield believe they have the right to reclaim him. However Workington paid a Sheffield a loan fee and they are entitled to do what they can to recoup that after axing. It's going to be interesting seeing Jamie listed for team."
The issues are simple. Sheffield have received a loan fee for James (from Workington) for his services for the whole season. Edinburgh have paid (o Workington) a loan fee for the remainder of the season. Therefore Edinburgh have first call on his services. Sheffield have the right to use James, as have any other Premier League teams subject to the rules but not against Monarchs.
This will continue to apply until the end of the season unless or until David McAllan is brought back into the team.