Former Liverpool youth player Paddy Wharton has been hung out to dry by FC United of Manchester, after a mix up involving an agreement concerning the FA Trophy.
The goalkeeper signed for FCUM last year, after being released by professional side Tranmere Rovers, and he totted up 11 appearances before a ‘loan’ deal was confirmed.
In non-league football, a loan deal can often be nothing like a loan deal you’d see in the pro game. In this instance, it seems Wharton registered for Atherton Collieries on a short-term basis, with the view to return to the Manchester club.
But, following the stopper making an appearance in the FA Trophy, FCUM have now confirmed that they won’t be re-registering Wharton.
📰 Squad update : Paddy Wharton
Click to read ⤵️https://t.co/jmT3ISwB7r https://t.co/wItV34PcG2
— FC United of Manchester (@FCUnitedMcr) January 7, 2020
If this was in the Premier League, it would be the equivalent of a player having his contract terminated while still on loan at another club.
The club claim that they had an agreement (which almost certainly would have been verbal) that Wharton would not feature in the FA Trophy, but for better or worse, this wasn’t honoured.
Wharton has taken a pop at FCUM on Twitter, for how they’ve acted in this situation, saying that he was not promised any game time in the competition at the Manchester club.
Wow this is a disgrace this is not the truth of the situation at all. To try and put the blame on me is wrong I wasn’t promised game time when am back and I wouldn’t be playing in the trophy. I’m 19 years old and want to play games and in the biggest games possible. https://t.co/WW9YoATOJn
— Paddy.wharton (@paddywharton1) January 7, 2020
I think the club should behave better than this, even if they feel as if they’ve been wronged, especially if they made no promises to Wharton over playing time in the FA Trophy.
He is just 19 years of age, and his future has been thrown into obscurity because of the actions of his club, but I’m certain he’ll find himself a new club – perhaps Atherton Collieries?
Personally, I watched Wharton during his time at Marine FC – I was working for the club at the time – and I can confirm he’d be a quality addition to any side that takes a punt on him.