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St Austell and Lee Whetter could face huge disciplinary problems after some of the ugliest scenes ever seen at Poltair Park following St Austell’s 4-3 defeat to rivals Newquay.
Following the Lillywhites' second straight defeat, enraged by his sending off the former St Austell skipper Whetter took to the grandstand to confront the vocal Newquay support and in particular Mark ‘The Judge’ Charles. A melee ensued which involved players, officals and supporters of both clubs, and it was not until Newquay’s Sam McKune had calmed the situation down that the remaining seconds of the game were allowed to play out.
Whetter, along with Ben Douglas, had been sent off by referee Mark Oldaker and it will not be until the official has filed his report on the game that any action from the league and County football association will be taken.
The is not the first time St Austell have been in trouble with the authorities after they accepted responsibility for the abandonment in their game with Callington towards the end of last season. This could swing the FA’s overall decision and some suggestions locally have rumoured that the club could face expulsion from the league.
Amongst the others involved in the melee was St Austell’s caretaker manager Andy Dingle, a former Newquay manager himself, and he had to be restrained at one point as things became heated.
“I treat this incident very seriously and at this moment in time I cannot see that Lee Whetter has a future with St Austell football club,” St Austell’s caretaker manager Andy Dingle told the Voice.
“Lee Whetter was sent off, he lost his cool and reacted to a couple of idiots in the stand. I tried to stop him, but he knows what he's done.”
Following a committee meeting on Monday night the club’s board of directors prepared a statement which read: "Following the incidents that occurred during Saturday's match with Newquay the board of directors wish to announce that the player Lee Whetter has been suspended from playing for the club pending further investigation and reports from the CCFA."
When speaking to the Voice a devastated Whetter said: “I want to apologise to everyone at the game, my actions were totally unacceptable.
“I want to apologise to everyone at Newquay, my actions were totally out of order.
“My emotions got on top of me, I don’t know what came over me, I am going to be writing to the FA as I was not in the right frame of mind.”
During the week prior to the game St Austell’s local rivals St Blazey had put in seven days notice of approach for Whetter and it understood that he was due to hold talks with the green and blacks at the end of the week, to discuss a possible transfer to Blaise Park.
Newquay manager Jim Hilton told the Voice: “Our supporters are very vocal and we’re all passionate about football but sometimes people go over the mark and this is certainly the case today.
“It was a cracking game and a cracking win but sadly it will all go by the wayside.”
St Austell's caretaker manager Andy Dingle went on to add: “It thought it was a good entertaining game. Newquay are a good footballing side, we played really well and I think we conceded a couple of goals against the run of play. It showed great spirit from the boys as we went from strength to strength, pulled the goals back and went into the lead at half-time.
"The start of the second half Newquay caught us cold. Mistakes by Ralphy (Bradley Ralph) cost us two goals.”
Following the game St Austell’s experienced centre-half Ralph announced on a Cornish football forum that he was calling an end to his association with the club.
It is also rumoured that several other players are considering their future with the club after the weekend’s events.
Newquay first team coach Alan Metters: “It was a massive shame that this has happens, I’ve known Lee for some time and this is not like him, although I really can’t justify his actions, emotions have to stay on the football field.”
South West peninsula league secretary Phil Hiscox quashed any rumours of St Austell being kicked out of the league and said: “St Austell have been reported to Cornwall FA by the Referee, the County FA will presumably instigate charges and once those are issued it will be upto those accused to respond to those charges.
“Stories of the club being "kicked out of the league" are rumours with no foundation whatsoever.”
Cornwall county FA secretary Barry Cudmore was unable to make any comment until the referee’s report has been received.
