ATHERTON Colls have been told they will not be invited into this season’s Hospital Cup competition because “they are too good.”

Hallmark Security Premier pace-setters Colls were beaten finalists last season but have won the trophy on four occasions.

This week, however, the Alder House side were told by organisers that they would not be considered this year to ensure other Bolton clubs got a chance to sample success at the Macron Stadium in May.

The Hospital Cup is the oldest local football competition of its kind and has been played regularly since Farnworth FC first lifted the trophy back in 1930.

Colls have enjoyed a purple patch in recent years, winning plenty of silverware, and are now vying for the league title, drawing level on points with leaders Bootle and keeping two games in hand with a recent win over Northwich.

But manager Mike Clegg is upset the club has been denied the chance of competing in the traditional end-of-season finale.

“We are really disappointed,” he told The Bolton News. “It’s a competition the lads all look forward to, and the chance to play at Wanderers doesn’t come along all that often.

“This team is made up largely of local players who care about the fact the Hospital Cup raises important money for charity. We have made sure in the past that we sell tickets to make sure the crowd is as good as it can be and the lads gave up half of their win bonus last time – which was about £25 – to make a contribution.

“Now we are being told that the other clubs don’t want to play us but where is the local pride?”

Hospital Cup secretary Peter Conroy admitted the decision to exclude Colls from the 2017 tournament was not made lightly.

Ten clubs have signed on to this season's Hospital Cup, and new teams have also expressed an interest in taking part. But Conroy says their participation is unlikely to continue if Colls maintain their dominance.

“It was a very difficult decision,” he told us. “We have reached the stage, I am afraid to say, where the Colls squad is too strong and that a number of clubs have voiced their concern. They basically say they have ‘no chance’. We want to preserve the competition, not call it a day.

“We spoke to Emile Anderson (Colls secretary) and expressed our view. I can understand the club’s disappointment.

“There is a precedent – Ramsbottom United came out of the competition a few years ago for similar reasons – but I would like it known the decision has been reached with the future of the Hospital Cup in mind."