Full transcript of Scott Davies' honest post-match interview after Rebels' match with Romans is abandoned

At half-time this afternoon, Slough Town looked to be cruising to one of their best results of the season, the Rebels leading play-off rivals Bath City 4-0 and looking rampant in their pursuit of victory and a 19th game unbeaten at Arbour Park.

That didn't materialise, and not because the Romans made an incredible comeback - although they were making a very good stab of doing just that.

But because a fan behind the goal the Rebels were attacking in the second half fell ill and needed medical treatment. The game was initially halted, with the players remaining on the field, before being suspended by the referee - with the players returning to their changing rooms.

When the fan was taken away to receive further treatment inside the main stadium, it seemed likely the players would return to the field to resume the final 20 minutes of the game, with the Rebels leading 4-2.

However, an announcement over Tannoy informed the 1,400 fans inside Arbour Park that the game had been abandoned due to the medical incident. With the unwell fan seemingly recovering well, Slough manager Scott Davies and his players were keen to play the match to its conclusion, however, Bath City's manager Jerry Gill felt his players had spent too long off the field getting cold and there would be 'welfare' issues in asking them to return to the field. He feared they might run the risk of injury with some of his players nursing recent hamstring problems.

Speaking afterwards, Davies said he felt 'sick' and 'cheated' by the decision to abandon the game. This is a full transcript of the interview he gave to Connor McNeish after the game.

“Yeah, first and foremost, the most important thing is that the fan is ok,” he said. “He's sat in the physio room and is talking and has been on the phone to his wife. I've just been told he's a diabetic, so I've been told he's fallen ill, momentarily.

“We left the pitch, out of respect more than anything. After that, the next thing we're told is that the game has been abandoned. Jerry Gill, their manager, has said that for the welfare of his players, stopping the game and starting the game would be no good for his players who have hamstring injuries. That's the truth, let me tell you that, I'm not lying.

“It's an utter disgrace because I think he's cheated his way out of the game. He'll watch this, of course he will, but there's a way to call a game off. If someone has had a heart attack and is unconscious in the ground, I'll be the first to walk off the pitch. I've got a good heart on me, but when someone is up and about and is communicating, that's the most important part.

“When that is the case, the game should restart. But, when you get given an opportunity at 4-2 down, it should have been eight. They're thinking 'let's get the game called off and come back on another night'.

“Because we're obviously fighting for the same positions in the play-offs. It would have been a massive three points for us if we could have seen it through to 90 minutes.

“But he's won today. Today, we all go home feeling sick. I can't believe the game has been called off, I'll be honest with you. Christian Eriksen had a heart attack on the pitch, and they played on. But for the welfare of his players and their hamstrings, I hope they're ok.

“I get on well with Jerry, and I've always had respect for him, like I do with everyone. There's no manager in this league that I don't get on with, but he's pulled a fast one today and he knows that. They lost on Tuesday night, and they were probably going to lose today, hopefully. He's seen an opportunity where he can get the game called off and I don't think it's for the right reasons. If it was for the right reasons, I'd shake hands and walk off the pitch whether we're winning, losing, or drawing, but it's not the right reasons. It was a 10-minute break, and we could have resumed. We have 15 minutes at half-time, so their players' hamstrings, I don't know what they do, but they came out looking alright didn't they? I just can't believe it.

“I feel sick to my stomach now because the fan is ok, which is the most important thing, and we could have played on with the game, but we've not been given the opportunity.

“The referee has said to me, he can't force them to come out of the changing room and play. Even their players were saying 'we want to carry on', so let's be real about it. There's only one man who's got the job done today.

“We now have to come back on a Tuesday night and try to recreate what we've done today. It will be difficult, of course it will, they're a good side, but we should have been eight or nine nil up I think, we were brilliant. They got away with one.”

On the strength of Slough's first half performance, Davies added: “

“For 45 minutes, that was probably perfection. I thought we were brilliant. It could have been seven or eight, that's how it felt on the pitch, and they couldn't get near us.

“I thought the boys had great energy, quality and work rate in the final third. We scored different types of goals. If they come back on a Tuesday night, just do it, celebrate it, because that's ultimately what they want.

“It could happen, but we'll try our best to make sure it doesn't happen.

“We've had 1,400 fans here today which is a great turnout. We've worn the kit with pride. And now we've got to play them again to try and get these three points which could be massive at the end of the season.

“If that's what stops us getting in there, and helps them get in there, well job done, I guess. Slavi (Spasov) is gutted because those goals are wiped out now. The lads are devastated, they're gutted, of course they are. We worked on things in the week and when they pay off.... but the most important thing is the fan here. I don't want to come across as too sulky.

“I said to Jerry, 'the fan is fine', we can go back out there and play. Like has happened at other games. The right thing to do would be to resume, but if you give someone an inch, they'll take a mile.

“The ref didn't even consult me. He spoke to Jerry, and he spoke to Yella. We probably didn't get there first if you know what I mean. I think the biggest mistake we've made is going indoors. If we'd have stayed out, but I'm just gutted for everyone. Angry, disappointed. I feel like I've been cheated, and the lads feel like they've been cheated.

“But I hope when we come to play them on the Tuesday night, whenever that is, we can put in a good performance. I'm angry at the moment.

“We've had kids on the bench in the last few weeks, but you get on with it. You come across hurdles in football, and you have to jump those hurdles. We've managed to do it on limited resources, but we do it through togetherness and hard work and honesty. And that's one thing we've always prided ourselves on here. Myself, the management team and players, we know we're not the best team in the league but we'll always give it a go and have a fight.

“I'd like to think if the shoe was on the other foot today, we'd have continued. I don't think we'd have chucked the game in, I really don't.

“We've had a week where we've been to the hospice, and I met a guy there who went to see Slough last year. He's really poorly but I learned a lot from him this week.

“I said to the assistant manager that I went to the hospice, and I met this guy. He absolutely blew my socks off because he was the happiest man in the room. He was probably the most poorly man in the room. But I thought to myself, 'whatever happens with the result today, win lose or draw, be proud of it because there are worse things in life. It put things in perspective.

“I'll go home tonight and be angry for an hour or two, but it's a football match. But ultimately, I thought they didn't want to lose it and they saw an opportunity to jump out and cancel the game. But to wear the shirt today for the hospice was extremely proud for us and they do an amazing job there. I think today they would have been proud of us wearing their shirts and that's the main thing.”

Slough are due to return to action at Taunton Town on Tuesday evening, if their pitch is passed fit following the recent bad weather.

“Emotions are high at the moment,” he said. “We work so hard to try and get a result. We looked like we might have got one today. But, when it comes to Tuesday night, we'll be ready to go again. We're a little bit downbeat at the moment but, we'll rally the lads and the troops and get on with it.

“It's just another hurdle. We've overcome hurdles all season and defied the odds so why can't we keep doing it.

“We've done it today for 70 minutes. This has taken the gloss off a great performance, but most importantly, the fan is fine, and we wore the hospice kit today with pride.”