ARGUABLY the most outspoken manager in the history of the Sydenhams Wessex League has ridiculed the notion of deducting points for comments made in the media.

Former Wimborne, Bournemouth Poppies and Hamworthy United manager Alex Pike slammed the possibility of a hard-line stance being adopted to deal with the charge of bringing the league and competition into disrepute.

The Echo understands that acting Sydenhams Wessex League chairman Bob Purkiss and his fellow committee members are prepared to dock points if club officials publicly step out of line.

But current Gosport Borough boss Pike had some strong views on the subject.

He said: "It's typical of the Wessex League - my grandfather fought in the second World War for freedom of speech and they could take it away in one fell swoop.

"They should just let people get on with it. It's a passionate game and it's very easy to cast comment on what managers may say in the heat of the battle to a reporter.

"It happens in the Premier League because we're all passionate and it shouldn't be taken away from us.

"All I can do now is judge it as a 20-year Wessex League manager and I'm treated like an adult in the Southern League (as boss of Gosport)."

The debate arose at the beginning of this month when Poppies boss James Wood accused AFC Totton's management of showing "disrespect" to their counterparts.

The Wessex Premier Division leaders boss Stuart Ritchie failed to shake hands withWood and his colleagues following a League Cup meeting.

Purkiss described Wood's comments, made on the eve of the clubs' league clash at Victoria Park, as showing "childish behaviour".

But Pike believes this sort of thing adds to the excitement and can help draw people through the turnstiles.

He said: "There are fans who go and watch because they get excited by what goes on between managers.

"There's no doubt that the next time Poppies and Totton play fans will turn up hoping to see a repeat of that.

"We're all there for the football but it's showbusiness and that contributes to that element of it. I've got no problem with it at all."

Rule 18 in the league's official handbook says persons found guilty of bringing the league or competitions into disrepute "shall be liable to such a penalty as the board shall deem appropriate".

Meanwhile, Pike, who won the Wessex Premier title with Gosport last year to add to a previous championship with Wimborne, revealed he is not seeking a return to the Sydenhams League.

"The Southern League is the league to be in," he said.

"I can see why clubs aspire to get in it.

The standard is better, the way you're treated is better and it's more professional.