To say Keith is angry would be an understatement

By Nathan Jackson
March 28 2005

Keith Alexander is said to be fuming after Barry Hunter's comments after friday's game against Rushden and Diamonds. It was Hunter's first game in charge as full time manager but it all went wrong for him as the Imps ran out 4-1 winners causing him to throw the rattle out of his pram.

After the game, Hunter described City's tactics as "ugly" and said that City tried to get free kicks and corners all the time, obviously ignoring the fact that we only had 3 corners compared to their 8. Keith has told the Echo that he is going to demand an apology from the League's newest manager.

"Barry Hunter has been a football manager for five minutes and he has no right to criticise my team," fumed Alexander. Our football was equally as good as theirs and, in the end, it was better if you look at the scoreline. I think it was all down to sour grapes. They had a player (Drewe Broughton) sent off and that changed the course of the game. I would have thought Barry would have been better advised to condemn that than have a go at us. We've been criticised like this in the past, but it's not happened for a while. It's very disappointing.

"I'll be ringing Barry this week to ask for an apology. And I'll also be ringing the relevant people to make sure it doesn't happen again. Managers have no right to criticise in this way - it's certainly not something I would do."

Keith will tonight however be facing a manager that he hasn't exactly seen eye to eye with in the past in Brian Laws but admitted that he does respect the Scunthorpe manager.

"I might have had my differences with Brian in the past, but I still respect him as a manager," said the City boss. They had a blip last season but, more often than not, Scunthorpe are a side who are never a million miles away come the end of the season. They are the benchmark of our division and I've always said that if you finish above them then the chances are you will get promoted. Brian knows exactly what it takes to succeed and it's no surprise to me that they are up there again challenging for a place in League One."