ROSSENDALE United manager Jim McCluskie has hit back at accusations that he 'stole' Mike Smith from neighbours Ramsbottom United.

Ramsbottom have reported Rossendale to the Lancashire FA because they believe Smith was approached in May, when he was still a Ramsbottom United player, regarding a move to Dark Lane.

League rules state that non-contracted players are not free agents until June 1 and that no club can talk to a player before then unless they give seven days' notice to the player's club.

But McCluskie says Smith was a free agent when he signed for the North West Counties First Division champions.

"I think it is just a bit of jealousy and rivalry from them," he said.

"It's nonsense. Those players wanted to play at a higher level and we offered it to them. It was down to personal reasons that they wanted to come and play here."

'Those players' are Smith, Chris Willcock and Darren Bowman who all moved from the Riverside to Dark Lane this summer.

Only Smith is the subject of a complaint, though, and an LFA hearing is scheduled for Thursday, August 14.

Ramsbottom secretary John Maher said: "We believe that Mike Smith was approached by Andy Grimshaw (Rossendale United assistant manager) on May 4 because that is what Mike told us. That is what we have told the LFA.

"Mike was clearly still a Ramsbottom player then because we still had six or seven games left to play."

Rossendale have refused to comment on the details of the situation but Maher believes their defence at the hearing will be that it was Mike Smith who approached Andy Grimshaw, not the other way round.

"That would still be illegal, though," said Maher. "The rules say that even if the player approaches the club it is still considered an illegal approach if they talk about a possible move.

"We are not going to ask for Smith's registration to be revoked," said Maher. "What we do want is for Rossendale to realise that this sort of approach will not be tolerated by Ramsbottom.

"We understand that players move on but when they do we want it to be done properly.

"It is okay to say that illegal approaches are widespread, but when Ken Bridge told me Brandon Jolley from Prestwich Heys had turned up to train with us last season I told him he mustn't come again until we had served seven days on him. And that's what we did.

"We have always had quite a good relationship with Rossendale, as much as two clubs so close together can have a good relationship, and when they wanted to sign Gareth Gardner last season but didn't sign him within three weeks of putting seven days on him, which the rules say they should, we released him anyway because he said he wanted to play for them. We would like a black mark to be put against Rossendale's name so they will think twice about making these sort of approaches in the future."