West Auckland manager Peter Dixon angrily sacked three of his players after their 4-1 league cup final defeat at Team Northumbria tonight.

Midfielder Adam Nicholls, defender Darryl Hall and striker Steve Johnson were all told that they could leave the club after Dixon discovered that they had all played for their Sunday league teams on Tuesday night.

A furious Dixon said: “I told them that they’re no longer required by West Auckland, so if any club wants three good players, then there they are.

“I feel massively betrayed by Adam in particular. We gambled on him at Wembley because he was 50-50, but we decided to play him from the start last Sunday. Every player in the squad knew how important tonight’s league cup final was for the club, and those three reduced our chances of winning the league cup by playing for their Sunday teams the night before.

“I’ve learned more in the last three weeks as a manger, than I have done in the previous five years.”

Hall was on the bench at Wembley but didn’t play, while Johnson was ineligible having already played for Shildon.

Hall and Nicholls started tonight’s game, while Johnson came on as a second half sub.