A WREXHAM schoolboy has been told he can no longer play for his county side after falling foul of new league rules.

Harvey Edwards, 16, is from Chirk and up until now has been playing for the Wrexham Schools FA, including scoring in the final of the U15 Glyn Coed Shield.

But as Harvey, who also plays for the TNS youth side, attends Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen, he has been ruled out of playing for Wrexham Schools U16 side.

New rules were brought in towards the end of last season to prevent counties from 'cherry picking' players from neighbouring county's schools.

To add insult to injury, Denbighshire does not run an U16 competition, meaning players like Harvey are left out in the cold.

John Mann, chairman of the Wrexham Schools FA, said: "We're trying to encourage associations to not go cherry picking players from other counties. Some associations have up to 14 of their 16 players from another county.

"It's unfortunate that some players will miss out. Denbighshire doesn't run an U16 side but we had to draw a line in the sand. People had an opportunity to speak against the rule change, but no one did so it went ahead.

"The squad doesn't include a boy from Dinas Bran, but that means it does include a boy from Wrexham."

Sue Marriott, Harvey's Grandmother, said: "Last season Harvey was part of the side that won the Glyn Coed Shield, but now he's been told he can't be in the team as he doesn't attend a Wrexham school.

"Denbighshire don't run a U16 side, so what does he do. This seems really unfair, where does he go, what county does he play for.

"It doesn't make sense, but it happened so fast there was nothing we could do. It's nonsense, to say to a 16 year old that you can't play anymore, it's really unfair.

"Someone in Wrexham's going to have egg on their face over this if he turns out talented and successful and goes on to bigger things."