HAD Darlington boss Mark Cooper had his way, Kevin Austin would have been lining up at Wembley in tomorrow's FA Trophy final against Mansfield.
Instead, Boston United's on-loan centre-back will be preparing for Sunday's Blue Square Bet North play-off semi-final second leg at York Street, when the Pilgrims will attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Guiseley.
You would not blame Austin for feeling saddened or regretful about missing out on a place in tomorrow's showpiece at the home of English football.
But the veteran defender insists he is fully focussed on recovering from the heel injury which saw him limp out of the first leg against Guiseley and helping Boston to promotion to the Blue Square Bet Premier.
In fact the most disgruntled man with a Darlington connection is the man who will lead the Quakers out at Wembley.
Cooper was incensed when the FA blocked his attempt to recall Austin from his loan spell at York Street.
FA rules state that only the players eligible for the final are those which were available for the semis. Austin's loan spell began three weeks before Darlington knocked Gateshead out of the Trophy in the last four.
Cooper is so aggrieved, he has even threatened to stop paying the player's wages.
"I was aware that you couldn't sign players after the semi-final, but Kev is already our player," said Cooper.
"That rule is in place to stop a team signing a player in time for the final, but Kev is already our player and we're paying him.
"So I've told the FA that were going to stop paying him and the FA can pay him instead because effectively we've been told he's not our player. They've no answer to that."
Austin insists the decision is completely out of his hands.
"Look, I'll just do what I can do. I signed for Darlington and did all I could for them, but obviously it didn't work out there. That's football," said the former Lincoln City defender.
"I was made available for loan and came to Boston. I've been playing and I've been enjoying it.
"From my point of view, I've done nothing wrong. I can understand their (Darlington's) side of it, the frustration, but I don't write the rules and nor does Mark Cooper.
"There seems to be a rule which says I can't play (in the Trophy final).
"It's totally out of my hands, there's nothing I could do about it. I'm at Boston and I'm fully focused on them."
Austin says he is now playing for his future after being told he will be released by Darlington in the summer.
"I'm out of contract in the summer and it's public knowledge that I won't be getting a new contract there (at Darlington)," added the 38-year-old, who was signed by former Boston bosses Rob Scott and Paul Hurst.
"My thoughts and my loyalty lie with Boston at this moment in time."
But beyond the Pilgrims' play-off campaign, and with permanent managers yet to be installed, Austin admits his future is clouded in uncertainty.
"There are so many factors. With (joint-caretaker coaches) Jason (Lee) and Canners (Lee Canoville) coming in, I'm not sure what the situation is.
"We're in the play-offs too so it's not the right time. But if the club decide they want to do something, they do. If not, I'll look elsewhere."