Altrincham

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

fielding ineligible player

 

Altrincham have had 18 points deducted by the Conference and been fined £1,000 for fielding an ineligible player earlier in the season.

The club are waiting to receive the decision in writing before deciding on an appeal to the FA.

 

The ruling would put the Robins bottom of the Conference and would almost certainly mean relegation.

 

The player in question, James Robinson, made 13 appearances for Altrincham this season, scoring four times.

 

Robinson, 23, signed for the Moss Lane club from Accrington Stanley last November when he did not have international clearance.

 

The 23-year-old and Altrincham have both been fined by the FA.

 

 

 

The non-league clubs get hammered. Can you imagine Chelsea getting docked 18 points?

[Ostrich Man]

or liverpool or utd etc

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

that's what I mean. remember - about 10-15 years ago - Spurs & their dodgy payments? Then what happened to Swindon?

[R A Softlad]

Cash was in a drawer...

[Figaro]

Cash was in a drawer...

 

 

Over here they use dirty old brown paper bags...

[Guest Jack Bauer]

If Liverpool or Man Utd or Chelsea fielded an inelligable player then they'd probably get a lot of points deducted as well.

[R A Softlad]

Over here they use dirty old brown paper bags...

 

Wayne Rooney uses dirty old bags too...

[stressederic]

There's something wrong about a club (especially a non-league club) being fined more for having an ineligible player, then one being punished on the continent for racism in the stands.

[Behind Enemy Lines]

From the Alty Offal

Altrincham FC does not wish to exacerbate the current situation regarding the 18 point deduction imposed on the club for playing James Robinson in 14 games this season. The website will therefore limit itself to factual reports rather than expressions of personal opinion about the matter.

Firstly, a brief explanation for those unfamiliar with the background to this case. James Robinson was signed by Altrincham from another English club, namely Accrington Stanley, in November 2005. Accrington, for whatever reason, had not obtained international clearance for Robinson, who had previously played in Iceland. Robinson then left Altrincham for Australia and it was only when the Australian authorities were registering him that the failure to obtain international clearance by Accrington came to light. Both Accrington and Robinson have reportedly been charged by the FA, but Altrincham have not.

 

Robinson played in 14 Conference games, starting 8 and being a used sub in 6. Alty won 5 of those games (v Kidderminster [h], Aldershot [h], Scarborough [a] Cambridge [h] and Tamworth [h]) and they drew 3 more, (v Grays [a], Tamworth [a] and Stevenage [h]), gaining 18 points in the process. Conference rule 6 which concerns players and which starts "The FA Rules will apply in respect of all matters concerning players" goes on to say in section 6.8 that the Conference "may vary the decision in respect of the deduction of points gained only in a case where a substitute player participates in a match". Had this variation been applied, Alty would only have been deducted 10 points but the Conference yesterday applied the full 18 point sanction.

 

This is the largest deduction ever applied to a Conference team and far exceeds, for example, the deduction of four points imposed on Boston for financial irregularities in 2002, which was only applied at the start of the season following their misdemeanours, after they had won the Conference title on goal difference from Dagenham..

 

Reaction to the decision has been nationwide, with features on national TV and radio and the creation by a York City supporter of a Help Alty website. On the radio, on Thursday, Alty manager and secretary, Graham Heathcote, indicated that the club had behaved in an "honest and above board manner" throughout and that he was confident of the outcome of an appeal to the FA regarding the Conference's decision. Graham can also be heard on Clubcall (see details, right).

 

Meanwhile all Altrincham fans are urged to turn out in force for the remaining two games, at home to Grays on Saturday and away at Woking a week on Saturday, to ensure that the team is well supported as it seeks to confirm its position above the relegation places in the league table.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

That's ridiculous.

 

Match lost and 3 points deducted on top of that is more than sufficient. That's the punishment boro got a few years ago for not turning up.

[Serko]

he played in 18 games.

[Guest Gaz_J]

And it's not like he won all 18 points by himself.

 

As he was 1/11th of the team that played, Alty should be docked 1/11th of 18 points = 1.63 points.

 

Simple, really.