It looks like Sheffield Wednesday will get away with a fine from the Football League after naming six loan signings in their sixteen-man squad for the game against Stoke on Saturday.
There can be absolutely no excuses from Brian Laws or anyone at Hillsborough. Everybody knows the rules, and the fact that Wednesday failed to adhere to them should cost them dearly.
I’m Club Secretary for a local Sunday League team and although you can hardly compare the standard of football between the two leagues (we play to a much higher standard
) the same rules should apply.
In our league if you play an ineligible player you are given a hefty fine, deducted two points (we have two points for a win), the other club is rewarded maximum points on a 0-0 basis and the game is usually re-played, schedule permitting, at the expense of the club who did wrong.
Last season Leeds were found guilty of the same thing and were fined £2,000, so it would be a real surprise if Wednesday were deducted points, which once again highlights the differences between the top of the game – where you would think this sort of “mistake” would be much less likely – and the grass roots level.
It’s all very frustrating – and not just because a point deduction for Wednesday would help the Canary cause.



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