AFC Wimbledon Points Deducted

[GarySTFC]

Ryman League have played to the law and deducted all the points AFC Wimbledon won during their time of fielding a player without registering him properly.

 

As a result, they are now 18 points lighter and spending another season in the Ryman Premier by the looks of things...

[Guest]

I think it's time to introduce a game of whinging AFC fans Bingo! Draw up a grid 3 x 3 and enter an excuse in each box. Then tick them off when they inevitably start moaning. First one to get a line wins!!

 

Oh it's not fair...., if it was anyone else...., it's only because they want to keep us in this division......, they love having all our (silent) fans....., it's a conspiracy......

 

[brighton_rebel]

whatever, its very harsh - especially in comparison to all the dodgy stuff that happens in the premiership and elsewhere in the league with bungs etc.

[Guest]

But whilst everybody might know those things happen, nobody has ever proved it. In AFC's case, they broke the rules and have been punished as per the letter of the law and as others have been beforehand.

[brighton_rebel]

But does the punishment fit the crime? its an admin error, a player from that far away country of Wales not registering in England.

Was it done on purpose? No.

With every dodgy [****!!****] in the world wanting to take over Premiership clubs and the FA's 'fit and proper' for chairman test a bloody joke, it just seems a slegdehammer to crack a nut.

 

[Martin]

Indeed. But the problem is it was setting a precedent. The guy played in eleven games and AFC picked up 18 points so they deducted them all. It is clear how they arrived at the punishment. If they had opted for a fine or a lesser points deduction they would have had to create some sort of formula that could be applied to all future cases.

 

What will be really interesting is if West Ham or Pompey are found to have been playing Tevez, Mascherano or Fernandes without proper clearance. How would the punishment be applied then?

 

It was not so long ago that Swindon were demoted fro financial irregularities when the same thing turned up at Tottenham they were deducted 12 points which was subsequently overturned on appeal.

 

I think the Ryman League arrived at the correct decision but it is only fair if it applies equally to all clubs.

[GarySTFC]

Didn't a similar thing happen to Altrincham last season? Sadly for the Dons, I think the league are right in this instance.

[brighton_rebel]

Yes it did, but because so many clubs went into admin etc they didn't get relegated.

Don't you think the rules are too harsh in the first place?

 

 

[GarySTFC]

No, not really. The rules are laid out and apparently it is listed on the form the secretary fills out regarding international clearance, so why shouldn't they be punished for their errors? They have gained points by having a player they shouldn't have in their starting eleven, and a very good payer by all accounts from what I've heard, and I would say that is gaining an unfair advantage over the sides they have been playing.

 

Had he not been signed or played, they may have had to field a young inexperienced full back and got roasted down that wing instead.

[Martin]

I've heard that the only reason it came to light was because he was booked and that lead them to check his disciplinary status and that was when they realised he had never had international clearance from the Welsh FA. Apparently that was the first booking in his career. It would have been very interesting if this had gone unnnoticed for much longer what they would have done.

[HorshamRebel]

Especially if it had been noticed when the play-off games were being played, and AFC happened to be in them

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

At the end of the day i still feel sorry for the fans who are forced to deal with this going on...

[Guest]

Interesting to see what punishment is deal out on Woodford United who had their game abandoned due to brawling between players, officials last weekend. They were losing 1-0 to Cinderford with 8 mins remaining. Last season they were warned by the FA following a 22 man brawl between them and Potten when in the UCL.

 

In my eyes violence of any kind should not be tolerated. If AFC Wombles get hit for 18 points then what punishment - in relative terms - should woodford receive?