AFC Wimbledon

[ronin]

Looks like their title bid is over and they will stay in the Ryman Premier next season.

 

Wednesday 07 February 2007

club news

Ryman League Appeals Committee verdict

 

 

AFC Wimbledon has been found guilty of breaching Ryman League Rule 6.1 in that Jermaine Darlington played eleven games for the club before an International Registration Certificate was obtained. Because the club was found guilty of breaching Rule 6.1 the Committee also considered Rule 6.8 which deals with playing an ineligible player. The Committee has also found AFC Wimbledon guilty of breaching Rule 6.8.

 

As a result of these decisions, the Appeals Committee has deducted the eighteen points earned by AFC Wimbledon in the games in which Jermaine Darlington played whilst ineligible. The Committee has also fined the club £400 and the costs of the hearing. An appeal to the FA is allowed and must be lodged within 14 days.

 

The board of AFC Wimbledon is very disappointed with this outcome and intends to consider the options available to it. Until it has done so, there will be no further announcements.

http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news.php?Psection_id=2&Psub_section_id=1&Open=2449

[Matt H]

Why does it take eleven games for a player to receive international clearance, what are they meant to do for a month?

 

Altrincham were deducted the same amount of points but over a longer period of games. Is it not a requirement of the player to prove they are eligable to play in this country or for the FA to get their arses in gear to clear all aspects of the transfer before the player kicks a ball?

[Exile]

I think it's down to clubs to satisfy themselves they have all the relevant paperwork - you would hope a player would say something if they thought there might be a bit of paper missing. As with Altrincham I can't imagine AFC Wimbledon were trying to cheat, no doubt we are missing some of the background detail to this story. Does every player need an international registration certificate, or just those who have played abroad ? Football used to be such a simple game...

[ronin]

I believe the player has a football "passport" of sorts which needs to be stamped in and out by each national F.A.

 

 

[YELLOW]

Was Darlington playing abroad then before coming to AFC? I assume this is the same Darlington who previously played for QPR?

[ronin]

Originally Posted By: YELLOW

Was Darlington playing abroad then before coming to AFC? I assume this is the same Darlington who previously played for QPR?

Yes same player, his last league club was Cardiff.

[thomarocky]

Yes he was playing abroad in Wales, what a joke ! Here is the e-mail I sent to Alan Turvey of the Ryman League - Dear Sir, I am not an AFC Wimbledon fan, I am a Canvey Island supporter, and wish to let you know as a football fan who is well used to Ryman league football which I love, that I am absolutely appalled at the severity of the punishment dished out to AFC Wimbledon this week. This club was sold out by its owners and it was rubber-stamped by "authorities" such as yourself and allowed to be re-branded as MK Dons.

The fans more than anyone have strived to keep this club alive and put it back where it belongs, at least in the highest ranks of non-league football. Do you realise how these fans must feel now ?

Let us put all this into proper focus - Jermaine Darlington did not have international clearance.

So what ? What harm did it cause anyone ? The so-called international clearance was from Wales ! What a joke. Welsh clubs play in the Football League and the LOW, Welsh clubs play in the FA Cup, Welsh clubs play in the Welsh Cup as do some English teams, Welsh clubs play in the Conference, Welsh cricketers play for England, Welsh teams are overseen by the FA. International clearance, come on.

I ask you to be sensible and re-think this harsh punishment on a club whose supporters have suffered enough do you not think,

Many thanks for reading from Paul Thomas ( Canvey Island FC )

[South Mouth]

Hear Hear!

[ronin]

As a result of their appeal today they are now only being docked 3pts, not sure i agree with it myself but good luck to them.

 

http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news.php?Psection_id=2&Psub_section_id=1&squad=

[Eastside Urchin]

it is wrong,they signed up to the leagues rules at an agm at start of season and that particular rule as in amongst them.They should check everything before they sign or play a player,the fact that they didn't meant they should of been deducted the full amount of points(18)

[YELLOW]

I don't really agree with it. As UM said they knew the rules at the start of the season and rules are there to be obeyed. What about Altrincham last season?

 

This could open up a whole can of worms with the rules constantly being flouted by clubs to get an advantage.

 

The one positive is it could stop both Chelmo and Billericay going up!!!

 

 

[South Mouth]

Yeah, but they are getting done for International clearance when the player only came from Wales. I think justice has been done. Thay did not deserve 18 points for something a lot of clubs would have taken for granted. 3 points says that they are being punished and it is common sense for the reasoning behind the reduction. If the player had come from abroad (and i mean further than Torquay) then 18 points may have been the correct punishment.

 

But as it was a mix up over a player changing teams from our own league system but not knowing the other team wasn't covered by that due to them being under welsh durisdiction (think i spelt that right), then i think 3 points and a fine is more than enough. Remenber, they were kicked out of the Trophy as well.

[Mr Happy]

All Ryman clubs agree to the rules at the start of thge season and the punishments that go alongside those rule breakings. AFCW broke the rules and should be man enough to accept the punishment. This is a complete joke that has brought non league football into disrepute. I sincerely hope that AFCW fail in their promotion bid.

[YELLOW]

Contradicting myself a little, whilst AFC should have been deducted the full quota of points to call them cheats is a bit harsh. They should have been punished for not checking the details fully but a simple admin error doesn't make them cheats. I'm afraid mistakes happen in all jobs and all walks of life. Just a simple case of somebody not doing their job properly.

 

I have to admit though they should have just accepted the punishment to start with instead of bleating on about it and thus occuring the wrath of the rest of the Ryman League.

[South Mouth]

But it was about a man transferring from one team in the english league to another team in the english league. I dont think ANYONE knew that you had to get international clearance if the team is from Wales. If they play in our english league system, then it should be seen as a genuine mistake.

 

Its not like with that player (cant remember who it was) who transferred to an english club from an American club. They didn't do their paperwork properly at all and deservedly got points deducted.

 

For the way that it happened to Wimbledon, i reckon they looked at the rules thoroughly like everyone else did but still couldn't have forseen that international clearance would be needed to sign someone from Cardiff City!

 

Come on. It is a harsh decision anyway and three points, a fine and being booted out of the trophy for this is totally sufficient.

 

I for one hope they go for it now and knock Chelmsford off the top spot and win the league!

[ronin]

Can`t agree with you Chalky, it`s the job of the secretary to know all these rules especially when a very similar case happened last season with Altrincham.

 

The fact the F.A. reduced their deduction is a slap in the face for the Ryman League and brings into question the whole rulebook.

 

No axe to grind with AFC Wimbledon but would they have won their case without such high-profile backing?

[South Mouth]

Ok. I see your point but can you see how ridiculous that rule can be when its asking for international clearance from Cardiff City?

 

Its like being asked for your passport whenever you cross a county in England! I know its Wales and technically a different country but they play in the same league system.

 

I know a rule was broken but i think it was a genuine mistake. So i just think common sense has prevailed. 18 points deduction just seemed over the top for the situation. And i know that these two words cant be used when rules come into play but COMMON SENSE is what has happened this time.

 

I do understand that it should not be one rule for Wimbledon and another for someone else but i just think that this one time, in my own opinion (just because i see the rule as strange when in connection to two english league teams), that 3 points, fine and expulsion from a very lucrative cup competition is enough.

[YELLOW]

I think people are a bit pissed off that AFC had the money to mount a decent legal campaign. Sides like Altrincham didn't so suffered so a case of one rule for the rich and one for the poor.

 

Still say I think it's rather harsh that people are calling Wimbledon cheats from what I've seen on other boards. It's the FA who should take a long hard look at themselves and assess the rulings and punishments for next season.

[Mr Happy]

AFCW aren't cheats but they f&cked up and should pay the consequences. Any decent club secretary will know that the rules re sheep shaggers from Wales are different. Just take a look at the FA's disciplinary pages. It states there that those clubs discipline are dealt with by the Welsh FA and not the FA.

[thomarocky]

A right and proper sentence has been applied after appeal. It was a minor mistake and the only people who would have really suffered were the fans who have been put through enough over recent years. I think the authorities should be applauded for seeing sense for once. I wrote to the FA on behalf of Canvey a I know the majority of people in the non league game thought the original punishment was woefully over the top.