AFCW squirm out of it

[David Holden]

Points deduction reduced by FA from 18 to 3, thus leaving AFCW still in a play-off spot.

[Stu M]

Hadn't they appealed to virtually anyone they thought could lend weight to their campaign? I think even Tony Blair was on side!

 

All of which is a fantastic piece of marketing on their part, and probably is the correct level of punishment for the offence, but still sticks in the craw when one considers all the other teams deducted points for similar offences but who lacked the clout of AFCW to do something about it.

[Adam.S]

'and probably is the correct level of punishment for the offence'

 

Other foootball teams have got done more points than AFC for doing more minor things. I don't think it's right.

[Tony_T]

Leicester Tigers got a 1 point deduction for fielding an ineligible player for two matches (which they won) - strange how the Rugby world sees it in a different light!!!

[jc]

An absolute disgrace - you just know that if it was anyone besides AFC Wimbledon (OK, perhaps FC United too), the chances of such a reprieve would be much reduced.

 

An 18-point deduction for this offence is disproportionate and should never have been allowed in the rules in the first place, but if that's what the rules lay out, that's the course of action that has to be taken, in the interests of consistency - as was done in Alty's case last season.

 

Let's just hope the rules are amended this summer, and/or a system is put in place to detect a player's eligibility the moment he joins a club, so such a fudge on this issue will never have to happen again.

[Bernard]

Totally agree. As if them being knocked out of the Trophy and forced to hand over their winnings wasn't enough, to heap an 18-point deduction on them was ridiculous. However, 'them's the rules' and if those can be flouted, then there's not much point in them. To almost entirely repeal the deduction is equally ludicrous as the 18-point deduction seemed in the first place.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

The problem here is that, had he been booked in his 1st game for AFC Wimbledon, the situation wouldnt have happened in the 1st place - I dread to think about the furore had he gone the whole season without being booked & then it came to light.