SFA and SFL give McCoist green light for trialist deal
A soft registration ban was agreed with Charles Green when the then Sevco Scotland were given associate membership of the SFA following the liquidation of Rangers. Included in the secretive five way agreement was a registration ban from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2013.
SFL clubs are allowed to field upto two trialists in league and Ramsden Cup ties with each trialist allowed to play three times. Describing players who have been paraded as signings such as Cammy Bell, Nicky Law, Jon Daly and Nicky Clark as trialists seems to be stretching the definition but as recent events have shown rules are there to be adapted to meet circumstances.
Confirming and promoting the loophole to the Daily Record, Scottish Football League spokesman Anton Fagan said: “Like everyone else, Rangers will be able to use unregistered players as trialists on three occasions.
“Our season starts with the first round of the Ramsdens Cup and two trialists are allowed in that tie. The clubs asked for that to be introduced last year because it’s so early in the season.
“They will also be able to field them in league fixtures, although the cup tie would count as one of those three appearances.
“If they were a substitute that would also count, even if they didn’t come on.
“However, no trialists are allowed in the League Cup, the first round of which takes place in August.”
Over at the SFA registrations’ chief Sandy Bryson added: “The players can’t be registered with us until September but they can appear in as many challenge matches as they like.
“But as a result of the embargo we cannot request international clearance for players from elsewhere. The trialist rule only applies to footballers who have already been registered in this country.”
There is no limit to the number of ‘trialists’ that can be played in friendly matches but no comment from the SFL on the rule that only allows clubs to register 22 players over the age of 21.