Stranraer and Cove Rangers have been fined by the SPFL for listing ineligible players in the Betfred Cup.
Both clubs have been hit with £2,000 fines with £1,500 suspended for 18 months assuming that both clubs don’t repeat the offence.
While the punishments seem light the precedent was set in 2013 when the football authorities appointed Billy Nimmo Smith to look into some of the systematic cheating used by Rangers (IL).
Nimmo Smith’s remit was to review contracts from July 1998 but the report only covered contracts from November 2000 conveniently body swerving the unregistered payments made to Tore Andre Flo and Ronald de Boer.
Despite almost a decade of fielding ineligible players during which they won the SPL title, the Scottish Cup, the League Cup and earned millions from playing in Europe Nimmo Smith decided that a £250,000 fine was sufficient punishment. It is not known if the fine has ever been paid.
Yesterday the SPFL announced: “At disciplinary hearings held today (Wednesday 27 July 2016) at Hampden Park, Glasgow, a sub-committee of the SPFL Board heard Stranraer Football Club and separately Cove Rangers Football Club concerning alleged breaches of Betfred Cup Regulations (the Regulations).
“Stranraer FC pleaded guilty to a breach of the Regulations in that player Nathan Brown was listed on the team sheet for Stranraer’s Betfred Cup group stage match against Annan Athletic FC on 16 July 2016. Stranraer FC won the match. Nathan Brown was an unused substitute in the match.
“Cove Rangers FC pleaded guilty to a breach of the Regulations in that player Lewis Dunbar was listed on the team sheet for Cove Rangers’ Betfred Cup group stage match against Alloa Athletic FC on 19 July 2016. Cove Rangers FC lost the match. Lewis Dunbar was an unused substitute in the match.
“The SPFL Board sub-committee determined that neither Stranraer FC nor Cove Rangers FC obtained any sporting advantage.
“The SPFL Board sub-committee determined that a sporting sanction would be inappropriate. Both Stranraer FC and Cove Rangers FC were severely censured, were warned as to their future conduct and were fined £2,000. In each case, 75% of the fine was suspended until 31 December 2017.
“The suspended element of each fine would be activated in the event that the Club concerned were to be found guilty of another breach of any SPFL Rules or any Regulations in any matter regarding player eligibility occurring on or before 31 December 2017.”
Last season Dundee United were docked three points and fined £30,000 for listing Ali Coote and Jamie Robson in an end of season match against Inverness Caley Thistle.
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