SPFL regulations will be in the spotlight a week on Monday when Livingston are charged with using a player under suspension.
Alan Lithgow played the full 90 minutes of their Irn Bru Cup tie against Crusaders last week with the League One club enjoying a 2-1 win over the Irish side.
Under most circumstances fielding ineligible players results in the match being awarded to your opponents with a 3-0 scoreline but in 2012 the SPL decided to move the goalposts and set up their own review panel to look into over a decade of fielding ineligible players by Rangers (IL).
Incredibly and flying in the face of every other football body the SPL decided that a £250,000 fine to a dead club was sufficient for industrial scale cheating carried out over more than a decade.
During that period of fielding ineligible players Rangers (IL) won titles, Scottish Cup’s and League Cup’s denying clubs that played by the rules honours, prize money and the right to play in European football.
In Europe clubs were knocked out of the Champions League and UEFA Cup by a club fielding ineligible players. In 2007 Stuttgart finished bottom of their Champions League group and watched third placed Rangers (IL), complete with their tax dodging ineligible players, pick up millions on route to getting pumped in the final of the UEFA Cup by Zenit St Petersburg.
While Rangers (IL) were given the softly softly treatment Livingston are bracing themselves for being thrown out of the Irn Bru Cup.
In a statement today the SPFL explained: “It has been reported to the SPFL that Alan Lithgow of Livingston FC played in the IRN-BRU Fourth Round Cup tie away to Crusaders FC on Friday, 7 October, 2016, while under suspension by the Scottish FA.
“Alan Lithgow started for Livingston FC in the above game and played the full 90 minutes.
“As a result, Livingston FC have today been charged with fielding an ineligible player and are requested to attend a hearing to be held by the SPFL on Monday, 24 October, 2016.
“No further statement will be provided before this hearing takes place.”
In 2011 and 2014 Celtic were awarded 3-0 victories over Sion and Legia Warsaw after their opponents fielded ineligible players in UEFA governed matches.
