Saffron Dynamo FC were charged on 15 April 2024 with playing an ineligible player in their League Cup Quarter Final fixture against Wellingborough Town on 24 February 2024 and their Semi Final fixture against Ashby Ivanhoe on 10 April 2024.
League Cup Rule 6 states that a “…Club will also be removed from the Competition, unless able to satisfy the Board that the club (or any of its officers) did not know and could not reasonably have known, even had it made every reasonable enquiry (with the exercise of the utmost caution), that the player was ineligible”.
Following a Sub Committee meeting last week, to which Saffron Dynamo FC presented evidence for consideration, it was determined that the club did not provide the necessary evidence that appropriate checks had been made to ensure that the player had not played in the Competition for another Club this season. The Club for whom the player had played was the same Club from which Saffron Dynamo FC had transferred him earlier this season.
The decision of the Committee was, with regret, to remove Saffron Dynamo FC from the League Cup in accordance with the rules of the Competition. It was also determined that in accordance with past precedent, Wellingborough Town FC should be reinstated to the Competition.
The decision to remove Saffron Dynamo FC from the League Cup is subject to appeal, and the Club have indicated that they intend to lodge an appeal to the Football Association.
The Competition will therefore be temporarily suspended whilst we await confirmation on the date of the appeal, after which further information will be announced regarding the date(s) for the resumption of the Competition.
Tickets for the Final which have already been purchased will be refunded. Whilst the Final will not be all ticket when played, spectators will again have the opportunity to purchase tickets in advance and further information will follow in due course.
The League will not be making any further statement regarding this matter at this stage.
