Basford United drop out of play-off places after three point deduction for ineligible player

BASFORD UNITED have dropped out of the Evo-Stik NPL Division One South play-off places after being deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.

The Nottinghamshire side were sitting in fifth after six wins and five draws from their opening 16 league fixtures but they have now fallen to seventh, with Chasetown and Stocksbridge Park Steels leapfrogging them.

Basford were charged with breaching league rule 6.9 after playing Callum Smith in the 3-2 victory over Stocksbridge on September 10.

Smith was not registered with the Evo-Stik NPL and so shouldn’t have played in the game. The three points Basford earned in that match have been removed immediately from their total, leaving them with a total of 20.

An Evo-Stik NPL statement read: “The panel found Basford United FC guilty of a breach of Rule 6.9 – playing an ineligible player – namely Callum Smith when he was not registered with the Northern Premier League and therefore not eligible to participate.

“The sanction imposed by the panel is that the thee points gained in the fixture versus Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday 10th September will be deducted from the club’s playing record.”