Archived News from October 2008
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STAGS DEDUCTED 4 POINTS AT CONFERENCE HEARING
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Andy Perry audio interview, 06 Oct 08, 5pm:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/mansfield_town/7654831.stm Andy Perry: "As part of the conference league rules, you are supposed to keep a fax transmission; there wasn't a fax transmission for this one. We don't know why, but it was on the phone bill." ------------------ http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/news_article.asp?id=837 Statement From The Football Conference 07 Oct 2008 MANSFIELD TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB - PLAYER REGISTRATIONS:- MEMBERSHIP RULE 6.8 – FIELDING AN INELIGIBLE (UNREGISTERED) PLAYER(S) MEMBERSHIP RULE 6.7 – NOMINATING AN UNREGISTERED PLAYER AS A SUBSTITUTE At a Hearing held yesterday(6th October 2008) at the Birmingham Offices of the Football Conference, Mansfield Town Football Club was found guilty, upon its own admission of three breaches of fielding an ineligible (unregistered) player(s) (Membership Rule 6.8) and three breaches of nominating ineligible (unregistered) player(s) on the substitutes' bench (Membership Rule 6.7). Two breaches of each rule occurred during the match against Ebbsfleet United on Saturday 9 August 2008 and one breach of each rule occurred during the Club's match against Histon on Tuesday 12 August 2008. The Board's decision has been conveyed to the Club as follows:- • Having heard the evidence provided by the Club, upon its own admission, Mansfield Town FC was found guilty of the six charges listed in the Football Conference's letter to the Club dated 28 August. • In relation to the fixture on 9 August, no penalty has been imposed for the two breaches of Membership Rule 6.7 for nominating two ineligible (unregistered) players on the Substitutes bench who were not used. For two breaches of Membership Rule 6.8, for fielding two ineligible (unregistered) players the Club has had the point gained in that fixture deducted and has been fined £500.00. • In relation to the fixture on 12 August, no penalty has been imposed for the breach of Membership Rule 6.7 for nominating an ineligible (unregistered) player on the Substitutes bench who was not used. For the breach of Membership Rule 6.8, for fielding an ineligible (unregistered) player the Club has had the three points gained in that fixture deducted and has been fined £500.00. The Club has the right of Appeal against the above decision of the Board. An Appeal must be lodged with, and received by, the Football Association within 14 days of the notification of the decision. Consequently, the Football Conference will not adjust its League Tables, to reflect the above decision, until the Appeal procedure is exhausted. Dennis Strudwick General Manager, The Football Conference ----------------- McEwan rallies club after points misery CHAD.co.uk, 06 October 2008 , By John Lomas MANAGER Billy McEwan today tried to rally the club following Mansfield Town's four-points deduction by the Blue Square Premier League and urged his players to win three of them back at Stevenage tomorrow. http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/McEwan-rallies-club-after-points.4563023.jp Stags were today hit with the deduction and a fine at a special hearing in Birmingham on Monday morning after the league failed to receive a fax containing players registrations, despite it being sent on time from Field Mill. But McEwan on Monday afternoon insisted no-one should feel sorry for themselves and the whole Stags family - club and fans alike - should come together and move forward. He said: "There is nothing we can do about it. We have got to get on with it. It has happened. "We have to face the consequences and move on and learn from it. "Is is a club issue and everyone connected with the club will be disappointed. But we are a family club and must try to help and support each other. "We feel we did things correctly and were not trying to cut corners. "There has been no sympathy, though maybe they will feel they have shown us some by only giving us a small fine, but they have stuck to the letter of the law. "To be done for four points is very disappointing. But we must bounce back and be positive. Everyone must muck in. "It seems a genuine mistake was made. We were not being devious - I would not be associated with anything like that. This is a professional football club and we try to do things correctly by the book. "It is not about blame. It is a club issue. We have to take it on the chin. It is a bit of a setback but there are still a lot of points to play for. "Look at my old club Rotherham. They've pulled back a 17 point deduction. And Leeds made the play-offs despite a massive points deduction. "So it can't be used as an excuse. It has to be a motivational thing. We have to say - hey, we've been smacked on the chin but we will bounce back. "I feel for the fans and I sorry for the players as they have worked their socks off. "We always knew it was going to be a very hard job from day one at this club. We had new people taking over and it was a big, big job for them. It was for me too as we only had two contracted players and one was injured. "People's hearts here are in the right place and want the club to do well. We are one big family. "I would appeal to the fans to stick with us and hope we can get the club sorted out the way we want it. This can be a smashing little club." Stags head for Stevenage Borough tomorrow night (7.45pm) for a live Setanta television game and Mcewan added: "There is no point feeling sorry for ourselves. We have got a game tomorrow and we have to try to win the points back. "I hope to see a good reaction from the players. We will find out tomorrow. There is enough experience in that dressing room - they are not all kids. "We have been knocked to the floor but are we just going to lie there or are we going to get up again? We have to roll our sleeves up and we can do it. "I have no time for negative people. I just want winners and people who are positive. I don't want people feeling sorry for themselves - they are weak people." Skipper Adie Moses' calf strain has improved but on-loan Sheffield United defender Maxime Chanot will stand by to deputise again if needed. "We do have one or two other bumps and bruises from Saturday which concern us though we hope everyone will be okay," said McEwan. A 3-0 defeat at Torquay on Saturday ended Borough's impressive five match unbeaten run and the boss added: "They blow hot and cold. "They got battered at Torquay on Saturday. I know all I need to know about them. I watched Stevenage go 2-0 up against York and then York pulled one back and they capitulated and went 3-2 down before they got a draw. "It is a nice pitch and we are on TV and we seem to do well on the telly! But we know we must play better than we did on Saturday." ------------------ Stags chairman says sorry over points deduction CHAD.co.uk, 06 October 2008 , By John Lomas NEW Stags chairman Andy Perry has apologised to fans for the administrative error that today cost the club a four point deduction - but urged everyone to unite behind the team and move forward. http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Stags-chairman-says-sorry-over.4563569.jp Stags lost the points and were given a small fine on Monday by the Blue Square Premier League after a fax detailing registration details of four new players failed to arrive at BSP headquarter in Birmingham. No decision has yet been taken over an appeal, though it seems unlikely. The club has 14 days to make a decision on any appeal after admitting six charges at the hearing. "It is a knock and we are obviously disappointed and frustrated from the top downwards," he said. "But we have to move on. We have spoken to the manager, players and all the staff and everyone is upbeat about it. "It is done. We can't change the past but we can help shape the future and make sure these things never happen again. "The players went out there and worked hard and deserved to win the points on the pitch. But they have been deducted for something that happened off the pitch. "We were able to show the league the phone bill to show we faxed their number. But we didn't have the fax confirmation as the club has always worked off the memory and, by the time we were told it was required, the memory was too far gone for the fax company to be able to retrieve it. "That procedure was changed within 10 minutes of this coming to light and the two signings we have made since have been done under our new system. "We have to accept their decision. It was an independent panel, chaired by Lord Faulkner. "The paper trail shows we did not set out to cheat anyone. "I do not know if we will appeal. We need to spent 48 hours reflecting and not go with a gut reaction. "And we have only been told the decision verbally so far. We have not had any official paperwork and if that does not look exactly as it was left then that may also cause a re-think on an appeal. "We do want to get out of the Conference, but we have got to work with the people in the Conference as well and be professional all the way. "Short term the goals are always getting promotion, winning every game and winning cups. But it is important that long term we build solid foundations here." He added: "We do feel hard done to - anybody would. But we feel disappointed for the fans. "We are the new people who came in here to do an honest job for everyone and we have perhaps let the fans down. "But we are big enough to dust ourselves down and move forwards. It is a very quick, steep learning curve and now we must make sure nothing like this ever happens again. "We have to make this unite us and galvanise us and I want everyone to get behind the team and manager. "Fans are welcome to come and talk to us if they have grievances about the way we have handled things. But let's also get behind the players and move forward." -------------------- Stags aim to bounce back from points deduction Evening Post, 07 October 2008 BILLY McEwan insists Mansfield must follow in the footsteps of Rotherham United and Leeds United by 'bouncing back' from a points deduction. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-aim-bounce-points-deduction/article-379430-detail/article.html The Stags were yesterday docked four points from their tally of 21 by the Football Conference at a hearing in Birmingham. The Stags manager admits the penalty – after the club were found guilty of having ineligible players in their squad early in the season – is a sizeable blow. As a result of the punishment, the club has slipped from seventh to 15th in the table, nine points behind leaders Crawley Town. But the Scot is adamant this is no time for anyone to be moping around at Field Mill, least of all his players. %3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISNOTT/AREA%3DFOOTBALL/SUBAREA%3D/ARTICLE%3D379430/acc_random%3D2455287528/pageid%3D/RS%3D10307.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3EMcEwan is hoping to see a positive reaction at Broadhall Way, Stevenage, tonight. And he believes there are no better examples of how to respond to the disappointing news than at Millmoor and Elland Road. Already this season, Rotherham have quickly erased a 17-point penalty in a superb start to their campaign and now have a very realistic chance of staving off relegation from League Two. Last year, Leeds were hit by a 15-point deduction yet still managed to reach the end-of-season play-offs. McEwan wants Mansfield to show a similar never-say-die attitude. "It is not a difficult time, just what I would call a setback, and there are still a lot of points to play for," he said. "Rotherham have just wiped out to 17-point deficit they had and Leeds got to the play-offs last season despite their deficit, so we aren't going to be using what has happened as an excuse. We are going to be using this as motivation to say to everyone 'come on' and to think positively. "Everybody is disappointed and I feel sorry for the fans as well as the players, who have worked their socks off. "We have to go out there and not feel sorry for ourselves and try to focus on the games. "We will find out how the players react tonight, but there are a lot of experienced guys; they are not all kids. "My attitude is that if you get knocked to the floor, are you going to get up or stay down? It's not how high you fall, it's how high you jump. "When people say it can't be done, I always say 'why not?' "This is no time for negative people," he said. "We need winners and have to go out tonight and try to get three of the points back." McEwan firmly believes the penalty imposed is due to nothing more than an honest clerical error. And he is keen that the finger of blame is not pointed at any individual, especially as the incident occurred when the club was in transition after changing owners. McEwan said: "If it is a mistake, then it is a genuine mistake. We have not tried to be devious. "We felt we had done everything right and it was by the letter of the book, not cutting any corners. "I would not be associated with anything like that in the club because it is professional and we try to do things right. "The people who are at the club now have their heart in the right place. At times like this we need to help each other and it is pointless the fans saying this and that. "I would just appeal to them to stick with us and hopefully we can then get the club sorted out and run the way we want it to be." In Hertfordshire, Mansfield will find the division's joint second top scorer with eight goals, Steve Morison, waiting for them. But McEwan believes Borough – who lost 3-0 at Torquay on Saturday after previously going five unbeaten – will have just as much to worry about in trying to keep his side quiet. "Morison is a good player and he will be a handful if we are not on it," he said. "They have one or two other useful attacking players as well. "But I know enough about them having watched them play against York. They went 2-0 up and capitulated to go 3-2 down before a Morison header go them a point. "They are blowing hot and cold but we will have to play better than we did on Saturday and a nice pitch should help us do that." matthew.halfpenny@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk ----------------- Stags unlikely to appeal points deduction Evening Post, 07 October 2008 MANSFIELD have hinted they are unlikely to appeal against the Football Conference's decision to dock them four points. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-unlikely-appeal-points-deduction/article-379453-detail/article.html The Stags were handed the penalty at a hearing by in Birmingham yesterday after being found guilty by the League of failing to register players correctly early in the new season. The offence is understood to relate to a fax sent by the club to confirm several new signings, which was not received by the Conference. The punishment comes as a blow to Billy McEwan's side who were within striking distance of leaders Crawley, but now find themselves nine points off top spot in 15th. Mansfield do have the right to appeal, but the line taken in a club statement suggests they are now looking to the future. %3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISNOTT/AREA%3DFOOTBALL/SUBAREA%3D/ARTICLE%3D379453/acc_random%3D9200314565/pageid%3D/RS%3D10307.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3E"A full and fair hearing took place at the Football Conference headquarters in Birmingham regarding the registration of players at the club," it said. "The club are disappointed to have had four points deducted as a result of the hearing. "However, the club recognise that the discretion available to the disciplinary panel has been used in minimising the fine of £1,000 due to the mitigating circumstances surrounding the case. "It is the club's belief that points should be won and lost on the pitch. There are 90-plus points available to play for and there is time to win them this season. Our resolve to do so has been strengthened." Manager McEwan has also spoken of his determination to get over the ruling quickly, urging players and fans to be positive. He said: "We have to face the consequences and move on. This is a setback, but I'm sure in time Mansfield will be a smashing little club." Meanwhile, the club's capacity has been lifted back to its maximum figure of 9,295 for the first time in three years. ------------------ Non League Paper Mansfield Deducted Four Points by Andy White Monday, October 6, 2008 MANSFIELD TOWN have been deducted four points after being found guilty of fielding at least one ineligible player in the first two fixtures of the Blue Square Premier season. The punishment sees the Stags lose out on the points they picked up from a 2-2 draw with Ebbsfleet on the first day of the campaign and a 1-0 victory over Histon three days later. The club received the news at Conference HQ in Birmingham on Monday and after considering their options, have decided against an appeal. A statement on the Stags' website said: "The club are disappointed to have had four points deducted as a result of the hearing. However, the club recognise that the discretion available to the disciplinary panel has been used in minimising the fine of £1,000 due to the mitigating circumstances surrounding the case. "It is the club's belief that points should be won and lost on the pitch. There are 90+ points available to play for and there is time to win them this season. Our resolve to do so has been strengthened. "The club share the disappointment with our fans and are determined that the situation should galvanise us all and strengthen our determination to improve and reap the reward at the end of the season." The penalty means Mansfield, who previously stood in seventh in the BSP on 21 points, will drop eight places to 15th in the division. ----------------------- CLUB STATEMENT, 06 Oct 2008 Read full statement at mansfieldtown.net here ---------------- Stags suffer four point deduction CHAD.co.uk, 06 October 2008 MANSFIELD Town were deducted four points for transfer irregularities at a hearing at Blue Square Premier headquarters in Birmingham today. http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Stags-suffer-four-point-deduction.4562327.jp This followed BSP bosses not receiving a fax from Field Mill containing the registrations details of new players before the season kicked off. Stags, backed by specialist company Football Factors, put their case forward in person today with all three of the club's new owners there, and they felt they had a very strong case. However, the decision went against them and a club statement said: "Mansfield Town Football Club are extremely disappointed with the decision of the Football Conference today. "Following the decision to deduct four points, the club will take time to consider our available options. A further statement will be made in due course." A second charge against the Stags by the FA over the signing of Aaron O'Connor could also be concluded this week with Mansfield fearing further points being deducted. Following Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Woking, the club head for Stevenage Borough tomorrow night for a game live on Setanta TV. ------------------- Mansfield are docked four points BBC.co.uk, 06 Oct 08 Mansfield Town have been docked four points after being found guilty of fielding at least one ineligible player in the opening two games of the season. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/mansfield_town/7654831.stm Stags representatives met Football Conference officials at a hearing in Birmingham on Monday. A club spokesman said they were "extremely disappointed with the decision of the Football Conference". "The club will take time to consider our options and a further statement will be made in due course," he added. Mansfield picked up a draw and a win from their first two games. ------------------ Stags hit with points deduction Evening Post, 06 October 2008 Mansfield Town have been deducted four points by the Football Conference after a hearing into fielding ineligible players. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/sport/Stags-deducted-points/article-377989-detail/article.html It is thought the charge is related to the Stags not having filed registrations in time when signing four players on the eve of the season. They were Aaron O'Connor, Tom Shaw, Luke Elliott and Anthony Robinson and it is believed they might not have been registered for the first two games leading to a four point deduction at a hearing in Birmingham today. Stags boss Billy McEwan said he was bitterly disappointed: “There is not much we can do about it. We just have to face the consequences and get on with it now. “Everyone connected with the club is very, very disappointed. I feel for the fans but also the players who have worked their socks off. %3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISNOTT/AREA%3DSPORT/SUBAREA%3D/ARTICLE%3D377989/acc_random%3D9332859774/pageid%3D/RS%3D10307.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3E“When I came in I said we are looking to have a family club where people help each other out. "We felt we were doing everything correctly, by the book. We were not trying to cut corners. “But we have been done for it and we have to take it on the chin." A club statement said: "The club are disappointed to have had four points deducted as a result of the hearing. "However the club recognise that the discretion available to the disciplinary panel has been used in minimising the fine of £1,000 due to the mitigating circumstances surrounding the case. "It is the club's belief that points should be won and lost on the pitch. "There are 90+ points available to play for and there is time to win them this season.Our resolve to do so has been strengthened. "The club share the disappointment with our fans and are determined that the situation should galvanise us all and strengthen our determination to improve and reap the reward at the end of the season." Mansfield are still awaiting the outcome of an FA investigation regarding having signed O'Connor while he was alleged to have been registered with another club. The issue relates to claims from fellow Blue Square Premier side Grays Athletic, who believed they had already signed the striker when he put to pen to paper at Field Mill in the summer. Billy McEwan added: "We always new from day one that it was going to be a very hard job at this football club. “This is a setback but I'm sure in time it will be a smashing little club. “We will find out what the players' reaction is tomorrow night at Stevenage, but there is a lot of experience in the dressing room; they are not all kids.” --------------- earlier stories: StagsTalk at CHAD.co.uk, 02 Oct 2008 http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Stags-Talk--2nd-October.4553785.jp: John Lomas said (go to 7 minutes in), the whole thing hinged on a fax that the club say definitely left Field Mill but got lost in cyberspace. Tim Morriss added the club can prove a fax was sent that afternoon but can't prove what was in it. --------------- Non-League paper, 05 Oct 2008 Mansfield face the first of their two hearings into player registration problems tomorrow (Monday), which could end with the Blue Square high-flyers being deducted points. The Stags' new owners, led by chairman Andy Perry, will be at the Conference's HQ in Birmingham to present their case against a claim they hadn't faxed details of several new players in time for their first fixture at Ebbsfleet. The following day they must answer a charge of breaching FA Rule C.1(i(i)), which states that a player under written contract may only play for the club for which he is registered. Town played striker Aaron O'Connor in their first five games - and took ten points - when it is understood he was still under contract to Grays, who had taken up their option. A Soho Square spokesman said: "Mansfield originally had until September 30 to come back. But due to the volume of information they've had to collate, they requested an extra seven days, which was granted." ------------------- |
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