Connah’s Quay charged for playing ineligible player – could face points deduction
Connahs Quay line-up for the penalty shootout. Cardiff Metropolitan University v Connahs Quay in the Nathaniel MG Cup Final at Bryntirion Park on the 6th February 2022. Credit: Lewis Mitchell
Connah’s Quay could face a points deduction that would put them in the relegation zone if found guilty of fielding an ineligible player.
The Football Association of Wales has since charged the Nomads for an alleged breach of Cymru Premier rules.
They have been charged by the FAW with breaching the Cymru Premier Rules 12.6(b) and 14.1 which relates to registering a maximum of one new player after submitting their squad list, with the second rule being that no club should play an ineligible player in a match.
It has been said in a report by the BBC that the reigning Cymru Premier champions could face a points deduction of up to 18 points.
Such a punishment would put them in 11th, eight points adrift of safety with Haverfordwest County moving out of the relegation zone.
“The matter has been referred directly to independent arbitration and a date for the hearing will be confirmed in due course,” said a statement to the BBC from the Football Association of Wales.
A new ruling on the registration of players limits clubs to just one free agent signing between the end of the summer transfer window and the start of the winter transfer window.
Paulo Mendes appeared before fans in Connah’s Quay’s 1-1 draw with Caernarfon Town on August 31, the last day of the summer window.
They later made the signing of former Wales international defender Neal Eardley, who was announced on October 8.
Nomads said to the BBC that they insist that Mendes was registered before the closing of the transfer window.
If Mendes is found to have been registered after the transfer window then Eardley would be deemed an ineligible player because the Nomads would have filled their quota of one free agent after the registration period.
Eardley made six starts for the club in the Cymru Premier, as well as the full-match against Flint Town United in the Welsh Cup.
For each game the alleged ineligible player would have played in it could equate to an 18-point deduction.
