FA Trophy
Alex Byrne (left) should have been suspended for Shaw Lane’s FA Trophy tie with Nantwich
Shaw Lane AFC are victims of a flawed system, according to club chairman Craig Wood.
The FA Member’s Area is at the centre of the reasons why Shaw Lane AFC are appealing against their controversial expulsion from the FA Trophy.
The FA kicked Shaw Lane out on Friday for fielding Alex Byrne in the third qualifying round win over Nantwich Town. It was later found that Byrne should have bee suspended.
However, Shaw Lane say the system – which has faced huge criticism from secretaries in the past – is to be blame. When Byrne moved from Northwich to Shaw Lane in September, the club were told by the system that he hadn’t collected any cautions at his previous club.
Shaw Lane chairman Craig Wood said: “The player in question was registered with his previous club with an incorrect date of birth and as Alex. When Shaw Lane registered him we used all details, full name and with the correct date of birth. This created in effect two players Alex Byrne and Alexander with two different dates of birth on the FA members services portal that is used by all clubs to monitor their discipline.
“Like all clubs, we use the FA’s own members services portal to monitor discipline for all players registered, at no time did Alexander Byrne show any cautions other than the ones he accrued whilst playing for Shaw Lane AFC. It is important to note that this is the only official system available to monitor discipline, For example another player we have signed mid season shows his previous cautions accrued this season from both his previous clubs. Why did the system not highlight Alexander Byrne – because he had a different identity within the system due to his incorrect date of birth from his previous clubs or FA’s mistake.
“When Alexander had accrued four cautions following the Nantwich game, we advised him that he needs to be careful as one more caution would result in a suspension, Alexander advised that he believed he had a booking at the start of the season whilst playing for his previous club. It was at this point that we raised our concern with the FA who investigated this and found that there was another Alex Byrne with a different DOB who had actually received 2 cautions. The FA also advised that we should suspend Alexander Byrne for our next fixture, which we did. They have since said he should serve a further ban for the same offence. The FA subsequently merged the two identities on the members system to create one identity and this then meant Alex should have been suspended for the Nantwich game. This was us bringing an issue to the FA that they were completely unaware of, no blame can be proportioned to us for this as we have followed all the correct procedures when registering the player and in monitoring his discipline on the system.
“If we as a club had not raised this concern with the FA then this would never have come to light as there were 2 separate players in the system and the FA Trophy tie v Lincoln City would have been played as planned. The whole point of this system is to check discipline. If it can’t be relied upon to find out a players disciplinary history from his previous clubs then the system is flawed. The FA say you should ask the player and their previous club(s), in this case when the transfer is done acrimoniously then this is not credible and can’t be relied upon, so the only way clubs have of finding out for sure is the FA’s members system.
“Shaw Lane are a victim of a system with flaws and are being punished by The FA when we have taken all reasonable steps and then some to ensure we manage discipline correctly and professionally. Our club secretary is the most meticulous man I have ever worked with and thus why as a club we register the players with full and correct details and check the discipline members system rigorously for our registered players.
“I whole heartedly apologise for the inconvenience this has caused Lincoln City and Nantwich Town, this tie was our cup final, our biggest ever game and a game that all associated with our club were looking forward to. We don’t deserve to be treated in this way when it is clear a system and admin failure and thus why we will be appealing the decision.”