Connah’s Quay Nomads found guilty of fielding ineligible player and deduct 18 points

Connah’s Quay Nomads have been found guilty of fielding an ineligible player and have been deducted 18 points

The points deduction means the reigning champions are second from bottom, 6 points from safety and facing relegation.

The league, “Following today’s decision by independent arbitration in the case against Connah’s Quay Nomads for an alleged breach of JD Cymru Premier rules, the final Phase One league table and fixtures for Phase Two have now been updated accordingly.”

“As the league now splits in two, Connah’s Quay Nomads will join Cardiff Met, Aberystwyth Town, Barry Town United, Haverfordwest County and Cefn Druids in the Play-Off Conference.”

“The New Saints, Penybont, Newtown, Flint Town United, Bala Town and Caernarfon Town will compete in the Championship Conference. The points and goal difference accumulated by each team in Phase One will be carried over to Phase Two. ”

In a statement this afternoon the Football Association of Wales said:

On 2 March 2022, Mr William Norris QC, appointed as the sole independent arbitrator by Sports Resolutions who provide independent dispute resolution services,  heard the two disciplinary charges brought by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) against Connah’s Quay Nomads (the Club) alleging breaches of FAW Rules 38.1.1 and/or FAW Rule 38.1.2.

It was found that contrary to Cymru Premier Rule 12.6(b), two players were registered to List A after the closure of the first Professional Registration period but before the opening of the second in the 2021/2022 season.

It was further found that contrary to Cymru Premier Rule 14.1, the second player played in six (6) JD Cymru Premier matches when he was therefore an ineligible player.

In his Summary of Decision, Mr William Norris QC detailed the following decisions:

‘I find that both charges have been proved. I fully accept that the Club attempted to register Player A on the evening of 31st August 2021 and believed it had done so before the window closed at midnight having submitted documentation via the COMET system at 21:50 BST.

However, I find that, whilst the Club thought it had uploaded Mr Mendes’s contract (which I accept he had signed by then), it had not in fact done so.

As a consequence, the attempted registration was rejected, notification of which was sent to the Club at 23:24 (by email).

Unfortunately, no-one at the Club was checking that the process had been successfully completed which, of course, may be understandable in one sense given the lateness of the hour.

Nevertheless, that was an unfortunate and regrettable omission in circumstances where compliance with the requirements of registration is critically important and when the registration was being made very late in the transfer window.

‘The sanction that I must and do impose is that the Club will have 18 points deducted. Given the circumstances in which the breaches of the Rules have occurred and what I appreciate are very serious sporting and commercial consequences for a successful and important club in Welsh football which is run, as I accept, by good hard-working people, I do not consider it appropriate to impose any fine or fines in addition.’

The JD Cymru Premier league table will be altered to reflect the Club’s points deduction and the subsequent changes to the league fixtures, due to the mid-season split, will be communicated in due course on CymruFootball.Wales.

The club are yet to comment.