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Apologies if this has already appeared (I can't see it on the site), but how is it fair that Bradford have been allowed back in the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player when us and Hereford were docked points last year when we just wanted a fine. I know this is the FA and that was the League, but they moan about inconsistency with refs. Bradford now have a £1,000 fine - I'm sure that will worry them on their £1.3million Carling cup run. And anyway, the FA previously threw Droylesden and one other side out the FA Cup for fielding ineligible players so those two clubs must be outraged.

really daft .....rules are rules so why casually bend them when the FA feel like it in this case ... sends out the wrong signals.....

I actually think this is the right decision. The player was on loan and had permission to play in the Cup from Newcastle, but the paperwork wasn't sent through before a deadline. The player was already on loan and had played a league game the week before, so the only aspect was that he didn't have permission from his parent club to play in a cup fixture. Newcastle had already agreed verbally, but didn't send all the paperwork through before the deadline. When Newcastle wrote to the FA to confirm they had given permission, they accepted the appeal.

You can say that rules are rules, and Bradford should have made sure the paperwork was done properly, but the player had been cleared to play so wasn't ineligible in the same way as if he was suspended or hadn't been signed in time. I'd rather football matches were decided on the pitch than in meeting rooms.