Thetownend.com

AFC Wimbledon have been deducted 18 points by the Ryman League Appeals Committee for fielding a player without international clearance.
The Dons have already been expelled from the FA Trophy for fielding Jermaine Darlington.

And they have now had points taken off for the 11 games in which the former Cardiff midfielder featured for them.

The Dons breached three league rules and were also fined £400 and the costs of the hearing.

The deduction dents AFC Wimbledon's hopes of gaining promotion to the Conference.

The Dons are currently fourth in the Ryman Premier division on 51 points, but will drop to 12th on 33 points.

thats them fucked for another season then! i would love nothing more than to see them reach the football league!

Shocking news.

Yoiu have to feel it's a temporary blip, they'll be back up where they belong soon enough.

They won't break the rules again though will they!  :wink:

Thats fuckin harsh! No mark league committee members trying to make a name for emselves........bastards! I hope they appeal.
Are west ham not in trouble for fielding an ineligible player in the fa cup?
Bury got the boot for the same thing did'nt they.

didnt another team, do this and get a small fine? is this the FA against Wimbledon again?

Altrincham got 18 points off for the same offence (I think).

Scarborough got in to a spot of bother too where they got a 10 point deduction.

I think people looking too far into this - AFC Wimbledon have breached and therefore must be punished. There's no conspiracy.

I hate Franchise - I want to see AFC Wimbledon do well - but they have to be given the same treatment despite how ludicrously harsh the fines and point deductions are.

exactly, penalty cant be anything else can it or all the teams they played while he was playing would appeal individually.

Fair play. Why should they be given special treatment, End of the day they are a football club like everyone else, Just because of who they are and what they came from means they shouldnt be given special treatment.

Totally wrong .. they played a player who they thought didnt need international clearance as he came from a club playing in the English League ..

Not the first time the FA has got it wrong .. remember?

A fine and a 3 point deduction would be more appropriate - the Italians fixed matches and got less punishment (bar Juve that is)

I.. I.. I.. agree with fatbury.

Didn't like doing it, but there, I've said it  :wink:

Ive decided to post more sensible postings ... oh shit thats buggered it!

But the point is that other clubs don't get treated like that, just the lower league/non-league sides. Anyone remember West Ham getting kicked out of the FA Cup when they fielded an ineligible player? No. Any chance of Chelsea getting points deducted when they broke the rules with illegal tapping up? No. One rule for the rich ....

that tit forgot he played for the scum in the earlier rounds didn't he

didn't leeds just get fined about a tenner for the same thing ?  although i suppose if you were to remove the points leeds won whilst fielding an illegible loan player it would be about, err, 0.

Exactly !!

So what the FA are saying is that you can fix matches and only get a smack on the wrist, but if you transfer a player from a team which plays in the English Championship to a team that plays in the English Ryman league, you get a heavier punishment.

Makes sense doesn't it !!!

I'm no lover of the FA, but the punishments handed out by the italian FA have got fuck all to do with the English FA.

Was a 2 grand fine with another grand suspended

Fuck me - That's a contender for the biggest understatement of all time :shock:

This represents Wimbledon's promotion hopes right now:

 
http://67.19.177.10/newphotos/bad/bad720.jpg

That 'dent' aint going to come out with no tee-cut girl friend :?

They were no certainties to go up anyway. Only 4th, and there are complicated feeder systems from all the leagues below conference south. Things always seem to be thrown into turmoil by financial trouble, or grounds not up to standard at that level.

I certainly agree that the FA seem much more willing to hand out meaningful points deductions in the lower leagues than at the top. Basically they know that the lawyers hired by the top brass of the rich clubs will make them look like utter fools (as Spurs did).

Its exactly the same in the criminal courts. If you can afford a good lawyer, and can afford a serious defence team then you get treated one way. If you are poor and have a duty service lawyer then they wont take your case seriously. Its the way of the world, but it doesnt make it right.

No they weren't certainties to go up but fourth is a play off spot in the Ryman League and they were not that far behind top spot so they were right in the running. There would have been no problems with the ground either as they now own Kingstonian's ground which is definitely Conference standard. I don't think the fact that they were not certain to go up will be much comfort to them. How would you feel if we were suddenly deducted 18 points? (Let's not even think about that, it's too close to reality :? )

Having just read The Innocent Man by John Grisham which is a true account of innocent men being sent to Death Row due in no small part to them not being able to afford a decent lawyer, I certainly agree with your point about there being one form of justice for the rich and another for the poor.

Oh yeah, id be gutted. And outraged if I were AFC Wimbledon. But from the tone of this thread you would have thought they were 10 points clear at the top. The play offs offer poor odds on going up. 4/1.

Yes, im having a bit of a DMR moment.   :mrgreen:

And the penalty is totally unfair and disproportionate.

Good news....on the AFCW site it is being reported that their appeal has been successful.

http://tinyurl.com/2vpqe2

Thank god, i really want them to do well, wouldnt it be great if one year Franchise got relegated to the Conference and AFC got promoted to the football league! I'd pay good money to see that!

Who wouldn't !!!

I'd even pay bad money.

Points reduction down to 3  now, and so it should be.

I think they should've transfered the other 15 points deduction to Franchise !!!

 Football Karma  8)

good news

good news