Rothes docked three points - boss speaks out

ROTHES have been docked three Highland League points for fielding an ineligible player, leading their manager to question if the punishment fits the crime.

The Speysiders listed 16-year-old Connor Smith as a trialist substitute in four league games, when league rules state unsigned players can only be used in a maximum of three fixtures.

Smith only played for 25 minutes of the 10-1 win against Fort William and was an unused sub in a win over Strathspey and two defeats at Keith and Brora.

Rothes owned up to the error straight away and MacDonald accepted his club's punishment of a points deduction and £50 fine, but believes league rules need to be re-assessed on the back of his week's decision.

He pointed to Fort William's nine-point loss for fielding an ineligible player in three matches which the Lochaber club lost, suggesting that financial penalties would be more appropriate when a club has clearly not gained any advantage but simply made human error.

"It's very disappointing and a big blow for us but the rules are there for everyone to follow so we have to take our punishment," he said.

"I just don't know if the punishment really fits the crime in this case."

The Speysiders' drop just one place in the league as a result of their deduction, which was announced after a Highland League management committee meeting on Thursday night.

A league spokesperson said: "In forming its conclusion, the League Management Committee took into account the fact that the club had agreed that this amounted to a breach of Rule 8.9.5 and that the terms of clause 8.9.13 provided for a mandatory penalty.

"Consequently, the meeting decided that Rothes FC be fined a total of £50 and deducted 3 points with immediate effect."

MacDonald said he listed schoolboy Smith on his bench as part of the young player's gradual transition towards senior football.

"Young Connor Smith is a 16 year old boy who's come from school and has never been signed by a senior club before.

"Connor is starting out in men's football and played for 25 minutes on his Highland League debut for Rothes as a trialist when we were well ahead versus Fort William on the first game of the season, in a game we won 10-1.

"He subsequently was on the bench on three other games as an unused sub while both Connor and Rothes decided it was the best option for him at his stage of development.

"He was unused versus Keith and Brora away when we lost both games. Does it really justify being deducted three points on top of already losing the game because you had a young trialist on the bench?

"I've never been a fan of mandatory being points deducted and I'm just saying this because it has happened to us.

"Every situation is different and should be looked upon on merit. Even when Fort William were deducted nine points earlier in the season it seemed very harsh despite them clearly breaking the rules by playing an ineligible player (totally different to playing a trialist too many times).

"They had been beaten in each game by double figures I think, did they really need to be deducted points in this case too? Would a fine not have been sufficient?

"It makes the league table look farcical in their circumstances to lose nine points and be in a minus total. Football fans want to see the league table decided accurately over the season based on football matches not bureaucracy."

MacDonald used Buckie Thistle title success of two seasons ago as an example of when common sense was used to make the correct decision.

Jags faced a possible points deduction after listing Callum Murray as a substitute in a match when he hadn't been properly re-registered after a loan spell at another club.

"Even if the player who all the controversy about was found to be ineligible, he never even entered the field that day. Yet you are telling me if he was ineligible that would have justified Buckie losing points and subsequently losing the league title?

"Thankfully common sense prevailed that day and a vote was taking by the association.

"I really don't think clubs are trying to cheat the system, it's just so difficult to keep on top of all the rules and sometimes things outwith your control. Surely no one wants to win games or see points deducted because the opposition have an ineligible player by mistake or are wearing the wrong number? Or indeed as in our case, just human error."

The Rothes manager defended club secretary Garry Davies, who is understood to have made the administerial error which the club has been punished for.

"Garry is a great guy. He's been in the game for many years and is well respected throughout the league. Like many people helping on committees in Highland League clubs he is giving up his time for nothing - the love of his club and football.

"The demands on secretaries throughout the league are considerable these days. He has always been fantastic for me, dropping everything for anything I've needed. I've even seen him take a week leave off his work, using his own holidays to work on Rothes achieving the SFA club quality mark. This was all despite having health worries of his own."

MacDonald is questioning whether the SFA and North FA are doing enough to help clubs and their officials at Highland League level.

"Are they doing enough to highlight to clubs when players and suspended or not allowed to play for you? It shouldn't be a secret or trying to catch people out.

"The three-game trialist rule has been in existence for a long time and I accept is well known. Sometimes it takes a big error or incident to look at changing things and the rules and perhaps this rule requires looked at now too? Is the ruling a bit antiquated now?

"Garry has told the North FA about the error off his own back and held his hands up to the mistake. It's simply human error and there is a big difference between that and trying to cheat the system.

"We are in a very different times. There was a time when you only had two substitutes and didn't have to change much. We are now in an era where you are allowed seven substitutes but it is not unusual for your team to have 5-8 players unavailable every week therefore needing flexibility outwith your squad to even make three players on the bench.

"Every club is having to pull players in because of the way numbers fluctuate now.

"Perhaps it's time to have a look at it. Do we need to look at changing times and give more flexibility around the rule or at the very least you have to actively play in three games for it to be considered having played as a trialist in three games rather than just be an unused sub?"