FAW respond to questions on Welsh National League Premier Division club punishments

The Football Association of Wales have responded to questions surrounding punishment matters involving the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Premier Division last season.

Grassroots North Wales asked the following questions……

Can you confirm the FAW have deducted three points from 2018-19 Welsh National League Premier Division club Queen’s Park for fielding a player in one game last season without the necessary international clearance?

As a result of this deduction, which puts QP on 60 points, are Corwen now declared champions, with 62 points?

Why it has taken until three weeks into the 2019-20 season for this matter to be resolved?

Can you also confirm that Brymbo have had 63 points deducted from their 2018-19 Premier Division total and as a result drop to bottom place?

If this is the case, why was the punishment so severe, and if Brymbo have dropped to the bottom of the table, why weren’t they relegated?

The FAW’s responses were as follows…..

“The Football Association of Wales (FAW) charged FC Queen’s Park with a disciplinary offence under FAW rule 38.1.2 for and alleged breach of Welsh National League (WNL) rule 9(e) for fielding an ineligible player in one WNL Premier Division match last season. This rule states that any “Club playing an ineligible player in a match shall be guilty of an offence and shall have three points deducted.”

“As a result of the charge being found proven by an FAW Disciplinary Panel, FC Queen’s Park have had three points deducted from their 2018/19 playing record.

“It is up to the Welsh National League to declare the champion club. FC Queen’s Park have until Friday 6 September to appeal and as such any change to the league table will probably not be confirmed until the club confirms whether it intends to appeal or not.

“The matter was only brought to the attention of the FAW in April 2019. The investigation into the matter took time as a number of clubs playing within the WNL were under investigation.

“Charges were issued to clubs towards the end of May. The FAW then had to schedule ten personal hearings as requested by clubs and players to hear the charges against them, which were grouped into two consecutive days in mid-July.

“FC Queen’s Park were informed of the Panel’s decision on July 22nd: the club appealed the decision as was their right, and this appeal was heard this week, hence the time taken for the matter to be resolved. The Appeals Panel upheld the decision of the Disciplinary Panel to deduct 3 points from their first team record in the 2018/19 season, 3 points from their reserve team record in the 2018/19 season and fine the club £150.

“Regarding Brymbo FC, they were one of the other teams who were under investigation. Brymbo FC were charged with multiple offences under the same rule as FC Queen’s Park, totalling 21 league matches, which resulted in a total of 63 points being deducted from their 2018/19 WNL Premier Division playing record. The club chose not to appeal this decision.

“The club remain in the WNL Premier Division as a result of them successfully applying to fill a vacancy in the division.”