Statement released regarding 2017/18 League Cup Final
14th July, 2018
The Management Board of the Toolstation Northern Counties East Football League have this morning released a statement regarding the 2017/18 League Cup Final.
Following the conclusion of an investigation by the FA and the Toolstation Northern Counties East League, the League can confirm that Liversedge have been expelled from the 2017/18 NCE League Cup competition after playing an ineligible player in the semi final versus Handsworth Parramore.
The League panel were unanimous in their verdict that, whilst an ineligible player had participated in the semi final, there was a genuine mistake on the part of the club borne out of extraordinary circumstances, specifically the late abandonment of a game due to a player illness.
This does not mitigate the offence but it led the panel to conclude that the error should not incur a financial penalty that could have been levied in accordance with FA rules.
In view of the length of time the process has taken and the fact that the season ended several weeks ago, the Board has had no choice but to abandon the 2017-18 Final.
The NCEL Board will not be making any further statement on this matter.