Staveley Miners Welfare are angry about the way they say one of their players was approached by a team higher up the National League System.

A statement from the club reads: "Over recent weeks, the club have received several enquiries and notification of clubs intending to make an approach to our players with the requisite seven-day notice required by the FA Rule and Regulation handbook at page 106.

"Following a request to waive the seven-day notice period and our refusal to the same, regrettably it was brought to our attention last week that the Blue Square Conference club in question had made a direct approach to one of our players despite our refusal and without pursuing the same under the correct recognised procedure.

"The club in question was reported to the FA by Staveley MWFC and a decision on whether that club is to be charged is awaited."

Their statement adds: "It is any club's right to make an official approach or ask permission to speak to a non-contract or contracted player if the correct procedure is followed and there are no contractual restrictions on making such an approach.

"We fully expected that clubs would be interested in several of our players and that, with our recent good form and as the club progresses, these approaches would increase in number and be from clubs at a higher league standard.

"We expect these higher placed and bigger clubs to conduct themselves correctly and not act in an unprofessional and disrespectful manner to both players and club in waiving aside the rule book and conducting an approach for any of our player outside of the FA rules and regulations."