Imagine working hard all season, fighting for survival or chasing promotion, only to lose points because of a player suspension you had no clue about.
That’s the frustrating reality facing a bunch of non-league football clubs across England right now.
These teams say they’re being unfairly punished for fielding players who were technically banned — but the problem is, they weren’t properly informed.
A Broken System Causing Big Headaches
At the heart of the issue is the Football Association’s Whole Game System (WGS), a digital portal responsible for managing player suspensions and disciplinary actions across numerous leagues, including Sunday league football.
The trouble? Clubs claim this system doesn’t reliably alert them when a player is suspended for incidents in Sunday league games — suspensions that carry over into non-league matches.
Because of this, teams have unknowingly played banned players, only to face harsh penalties like points deductions and fines weeks or even months later.
The consequences aren’t minor — some clubs have had their league positions and even survival hopes dashed.
The FA admits the system is outdated and plans to replace it next season.
But in the meantime, clubs feel stuck in a flawed setup where they’re being penalized despite having no idea about the suspensions.
Lydd Town’s Legal Battle: Fighting Back
One of the most high-profile cases involves Lydd Town, who are fighting back with lawyers after a four-point deduction that could see them relegated from the Southern Counties East League Premier Division (tier nine).
Relegation would be devastating — it means losing FA Cup participation, a mass player exodus, and dwindling fan attendance.
Lydd’s manager, Ryan Smith, is taking their appeal all the way to an FA hearing at Wembley on June 13.
Smith insists the club had no knowledge of the player’s ban and that it’s unfair to be punished for something out of their hands.
The suspended player, Charlie Dickens, had picked up a misconduct charge in Sunday league football, but neither Lydd Town nor Dickens himself were informed.
In fact, the Sunday league team admitted they failed to tell him about the suspension.
Smith explained, “In 25 years, this is the first time we’ve faced a charge for fielding an ineligible player.
We were celebrating a strong finish to the season and only found out about the deduction days before it ended.”
If Lydd’s appeal succeeds, it could save their place in the league — but Snodland Town would then face relegation instead.
More Clubs Feeling the Pain — And Some Quiet Cases
Lydd Town isn’t alone, though they’re the only club openly challenging their punishment.
At least a dozen other teams from tiers seven to ten have had points docked for similar reasons.
Some have quietly accepted the penalties, while others worry that many more cases may be going unnoticed.
One insider shared a bizarre story of a league only discovering a banned player was fielded because a dog-walker spotted him during a match.
It highlights how haphazard the current system can be.
In the Combined Counties Premier League South, both Jersey Bulls and Redhill lost crucial points, costing them the league title.
AFC Whyteleafe, finishing third, were promoted thanks to those deductions.
Confusing Suspension Rules and Miscommunication
Jersey Bulls played Toby Ritzema in a win against Tooting and Mitcham, unaware he was suspended due to a mix-up over yellow cards and FA Vase bookings.
Ritzema had voluntarily sat out two matches after reaching 10 yellow cards, but one of those bookings didn’t count towards his suspension total, leading to confusion.
Redhill faced similar issues, and both teams ended up losing three points.
Other Affected Clubs and Relegations
Several other clubs across different leagues and tiers have been hit:
- Cray Valley (-3 points) in the Isthmian League Premier Division (tier seven)
- Grimsby Borough and Brighouse Town (-3 points each, with Brighouse relegated) in Northern Premier League East Division (tier eight)
- Tavistock (-1) in Southern League South Division (tier eight)
- Albion Sports (-3) missing out on play-offs in Northern Counties East League Premier Division (tier nine)
- VCD Athletic (-1) and Rochester United (-6) in the Southern Counties East League divisions
- And more clubs facing points deductions and relegation battles down to tier ten.
Brighouse Town and Albion Sports didn’t respond to requests for comment, but Rochester United expressed disappointment at being docked points after unknowingly fielding a suspended player from Sunday league.
The FA’s Position: Clubs Must Stay Vigilant
The FA defends the Whole Game System as managing millions of players and thousands of clubs every year.
They stress that, ultimately, clubs are responsible for checking their players’ suspension status and that cards and bans are enforced according to official rules.
While they acknowledge the WGS technology is aging and will be replaced, their message to clubs is clear: “You must take care to ensure your players are eligible.”
What Lies Ahead?
With the FA’s system being overhauled next season, many hope this nightmare will come to an end.
For now, clubs caught in this tangled web are left fighting for their league survival and credibility — sometimes through legal battles and appeals.
Will the FA step up support to help clubs navigate these tricky admin issues?
And how many other teams might still face the sting of surprise points deductions before the overhaul?
Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: the current system has left many non-league clubs feeling punished for problems they never saw coming.