Bradford City disqualified from FA Cup for fielding ineligible player

According to BBC Sport, Bradford City have been kicked out of the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player, sending Brentford through to the third round.

The Bantams fielded on-loan Newcastle defender Curtis Good in last Friday’s 1-1 draw with the Bees without registering him by the noon deadline.

Their replay on 18 December will be cancelled, with Brentford now visiting Bury or Southend in round three.

While it is most unfortunate, the rules clearly state that a Club that fields an ineligible player will be dismissed form the competition.

City issued a statement, saying:

“The nature of the charge is the playing of one of our loan players deemed ineligible due to the late submission for permission for him to play.

The error was of an administrative technical nature and not one to intentionally break competition rules. We presented a case of mitigation to the FA on Thursday, 6 December, however the FA panel chose to enforce the full powers of its jurisdiction and have removed the club from the FA Cup competition.”

The Football Association has said in a statement:  “Bradford City did not have the necessary written permission for Curtis Good to play in the competition, whilst on loan from Newcastle United, by the 12pm deadline on Friday November 30 prior to the fixture that evening.”

Bradford City welcome Premier League giants Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup on the 11th of December