CAN I REMIND ALL CLUBS THAT IF A PLAYER IS DISMISSED FOR A STANDARD CHARGE THE SUSPENSION AUTOMATICALLY STARTS 7 DAYS LATER. (see below for full notice)

As an aid to clubs the League website has shown suspensions notified by the FA on the front page of the website. However the league have been informed that clubs are using as a defence the fact that the suspension is not showing on the website in cases where they have been charged with playing whilst suspended. The FA have quite clearly stated it is not a defence - if a player is suspended there is no defence. It may be, of course, that the club has not received the paperwork from FA. That again is no defence - FA regulations advise that if the paperwork has not been received clubs should contact the SFA to enquire as to the length of the suspension. In order to alleviate this I did consider removing the notifications from public view but decided this would penalise others. The league does not control suspensions and the notification clubs submit on the teamsheet regarding players sent off and cautioned is for league information - and is required under the rules (rule 11 "any other information required by league to be put on the teamsheet".