PUNISHMENT BY THE FOOTBALL AUTHORITIES AGAINST AFC WIMBLEDON

Early day motion 992, tabled 27 February 2007 by Alan Keen (Labour). Signed by 88 members.

That this House regrets that AFC Wimbledon of the Ryman League Premier Division has been deducted 18 points, fined and thrown out of the FA Trophy and the Surrey Senior Cup for registering a player without also completing an International Transfer Certificate, even through his previous club, Cardiff City, play in the Championship, which is in the English league structure, and he had retired from that club due to injury; believes that this is an excessive punishment for a minor administrative error, as the club sought no advantage and there was no dishonesty, and few people at a small community club would have realised he needed an international transfer; further notes that the error was only discovered when the player was given his first yellow card, and that if he had been a dirty player the mistake would have been uncovered earlier and the punishment would have been smaller; also notes that AFC Wimbledon was established when local fans set up their own community club after another injustice, the football authorities' decision to allow Wimbledon FC to move its franchise to Milton Keynes in 2002; congratulates AFC Wimbledon for regularly attracting crowds of several thousand and for rising from the bottom of the football pyramid to be just three promotions from entering the Football League; and regrets that if the deduction of 18 points is not reversed they will fall from top to only 13th in the Ryman League Premier Division and their fans will be robbed of the chance of celebrating promotion.

Signatures by party: Labour 57, Conservative 17, Liberal Democrat 13, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.