Blackpool v Forest Green Rovers GAME OFF [O/T ish]

[Keith]

Radio Lancs has just said that today's FA Cup match, Blackpool v FGR is off due to "an FA investigation in to Forest Green Rovers".

[redrobo]

Son in Law supports Scarboro so is hoping that the game has to be replayed with Scarboro to face Blackpool.

From info that he has got from Scarboro, FG fielded an illegible player so could be kicked out of the FA Cup. Not sure if the player is also illegible for EFL2 games.

[Keith]

Their forum is suggesting Belshaw is the problem. A 'seven day emergency loan 'keeper' who has now played 12 games. I asked two months ago:

Why were FGR allowed to bring in an emergency loan goalkeeper last Saturday? They have three keepers on their books, the one who was on the bench, played for FGR in their FL Trophy game, and even started a League One game when he was at Barnsley. What are the rules on emergency loan goalkeepers? Why can you bring one in when you already have cover?

They could face a massive points deduction as well as being thrown out of the FA Cup. If it is that, it puts our problems in to perspective as they'll definitely be relegated.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=28161

[Keith]

What are the rules on emergency loan goalkeepers? Why can you bring one in when you already have cover?

From the FGR forum:

EFL regulations say that all emergency loan deals ‘shall be for a period of seven days and may be renewed for seven days at a time’ depending on the situation. Clubs can take advantage of the emergency goalkeeper loan rule if ‘all the professional goalkeepers at a club are unavailable,’ due to being unfit to play, suspension or international duty.

A ‘professional goalkeeper’ is classed as a player who has been named in the starting eleven on five or more occasions for a Premier League or EFL club in any competitions - excluding the Papa John’s Trophy. If a club has no professional goalkeepers available and want to sign an emergency loan player, they must submit evidence surrounding the unavailability of their other keepers to the EFL. Rules state that medical evidence can’t be accepted from anyone connected to the club.

Jamie Searle is a full international for New Zealand (one cap) but he's only played one game for Barnsley & one EFL Trophy game (which doesn't count), so technically, he's not a 'professional goalkeeper'.