ABERDEEN Ladies, who were facing certain relegation for a second successive season, have been handed a reprieve. This follows the club successfully appealing a decision by Scottish Women’s Football to strip them of three league wins in August and award 3-0 scorelines to their opponents.
Had the decision stood, Aberdeen would have been relegated to SWFL Division 1 North, a division their Under-23 team already play in. The club claim this would almost certainly have resulted in their best players departing.
Instead, SWF’s appeals committee has effectively agreed with Aberdeen that there were faults on both sides in the failure to register a player who was selected for the three SBS SWPL2 games, as well as many earlier ones for the Under-23 side. She is understood to be 14-year-old Bayley Hutchison, an outstanding prospect who last month made her debut for the Scotland Under-17 side in a 1-0 win over Portugal.
Having been promoted to Aberdeen’s first team – with the club under the misapprehension she had been properly registered – the schoolgirl scored seven goals in her three games, helping them to victories over Hearts, Glasgow Girls and St Johnstone. It was only after a 4-1 win in the last game that the fact she was not registered, and therefore ineligible to play, came to light.
An Aberdeen Ladies spokesperson said: “The club are happy with the appeal decision and felt the hearing was fair. We will now regroup and focus on football related matters ahead of a crucial three weeks for the first team.
“Whilst we have had many messages of support from other clubs throughout not just Scotland but also the UK, we have been disappointed to have been labelled a disgrace and cheats by others. That was not the case.
“We would also like to place on record our thanks to Aberdeen FC, who immediately offered us support and advice.
“We would also like to thank SWF, who throughout this hearing have been supportive where possible.
“Our first-team players and coaching staff have remained dedicated and professional throughout this difficult period – despite the points deductions potentially having a massive impact on them and their footballing careers.”
Even with the nine points reinstated, Aberdeen need to win their two remaining games, against Edinburgh University Hutchison Vale and Hearts on October 21 and 28, to have any chance of staying up at the expense of Glasgow Girls.
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