Droylsden hit by FA Cup expulsion

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Richardson 'expected' Droylsden punishment

Droylsden have been thrown out of the FA Cup after they were found guilty of fielding an ineligible player in their second-round win over Chesterfield.

Sean Newton scored both goals to help his side to a 2-1 win.

But Chesterfield asked the Football Association to intervene when they discovered Newton should have been serving a one-match ban on 23 December.

Chesterfield will now face Ipswich on 3 January, although Droylsden have lodged an appeal.

According to the FA website, any appeal must be made with the association by 0900 GMT on Tuesday 30 December, with the appeal to be heard the following day.

Droylsden manager and chairman Dave Pace told BBC Radio Manchester: "It is ludicrous as we have beaten Chesterfield fair and square on the field.

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"It is not as if we have brought a ringer in at the last minute. Sean Newton is one of our players.

"It was a genuine mistake by our secretary. Fine us by all means but don't kick us out."

Chesterfield manager Lee Richardson said: "This has been a cup tie with many talking points and it seems that the FA has now had the last word.

"The outcome is no real surprise as the rules clearly set out what it likely to happen if a club plays an ineligible player."

An FA statement added: "The FA Cup prize fund payment of £30,000 should be redirected to Chesterfield.

"There is no fine imposed against Droylsden and the club's participation in future FA Cup competitions is not affected."

Bloods manager and chairman Pace had previously given his version of the Newton situation.

He said the club sent a fax to the FA explaining that as far as they were concerned, Newton would serve his ban in their league game on Boxing Day.

"If there was any doubt from our point of view that he should not have played against Chesterfield then he would not have," he told BBC Radio 5 Live at the time.

Pace then added that he would "go to the nearest bridge" and throw himself off if Droylsden were thrown out of the Cup.

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The second-round match between the two sides was played four times.

The first and third matches were abandoned because of fog and floodlight failure, with a controversial 2-2 draw at Saltergate sandwiched in between.

The Blue Square North side had protested furiously when Jack Lester put Chesterfield 2-1 up, lobbing the keeper from a throw-in after the visitors had put the ball out of play for an injured player.

The home side then allowed Steve Halford to walk unchallenged into their half to tap the ball in for the equaliser.

In 2006, Bury were expelled from the competition for a similar offence.

In that incident, Stephen Turnbull played in Bury's second-round tie against Chester, who were reinstated and allowed through to the third round, where, by a bizarre twist, Ipswich were once again the waiting opposition.