Barnsley have been expelled from the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player in their 3-0 first-round replay win at Horsham on 14 November. Their seventh-tier opponents will replace them in the second round, travelling to League Two Sutton United.
The ineligible player has not been named but is understood to be Aiden Marsh. When Barnsley played the initial match against Horsham, drawn 3-3, Marsh was on loan at York. He was then recalled and started at Horsham but only players eligible for the original tie can appear in a replay.
Barnsley are the first club to be kicked out of the competition proper since Bury in December 2006. Then, after Bury had beaten Chester City 3-1 in a second-round replay, it emerged that Stephen Turnbull was ineligible. Bury lost their appeal and Barnsley will not be challenging the verdict.
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A Barnsley statement said: “An administrative error was brought to our attention regarding the eligibility of a player who played in last Tuesday’s game with Horsham FC. The club has fully cooperated with the investigation and has accepted the FA’s decision. We have been in contact with Horsham FC and would like to thank the club and chairman for their understanding and cooperation throughout this process.
“We would like to apologise to our fans, players and staff for this regrettable error. This mistake – although unintentional – falls way below the high standards we set at this club and is simply not what you deserve. We have already conducted a full internal investigation and have subsequently put safeguards in place to ensure this will never happen again.”
Horsham’s chairman, Kevin Borrett, said: “Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh contacted me on Friday to make the club aware of the administrative error and FA consideration of the matter. I understand the immense disappointment that this decision by the FA would be to both Barnsley and its supporters. On behalf of HFC, I wish Barnsley every success in their pursuit of promotion back to the Championship.”
Horsham, ninth in the Isthmian League Premier, play at Sutton on 2 December. The FA Cup has a long history of disqualifications that began in the 1879-80 season when Sheffield refused to play extra time after a 2-2 draw in the fourth round and so were eliminated.
