Hartlepool United's director of sport, Chris Turner, claims his club are innocent after they were charged by the Football Association for fielding an ineligible player during Easter Monday's win over Brighton.
But the Seagulls manager, Guy Poyet, feels his side should be awarded the points and warned the FA "have to be careful with the decision they make".
Hartlepool selected the midfielder Gary Liddle in the 2-0 League One victory at Victoria Park when he should have been serving a two-match ban for collecting a 10th yellow card of the season in the previous game, at Leyton Orient. Liddle has also been charged and both he and the club have until 26 April to respond to the FA.
The north-east club sit four points above the relegation zone in 17th place and any points deduction would hinder their chances of avoiding the drop. However, Turner revealed they were "informed by the FA on Tuesday morning he was suspended for the Brighton game" and hopes "common sense prevails".
Turner added in The Journal: "I believe we are innocent and three or four different things have conspired to the situation and the FA, so I am led to believe, are understanding about it.
"The bottom line is, what manager or coach in the world would select a player to play in a team if he was not eligible to play? It is less than Sunday league stuff. End of story."
With half a dozen teams involved in a relegation battle, Poyet feels "for the sake of fair competition" the points should be awarded to Brighton.
Poyet told his club's official website: "I am sure Hartlepool did not realise he was suspended. It was not a case of cheating, but they made a mistake and that player should not have been on the pitch so the three points should go to the opposition.
"They cannot just deduct the points from Hartlepool. For the sake of fair competition we should be awarded them. All teams play 46 games in a season so it would be unfair if we only played 45 matches.
"The Football League has to be careful with the decision they make. It does not matter if they did it with intention or not, the only decision they can make in this instance – and I would say the same if my team were the guilty party – is to give the three points to the opposition."
The following is an extract from Tribal Football April 2010
Hartlepool have criticised the punishments imposed on them by the Football Association and Football League for fielding an ineligible player.
The Pools were deducted three points and given a suspended fine of £10,000 by the Football League after Gary Liddle played in last month's 2-0 victory over Brighton when he should have been serving a suspension for picking up 10 bookings.
Liddle has been handed an extra one-game ban by the FA, which will begin in 14 days, and the FA have also fined the club £3,500.
-- Edited by Andy Monium on Thursday 16th of April 2015 07:38:51 PM
What could be taken into consideration is that RUFC have not made a habit of playing supposed ineligible players. As I have mentioned on another thread try Googling West Ham United in relation to rule breaking. They were merely fined.
Without Hope there are only Dark Days ahead, We all know too well what that feels like. Tony Stewart and Co have given us all good reason to have Hope, we are very fortunate to have the club in such a situation that Hope is an everyday feeling for the Millers faithful.
Without Hope there are only Dark Days ahead, We all know too well what that feels like. Tony Stewart and Co have given us all good reason to have Hope, we are very fortunate to have the club in such a situation that Hope is an everyday feeling for the Millers faithful.
