Hearts lose Cup points
HEARTS’ Betfred Cup ambitions are on a knife edge after they were deducted two points by the SPFL for fielding an ineligible player in last week’s victory over Cove Rangers. Academy graduate Andrew Irving came on as a substitute in the 2-1 win but the Gorgie club
later admitted the 18-year-old’s registration had expired on June 9 because his contract extension was not properly submitted to the SFA in January. Having held their hands up to an administrative error, they were docked the points following a disciplinary hearing at Hampden yesterday, where they were represented by owner Ann Budge. They were also fined £10,000, £8,000 of which is suspended until the end of next season. It leaves Hearts on three points in Group C, three points adrift of Inverness and Cowdenbeath, whom they host this evening. The eight group winners progress to the knockout stage of the competition along with the four best runners-up. Last season, Kilmarnock scraped through to the second round with nine points — the best tally Hearts can now hope for if they win their final two games — although Peterhead were eliminated on goal difference despite achieving the same total. Teams have been thrown out of cups in the past for fielding ineligible players but it is thought the committee felt Hearts had done all they could to ensure no such error was made. Tynecastle boss Craig Levein, whose side wrap up the section with Sunday’s visit of Inverness, said: ‘We’re satisfied with the outcome of the hearing. ‘Every case needs to be judged on its merits and that’s what the panel did. They considered all of the arguments before making their decision. ‘I put Andy on the pitch as a young boy just to get some experience. ‘We were winning 2-0 when he went on and we ended up winning 2-1, so we got no competitive advantage from it. ‘Our aim is to progress in this competition and we’ll be going all out to do just that.’ An SPFL statement read: ‘At a hearing, a sub-committee of the SPFL Board charged Heart of Midlothian Football Club with playing an ineligible player (Andrew Irving) in their Betfred Cup group stage match against Cove Rangers FC on July 18, 2018. ‘Hearts admitted breaching SPFL Rules and were docked two points from their group-stage tally.’