Forest clash costs Rams star a ban
DERBY County defender Craig Forsyth has been handed a retrospective three-match ban following Saturday’s East Midlands’ showdown with rivals Nottingham Forest.
Forsyth was involved in a challenge on Forest’s Philip Zinckernagel early in the 1-1 draw at Pride Park Stadium.
The left-back has now been handed a suspension by the Football Association for violent conduct and he will miss the Championship fixtures against Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City.
The FA issued the following statement:
“Craig Forsyth will be suspended for Derby County FC’s next three games after admitting a charge for a breach of FA Rule E1.1, which occurred during their EFL Championship fixture against Nottingham Forest FC on Saturday 28 August 2021, and accepting the automatic penalty.
“The defender’s behaviour during the 5th minute of this match was not seen by the match officials at the time but it was caught on video and constitutes violent conduct.”
Lee Buchanan, a substitute in the last three games, is likely to come in for Forsyth.
Meanwhile, the details of the Rams transfer embargo have been updated.
On the English Football League (EFL) website, ‘regulation 51.2.3’ has been added as a fifth reason why Wayne Rooney’s side are being monitored by the League.
The Rams were prevented from signing players from other clubs, unless they were on loan, during the summer transfer window.
Derby have been allowed to register only 23 players and they reached that limit before the Sheffield United game in the Carabao Cup last month, forcing Rooney to name Marko Borkovic, a scholar, in the matchday squad to beef up the numbers.
Scholars do not count toward the number of players of ‘professional standing’ which has hampered Derby all window.
The Rams signed Phil Jagielka, Sam Baldock, Ravel Morrison, Richard Stearman and Ryan Allsopp this summer, all free agents.
They were only allowed to pay players a maximum of £4,500 per week and the embargo was placed on them in the summer, according to the EFL, for the following reasons:
Regulation 16.2 - Failure to provide audited annual accounts
Regulation 16.3 - Annual Accounts not filed with Companies House
Regulation 17 - Default in payments to HMRC
Profit and Sustainability Rules non-submission of audited accounts
Regulation 51.2.3 - Default in paying transfer fee instalments.
The latter regulation was removed in July but appeared back on the EFL’s embargo reporting service yesterday morning.
Derby were cleared of breaking financial fair play rules last year but the EFL appealed and a new ruling was made in their favour.
The Rams were accused of breaking FFP rules in regards to the amortisation of a player’s contract.