Dundee United have been deducted three points and fined £30,000 – part of which is suspended – for fielding an ineligible player in their match against Inverness Caley Thistle.
The Tangerines used Ali Coote as a substitute for the last 13 minutes of their 3-2 win in the Highlands last Friday.
They also listed Jamie Robson as as an unused sub for the same game.
As a result they breached SPFL rules which prevent players coming back from lower-league loans after March 31 from playing for their parent side in the same season.
Coote was at East Fife on loan, while Robson featured for Brechin City.
The Tannadice club admitted the breaches of SPFL player regulations at a hearing in Glasgow today.
Chairman Stephen Thompson’s immediate reaction to the League’s decision was to quit the SPFL board.
Whilst acknowledging the club’s error and accepting a breach of rules occurred, the chairman feels the gravity of the punishment is wholly disproportionate for what was a simple honest, human error.
United confirmed in a statement: “Chairman Stephen Thompson has resigned from his position on the SPFL board with immediate effect.
“He has expressed his shock and anger at the severity of the sanction imposed by the SPFL in relation to a rule breach in our recent Ladbrokes Premiership fixture versus Inverness Caley Thistle.
“Whilst acknowledging the club’s error and accepting a breach of rules occurred, the chairman feels the gravity of the punishment is wholly disproportionate for what was a simple honest, human error.
“We await the full written judgment after which we will consider our next action.
“Our travelling fans are the ones who have been punished the most here and the club will examine ways to make this up to them.”
The SPFL confirmed the punishment, stating: “At a disciplinary hearing today, the SPFL Board charged Dundee United FC for playing (as defined in the SPFL rules) Jamie Robson and Alistair Coote in their Ladbrokes Premiership match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday, 6 May, 2016.
The disciplinary hearing concluded that replaying the game before the end of the season was not practical.
“Jamie Robson was an unused substitute in this game. Alistair Coote was listed as a substitute and entered the field of play after 76 minutes when he replaced Simon Murray, at which point the score was 3-2 to Dundee United. Dundee United won the game 3-2.
“Dundee United pled guilty to breaches of SPFL Player Regulations 12, 14(i) and 14(ii), which breached SPFL Rules. The breaches of Player Regulations occurred because the club failed to apply to the SPFL to League Register the Players as required by SPFL Player Regulations 7 and 3A.
“As a result, Dundee United were severely censured, deducted three points from their points total this Season and fined £30,000 (part suspended).
“The disciplinary hearing concluded that replaying the game before the end of the season was not practical.”
