Kettering Town kicked out of FA Trophy for fielding cup-tied player

Kettering Town have been kicked out of the FA trophy

The Football Association have hit the Poppies hard following a hearing on Thursday, after it was discovered they played an ineligible player in their 1-0 second round win over Gloucester City last weekend.

The situation has been put down to an ‘administrative mistake’.

Tyrone Lewthwaite was Kettering's matchwinner at Latimer Park, scoring the only goal of the game, but after the tie it emerged the attacker had already played in the Trophy this season, for his previous club Bedford Town.

That match was only played last month, on October 8, with Lewthwaite starting for the Eagles in their 3-0 first round home defeat to Alvechurch.

The former Watford youth and Northern Ireland Under-19 player joined the Poppies the following week.

The FA’s have decided to withdraw the Poppies from the competition, and awarded last Saturday’s tie to fellow National League North side Gloucester, who are reinstated to the competition.

They will now travel to National League outfit Gateshead in the third round, instead of the Poppies.

Aside from the expulsion from the competition, no further action will be taken against Kettering.

A club statement read: “After an FA hearing this afternoon, due to an administration mistake, Kettering Town FC have been removed from this season’s FA Trophy and the tie has been awarded to Gloucester City, who will now play Gateshead FC in the Third Round Proper.

“No further action was ordered against Kettering Town FC and there will be no appeal.”

Meanwhile, the club has announced that former coach and player Jim Hales has recently passed away.

A club statement read: “Jim served under both Ron Atkinson and Geoff Vowden, and as a goalkeeper he also made three senior appearances for the Poppies after making his debut in 1957.

“Jim had a builder’s business in Kettering, which built the concrete block wall around the pitch at our former home Rockingham Road. Former Poppies goalkeeper Dick Deighton also worked for him.

“The club would like to send our sincere condolences to the family.”