2023/24 Scottish FA Youth Cup
Following a SFA tribunal hearing on Thursday 6th October, our Under 18s side have been removed from the 3rd round of the 2023/24 Scottish FA Youth Cup under rule 11.4 which states that 50% of the players listed on the team sheet must be registered for the team they are nominated for.
In the previous round against Stirling Albion (15th September 2023), the original squad for the tie was made up of 8 players from East Fife FC’s Under 20s squad and 8 players from East Fife Community Football Club, however on the day of the match one player from our U20s side was removed from the matchday squad due to illness.
Under SFA rules, players from East Fife Community FC are excluded from the quota of East Fife FC players and we therefore fell short of the 50% criteria as detailed in rule 11.4 by 0.5 players.
With no further EFFC registered players eligible to compete in the Scottish FA Youth Cup (i.e., born on or after 1st January 2006), our only option to comply with this rule would have been to have removed one of the players from EFCFC from the matchday squad, something we would not have been prepared to do.
Douglas Briggs, East Fife FC Company Secretary, and Dave Heddle, Director of Football for East Fife Community FC, attended the hearing on Thursday and were advised of the outcome.
Our Under 18s side put on a tremendous display in their 3-2 victory over Stirling Albion in the previous round, sealing the tie early in the second half after twice being pegged back by the visitors. We pride ourselves on the progression pathway from East Fife Community FC to East Fife FC so this is therefore a hugely disappointing outcome, however we accept the decision of the tribunal and will look forward to competing in the tournament again next season.