A SECRETARY, whose club lost out on a league title after being found to have played ineligible players, claims the practice is rife in local football.

And Tony Treciokas, who does the paperwork for A&T Athletic, has also accused Hayward League rivals Portcastrian of flouting the rules against them.

A&T Athletic were deducted three points after admitting fielding two unregistered players – James Pinder and Leroy Corbin – in a 6-1 win against Ferndown Town in February.

The penalty, handed out by the BFA at a hearing earlier this month, ultimately saw them beaten to the Saturday Division Six championship by Portcastrian.

Treciokas claims Portcastrian played an ineligible player when A&T beat them 5-2 in December, an allegation strenuously denied by Ports secretary Peter Mackenzie.

“I know it will sound tit for tat,” said Treciokas. “When we played Portcastrian, they played an illegal player but we didn’t say anything because we won. It goes on all the time.

“Two of their players used to play for our manager at another club. They both played against us but only one of them was signed on. How many times have they done that this season, who knows?

“When I mentioned it to the BFA, they asked me whether I had any proof but how can I prove it?”

Treciokas admitted a mix-up between him and his manager had led to Pinder and Corbin being registered two days after the game had taken place on February 11.

His suggestion that Portcastrian had broken the rules against A&T in December received short shrift from Ports secretary Mackenzie, whose grandson Alex is manager of the reserves.

He said: “Unless he can come forward with proof, he hasn’t got a case. I am not in this game to play illegal players and feel very strongly about the suggestion I would.

“I have got no need to play illegal players and it is not a road we go down. I don’t want to cause any animosity between any other clubs but they are going the right way to upset me and my club.”

BFA secretary Daren Hills said: “We investigate any reports we have on illegal players and would urge all clubs, whether they win or lose, to report it.

“We have recommended we look at introducing identification cards for players but the clubs voted out the proposal.

“Another option would be to have photographs on the BFA website but clubs would need to vote it in for us to be able to enforce it.”