Longford lose appeal against point deduction

Longford Town have learned this evening that their appeal against a nine-point deduction has been upheld by the FAI.

The club was deducted the points after it was claimed they fielded an ineligible player Avery John earlier in the season.

The Trinidad and Tobago player left Bohemian FC in the summer for a trial with Colchester United FC before returning to Ireland to sign for Longford after being refused a work permit by the authorities in England.

League officials had claimed that John did not receive international clearance to allow him to complete the move back to Ireland and was therefore ineligible to feature in the three games he has appeared in this season.