Conference acts after criticism of points deductions

Conference bosses have set up a group to look into the way their leagues are run - in the wake of criticism over their system for checking player registrations.

A sub-committee will study the administration of the Conference divisions and report back in a month's time.

It comes after the Rocks, Crawley and Oxford were hit by points deductions for fielding players who had not been registered.

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Bognor and Crawley have both condemned the Conference for relying on a system which relues on spot checks on whether players are registered.

Rocks defender Sam Pearce's paperwork was not received by the league, but they did not alert the club for three months - and all seven points won in games he had started were stripped away.

The club are considering an appeal against the deduction.

Today (Thursday) a statement issued by Conference chairman Brian Lee said: "The Board of the Football Conference deplores the recent spate of ill-informed publicity arising from the disciplinary hearings held in Birmingham last week.

"However, the Board has received some genuine enquiries concerning the administration of the competition and in the interest of transparency, has decided to form an Administrative Review Sub-Committee to report back to the Board on 23rd February 2009, and ultimately the member Clubs, on its findings.

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"In view of the fact that the time limit for the disciplined clubs to appeal has not yet expired, it is not appropriate to say anything more today."

The Observer has twice asked the Conference ten questions about its player registration system - mostly general questions not specifically about the current cases - but the league say they cannot answer them while appeals may still be lodged.