Queen’s Park face possible Scottish Cup expulsion

Queen’s Park face the possibility of being expelled from the Scottish Cup after Euan Henderson featured in their rearranged fourth-round tie against Inverness on Tuesday night.

The 22-year-old on-loan Hearts forward played in the 2-0 win which set up a meeting with Livingston in the next round.

Henderson signed for the cinch Championship club on January 27 and made his debut against Dundee at the weekend.

However, Scottish Cup rules say that players are only eligible if they are registered before the original date of the game, which was scheduled for January 21.

Queen’s Park have been charged by the Scottish Football Association for allegedly breaching disciplinary rule 303 which pertains to eligibility, with a hearing set for Friday.

A statement on Queen’s Park’s Twitter account read: “Queen’s Park Football Club would advise that they are in discussions with the Scottish Football Association regarding the eligibility of a player in last night’s Scottish Cup tie at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

“An internal review to establish the facts will be carried out and the club will be making no further comment until this is done.”

The eligibility rule notes that “clubs shall observe the terms of Competition Rule 12 (Specifically 12.5)”.

Scottish Cup rule 12.5 reads: “When a match which is postponed, drawn, or abandoned is played or replayed, only those players who were eligible, by means of their registration, to be listed on the official team line for a club at the date fixed for originally playing the match, are eligible to be listed on the official team line for that club for the rescheduled match, together with any recognised goalkeeper who is registered with such club at the date of the rescheduled match pursuant to an emergency temporary transfer which has been approved by the board under competition Rule 12.7 or otherwise approved by the relevant regulatory body, notwithstanding that such recognised goalkeeper was not eligible, by means of his registration, to be listed on the official team line for the relevant club at the date fixed for originally playing the match.”