Rangers' Scottish Cup opponents Stranraer face expulsion over ineligible player

Rangers’ Scottish Cup opponents Stranraer face being kicked out of the competition after being charged with fielding an ineligible player.

The League Two side booked a place in the last 16 and a money-spinning trip to Ibrox by defeating Queen’s Park on penalties on Monday night.

Stranraer were originally scheduled to play the tie on Saturday, but it was postponed due to heavy rainfall and rescheduled for Tuesday evening.

Queen’s Park took the lead early in the first half, but Dom Plank levelled in injury time to force extra time and then penalties.

The hosts won a nervy shoot-out 6-5 after goalkeeper Lyndon Tas made a crucial save from Carlo Pignatiello that put his team into the next round.

However, Tas had only joined Stranraer on the day of the game, completing a loan move from Hearts. Scottish Cup rules state that teams can only field players who would have been able to play for the club on the originally scheduled date.

The Scottish FA have now begun disciplinary proceedings against the club, charging them with breaking Rule 3030, which reads: “Disciplinary Rule 303. Eligibility — Clubs shall observe the terms of Competition Rule 12 (Specifically 12.5).

“The charge against Stranraer is that they have failed to observe the terms of Competition Rule 12, and in particular 12.5, and did list on their Official Team Line for a rescheduled match a player, namely Lyndon Tas, who was not eligible to be listed on their Official Team Line at the date fixed for originally playing the match, and who was not a recognised goalkeeper pursuant to an emergency temporary transfer approved by the Scottish FA Board.”

The governing body’s Judicial Panel Protocol, which lists the possible punishments for any breaches of their rules, says that breaking the rule on eligibility brings mandatory expulsion from the cup, even if the offence is admitted and considered at the lower end of the scale.

If Stranraer are ejected, Queen’s Park would take their place in the Fifth Round at Ibrox. The Spiders pulled off a shock win against Rangers in Govan last year in a 1-0 victory that piled pressure on Philippe Clement before the Belgian was sacked two weeks later.

The Scottish FA has charged clubs over breaking the same rule twice in recent years. Queen’s Park themselves fielded an ineligible player in February 2023 and were ejected from the tournament, while Banks O’Dee suffered the same fate in October 2022.

Stranraer’s case will be heard by an independent disciplinary panel on Wednesday, January 28.