Devonshire Cougars weren't the only club to field an ineligible player this season.

PHC Zebras committed the same offence, also in a cup competition, and went on to reach the final.

The Royal Gazette learned yesterday that in their opening contest of the season on September 21 the Zebras included in their line-up midfielder Omar Shakir who in his previous match, the last game of last season, had received a red card and as such automatic suspension.

PHC won the Martonmere Cup clash, ironically against Cougars, 4-1 and went on to the final of that competition where they were beaten 2-1 by Devonshire Colts.

In the case of Shakir, however, he had been sent off while playing for Somerset Trojans against St. George's and had switched clubs during the close season.

PHC officials were reportedly only notified of the player's suspension several days after the September 21 contest. And the matter was later dealt with behind closed doors with Shakir being forced to sit out Zebras' next match.

"They (BFA) called us later and informed us after the fact and the player (Shakir) had to miss the next game," confirmed PHC coach Mark Wade yesterday.

However, the BFA have made it clear this week that it's not their duty to inform clubs about player suspensions but rather the onus is on the clubs themselves to keep abreast of their player's eligibility.

In recent times it has become customary for the BFA to remind clubs when one of their players must serve out a suspension - either after being sent off or for accumulating three yellow cards - via telephone or e-mail. However, the appeals committee this week endorsed the view that the BFA was not "expressly" mandated to notify clubs of any player's automatic suspension.