Partick Thistle lose SWPL points for amateur player payments

Partick Thistle have been deducted three points and fined £6,000 by the Scottish Women's Premier League for making payments to players who were registered as amateurs last season.

Thistle finished sixth last season and the points penalty means they slip one place to second bottom spot, three points behind Spartans, in the current 10-team table.

It follows a hearing on Monday at which the Glasgow club were found to be in breach of rules about making payments to amateur registered players and "submitting incorrect information regarding the submission of the certificate and undertaking document required as part of the membership criteria process".

Half of Thistle's fine is suspended until the end of season.

Thistle had the right of appeal but said on their website that the club "acknowledges and accepts the verdict".

They add: "The circumstances which led to the breach of SWPL player rule 37 and competition rule E31.11 were a result of a failure of internal process, which has since been addressed and resolved so that it can not occur in future.

"The club admitted the breach immediately when brought to our attention.

"We apologise to our fans for the mistake and its consequences."

Bottom side Aberdeen are now only four points behind Thistle.