Every Club Banned From FA Cup Including Team Whose Floodlights 'Switched Off'

A club competing in the FA Cup was kicked out of the entire competition - after their floodlights were switched off mid-match.

Teams can be expelled from the FA Cup for a number of different reasons, ranging from ineligible players to other administrative errors.

But Shropshire-based club Shawsbury United, who currently play in the North West Counties League Division One South, can perhaps hold the honour of the most bizarre FA Cup disqualification.

During their extra preliminary round clash against Coventry United in 2017, there was a lengthy stoppage while Shawsbury player Liam Brant received on-pitch treatment for an injury.

As per the Shropshire Star, just as the referee was set to restart proceedings with Coventry United leading 1-0, the floodlights in Shawsbury's stadium were shut off.

The FA found that the club had breached FA Cup Rule 11(c)(iii), in that they were 'at fault for the abandonment' of the fixture, and they were expelled from the competition as a result.

It was not the only unusual case of a club being expelled from the FA Cup in the 21st century.

There are believed to be over 100 disqualifications from prior to then, as per FA Cup Factfile, with the two world wars causing significant player unavailability and registration issues.

Back in the 2023/24 campaign, Barnsley were expelled from the FA Cup after the first round stage following a 3-0 replay win over non-league side Horsham.

Forward Aiden Marsh played 71 minutes and contributed an assist, having returned from a loan spell at National League side York City.

Although Marsh didn't play in the competition for the Minstermen, he was ineligible to be named in Barnsley's squad for the replay as he was still on loan at York when the first tie against Horsham was played.

Barnsley described it as an 'unintentional' error and, in an apology to fans, said it 'falls way below the high standards we set at this club and is simply not what you deserve'.

Back in 2006, League Two side Bury fielded midfielder Stephen Turnbull, who was on loan from Hartlepool, during their 3-1 second round replay win over Chester City - without permission from his parent club.

It was reported that Hartlepool manager Danny Wilson had given 'verbal permission' for Turnbull to play, but Bury did not receive any official paperwork.

Their manager, Chris Caspar, even threatened to resign if the FA upheld their punishment, but Bury lost their appeal and £24,000 in prize money.

The other teams who have been punished for fielding ineligible players are amateur non-league sides.

Earlier this year, ninth-tier side Guernsey FC were expelled after fielding an ineligible player in their FA Cup extra preliminary round clash against Bedfont Sports.

The Channel Islands side, who had not entered the competition since 2016 due to financial reasons, found that one of their players was in fact ineligible for their return match.

They recently went viral on social media for coming from 5-1 down to defeat Shoreham 7-6 in a league match.

Merseyside-based side Litherland REMYCA were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player, again during the extra preliminary round, in 2018/19, while Whyteleafe, based in Greater London, suffered the same feat for the same reason that year.

Nottinghamshire club Dunkirk were expelled in the 2019/20 season, while Grays Athletic - who formerly played as high as the Conference before slipping down the leagues - were subject to the same punishment but in unusual fashion.

One of the players who featured in their extra preliminary round match did not receive appropriate international clearance beforehand.

Frankie Hession-Harris listed Grays among three clubs that he had played over the past 12 months, but the club stated that he was found to have never been cleared to play football in England after playing in college football in the United States.

Grays were kicked out of the competition after having also played and won their first qualifying round match.

East Sussex side Peacehaven and Telscombe were expelled in the extra preliminary round, taking the total number of disqualified clubs this century for ineligible players to nine.

The other club expelled were Greenwich Borough in 2004/05, who fielded an ineligible player.

As per FA Cup Factfile, a total of three other clubs - Calne Town (2010), Glebe (2015) and Blaby and Whetstone Athletic (2017) - were disqualified for various reasons, with Greenwich receiving a second disqualification after their first in 2001.