FOOTBALL League bosses last night recommended Chesterfield be docked nine points and fined £20,000 after a three day hearing into illegal payments.

A meeting next week is expected to confirm the decision even though charges against the club, including manager Nicky Law, his assistant Ian Banks and 18 players, were found to be unproven.

The news will come as a major blow to fourth-placed Hartlepool, who were in line to move into an autmatic promotion spot if the FA had hit the Spireites with an expected far heavier penalty.

No-one at Victoria Park was available for comment last night, but privately Pool officals are likely to be fuming.

Pool were hoping that Chesterfield's failings would open the door for promotion, but the decision now leaves them with a play-off place looking the most likely.

The former leaders - whose players have not been paid since February - are now five points ahead of Pool with a game in hand, and they still have to face new leaders Brighton and second placed Cardiff.

Ian Broom, chairman of the Pool Supporters' Association, branded the outcome "a joke".

He said: "At first I thought I had heard it wrong and it was really 90 points.

"To only deduct nine points is a joke. Why go to the time and trouble of such a lenghy inquiry if this is the outcome?

"I think I feel worse now than when we lost at Southend last weekend.

"And now they have the cheek to say they are going to appeal against it. The only good thing to come out of it all is that we now know exactly where we stand and it could work in our favour.

"They have some dificult games coming up and they have been stuttering lately and we have to be ready to make the most of it.

"Speaking to some of our own players I know that they expected Chesterfield to be hammered for what has gone on.

"Now we have five games left and we hope it will have a positive affect on our lads.

"Hopefullly we can get our fingers out and make a real go for it. I would love it if we can catch them up and I'm sure that geniune supporters of every other club in the division hope the same.''

Football League officials also expressed shock at the panel's findings and spokesman John Nagle said: ''We are surprised that some of the charges have not been upheld as we believe there was a very strong case to answer.

''However, we respect the panel's ruling on what has been a highly complex matter. These are serious breaches of relations and we believe the penalties imposed by the panel reflect this.

''We hope this hearing sends a clear message to everyone in the game that the Football League will act when any evidence of irregularity comes to our attention.''

Law insists the Chesterfield players can now concentrate on securing promotion by putting the investigation behind them.

''It has been difficult over the last few months but I think it will make it a little bit easier. We just have to get on with the job, and we go into Saturday's game with a load off our shoulders.