THE Football League could be set for a summer of chaos in the coming weeks after Hartlepool United were yesterday deduced three points, with the outcome of their season now riding on tomorrow’s game at Brentford.

The club has not ruled out the possibility of an appeal against the decision, which means that if they go down to League Two tomorrow, the relegation process could drag on for a number of weeks.

Pools were deducted three points and given a suspended fine of £10,000 by the Football League after Gary Liddle played in last month’s 2-0 victory over Brighton when he should have been serving a suspension for picking up ten bookings, the final one coming after he scored twice in the 3-1 win at Leyton Orient on April 3.

Liddle, free to play in tomorrow’s game, has been handed an extra one-game ban by the FA, which will begin in 14 days, and the FA have also fined the club £3,500.

The points deduction, applied instantly, plunges Pools a point clear of the relegation zone.

Pools tomorrow must better the results of either Tranmere or Exeter to make sure they stay in League One.

Tranmere go to already relegated Stockport, while Exeter meet promotion outsiders Huddersfield at St James’ Park.

Pools were confident of their defence ahead of the hearings, believing there were with a number of mitigating circumtances the FA and FL needed to answer.

The club was not given any paperwork from match official Gary Sutton following the Orient game, while confirmation of the caution did not arrive until three days after the game because the FA was closed for Easter.

The Football League website only listed Liddle as being on eight bookings – a tally which remained last night.

But, following the nature of Tuesday’s intense discussions with the Football League, Pools privately feared the deduction.

That hearing was adjourned to allow a second case, held at Wembley yesterday with the FA, and the verdicts were soon delivered.

Pools issued a statement expressing their shock and surprise at events, and the severity of the outcome.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “The club were notified today that the Football League, after the hearing on Tuesday of this week, have deducted three points and imposed a £10,000 fine (suspended for 12 months) following the charge of playing an ineligible player in the Easter Monday game against Brighton.

“Gary Liddle had received a yellow card in the Easter Saturday game against Leyton Orient but the player failed to realise it was his tenth booking of the season as he believed it was his ninth.

“The Football League’s official website showing player bookings prior to the Easter Saturday games also showed him only accruing eight bookings.

In today’s additional hearing at FA headquarters at Wembley the club have also been notified of a fine of £3,500, while Gary Liddle has been served with a one-game ban which will come in to effect in 14 days. His total games banned for this offence will now be three.’’ The statement added: “The club and its owners, while fully recognising that we play under two sets of rules (FA and Football League), are amazed that the club and the player have been tried and punished for the same offence on two different occasions – something that does not even happen under English law.

‘‘This is the club’s first offence of this kind.

‘‘Other recent offences for clubs fielding ineligible players have not had such severe punishments and it appears clubs playing under just one set of rules – as in the Premier League under the FA – only get punished once for an offence and in the case of West Ham a few seasons ago during the Tevez issue, they received only a fine but had no points deducted for playing a player for several games illegally.

‘‘Sheffield United then sufferedthefulleffectofthatruling.

‘‘The club strongly suggests that the FL and FA need to review the rules for punishments of all nature and ensure that a double punishment to any club for any offence is prevented in the future.

‘‘The club and its owners are currently considering its position and are aware that the club have up to 28 days in which to lodge an appeal to the FL with regards to the points deduction.’’