Stevenage cleared of Oldham postponement charges by disciplinary commission

Phil Wallace took over as Stevenage chairman in 1999 and oversaw the club winning promotion to the Football League

Stevenage have been acquitted of charges that they did not have enough international call-ups to force a League Two game to be postponed.

The club's fixture with Oldham on 16 November was called off until 14 January after the club stated it had three players on international duty.

But the EFL alleged that only two players were eligible to be counted.

An independent disciplinary commission dismissed the case on 23 April, after 15 minutes of deliberation.

Bottom side Stevenage are now just three points from safety after relegation rivals Macclesfield were given a seven-point deduction for failing to play December's match against Plymouth and for non-payment of player wages.

Afghanistan's Noor Husain, Antigua and Barbuda defender Luther James-Wildin and Guyana's Terence Vancooten were the players who had been chosen to represent their countries.

Confusion concerned James-Wildin's call-up, as he was injured and did not travel to the Caribbean, but his call-up was never formally revoked by the Antigua and Barbuda FA.

The EFL had sought a points dedication and £15,000 fine against the Hertfordshire side, and Stevenage say they have made an application for costs to the EFL following a seven-hour hearing.

"This case should never have been brought in the first place," Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace told the club website.

"As it was, we had to endure an all-day hearing by video with both sides represented by barristers, before the commission cleared us of all charges.

"The length of time the Commission took to reach this conclusion - 15 minutes - says everything about the case," he added.