Hamilton lose points and fined after transfer embargo breach

Hamilton Accies moved to Cumbernauld this summer amid a stadium dispute

Hamilton Academical have been knocked off the top of Scottish League 1 after being handed a six-point deduction - and been fined £22,000 - after paying trialists and fielding amateur players while under a transfer embargo.

An independent SPFL disciplinary tribunal concluded that they had breached multiple rules.

Hamilton were relegated last season after being deducted 15 points for also previous transgressions, including issues over the ownership of their stadium and player registration.

This time, they have been handed a six-point penalty in League 1 - which they led on goal difference from Stenhousemuir - and will drop to seventh place.

They were 17th in the KDM Evolution Trophy league phase and a one-point penalty means they will drop to 20th, with the top 22 qualifying for the knock-out stage after one more set of fixtures.

Hamilton were this time found guilty of:

• Making payments to players who are registered as amateurs and/or who the club have attempted to register as amateurs.

• Making payments to players who have appeared as trialists.

• Breaching their duty to act in good faith towards the SPFL and other clubs.

• Abuse of the registration system by attempting to register professional players as amateurs.

• Failing to keep records and documentation required under SPFL rules.

Hamilton have a right to appeal against the sanctions to the Scottish FA but lost a similar appeal last season.

Of their £22,000 fine, £3,000 is suspended until the end of season 2026-27.

Accies this summer also moved 15 miles from their home town stadium to Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld amid that ownership dispute.

Furthermore, a transfer embargo was extended this season after the club failed "to settle its tax obligations".