NOT SO FINE

February 26th 2010 saw Portsmouth FC announcing debts of £70m and became the first Premier League club to enter "administration" and thus suffered a 9 point deduction . The club played in the FA Cup Final later that season but by 2013 after several new owners and more point deductions due to financial issues, Pompey were relegated to League 2.

A serious point deduction took place in 1889/90 season when Notts County had a point deduction due to fielding an ineligible player.  (it was later over turned).
This was the second season of the new Football League, so the Management Committee imposed a penalty point for the first time in a league match against Aston Villa on November 9th 1889. County were "one player short" for the match, so they borrowed a player from Nottingham Forest, hence fielding an unregistered player. The two teams drew 1-1 at Trent Bridge. Notts County were docked ONE point and fined £5.

The player involved was Tinsley Lindley, who as a 16 year old played for Forest on February 17th 1882, scoring a hat trick in his debut and later scored 14 goals for England in 13 appearances. He also turned out for the Casuals, Corinthians and Cambridge University.

He made his debut for England, scoring against Ireland in a 6-1 win on March 13th 1886. In the 1890s England played two internationals on one day on three occasions; the first "double" was on March 15th 1890 when Lindley played against Wales at the Racecourse Ground and scored in a 3-1 win. "Another" England also played Wales and won 4-1.

The same happened on March 7th 1891 when Lindley played at Molineux against Ireland again scoring twice in a 6-1 victory, his last cap. The "other England" met Wales winning 4-1.

In 1892 on March 5th Ireland in Belfast and Wales in Wrexham were once again opposition. Both games were won by England 2-0.

A remarkable man, he only wore normal shoes when he played and was very fast over the ground, without the hindrance of boots and studs.
An amateur, he studied Law at Cambridge University and became a barrister. He took the County punishment to the appeal court and claimed that they had been punished twice. The Football League (in its "infancy") agreed and did not deduct the point but increased the fine to £25, a fair sum at that time!
Lindley also played county cricket for Nottinghamshire and was awarded the OBE for work towards the First World War. Money was raised in 2014 to give Tinsley a proper grave at the Wilford Hill Cemetery.