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Ebbsfleet have been hit with a five-figure fine by the FA – and warned they could face a points deduction in the future.
The fine relates to the Fleet’s home game with Aldershot in August which finished 2-1 to the visitors.
The findings of the Independent Regulatory Commission have been published by the FA. The hosts were charged under rule E20 with failing “to ensure that its players conducted themselves in an orderly manner” in the 74th minute of the game.
Aldershot were also penalised by the same charge but accepted a standard penalty. Due to their poor record over the past 12 months, however, the Fleet’s case was designated as “non standard”.
The commission stated that they were faced by a club “with an absolutely appalling record for failing to control the behaviour of its players.”
Ebbsfleet have been dealt with on four separate occasions in the previous 12 months with fines of £1,500, £2,000, £5,000 and £7,500 for incidents against Harrogate, Barrow, Solihull Moors and FC Halifax respectively. The Fleet also had three similar breaches of FA rule 20 between 2016 and 2018.
With regards to a points deduction, the commission said “the club should be under no illusion that the time is fast approaching where a commission will have no alternative than to impose such a punishment.”
The Fleet were fined £12,000 by the FA, a figure that could have been higher had the club not admitted the charge.
Ebbsfleet’s then assistant manager Ian Hendon was also charged by the FA with a breach of rule E3, alleging that in and around the 75th minute, his behaviour “amounted to improper and/or violent conduct”.
A section of referee Elliott Swallow’s second report on the game said: “Ian Hendon, a named occupant within the Ebbsfleet United FC technical area, was removed from the vicinity of the technical areas and away from the field of play having entered the field of play to pick up a water bottle, and then violently threw the bottle into the away team dugout with excessive force narrowly missing the head of an occupant sat down on the Aldershot Town bench.
"Ian also re-entered the field of play after the final whistle. It is unknown who threw the water bottle onto the field of play in the first instance.”
The FA commission were satisfied that Hendon did not play any part in the confrontation between the players but found that he did throw the bottle underarm into the dugout, although without sufficient force to amount to violent conduct.
Hendon was given a one-match touchline ban and fined £375.
Assistant boss Hendon left the Fleet earlier this week and was replaced in the management team by new first-team coach Kevin Watson.
