EFL club face instant removal from competition after fielding banned player who ‘violated private parts’

Jan 16, 2026 - 11:30

Swindon Town are in trouble with the Football Association following a 2-1 win over Luton Town in the EFL Trophy.

The League Two side has been charged with two alleged breaches of EFL Regulations and EFL Trophy Rules after fielding two ‘ineligible’ players.

MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Chase Medwynter of Milton Keynes Dons and Ollie Clarke of Swindon Town during the Vertu Trophy Group Stage between MK Dons and Swindon Town at Stadium mk on November 11, 2025 in Milton Keynes, England. (Photo by Izzy Poles - AMA/Getty Images) — Ollie Clarke (to the right) shouldn’t have played in the match

Captain Oliver Clarke is currently in the middle of a seven-match suspension for ‘violating the private parts’ of two opponents in a game against Cardiff.

Meanwhile, second-half substitute Aaron Drinan was not named on the official Swindon team sheet.

League One side Luton could now be reinstated if an independent Disciplinary Commission decides to remove Swindon from the competition.

A statement read: “As the sanction could include Swindon Town’s removal from this season’s Vertu Trophy and the reinstatement of Luton Town, the Vertu Trophy Quarter-Final draw on Saturday 17 January will include both Clubs while proceedings are ongoing.”

Clarke’s suspension only started in December despite the incident occurring in August – and the FA sent a letter to Swindon before the EFL released their statement on Friday.

The Robins insist they checked on the FA’s own disciplinary portal to confirm what matches Clarke was suspended for.

It has been claimed the Luton match was not on the list, so Swindon assumed it was fine for Clarke to play.

The League Two team have now appointed lawyers to avoid any punishment from over the incident.

Speaking to The Sun, Swindon’s CEO said: “The matter is in the hands of our legal team, so I cannot comment any further.”

Clarke played 77 minutes of the match before being withdrawn for Tom Nicholls.

Drinan (far left) was not eligible to come off the bench

Swindon Town official statement

Swindon Town Football Club acknowledges the charges brought by the Football Association and the English Football League following our Vertu Trophy fixture against Luton Town Football Club on Tuesday 13 January 2026.

The matters relate to allegations that the Club permitted Ollie Clarke to participate in the fixture while he was serving a suspension, that the player failed to comply with that suspension, and that an additional player, Aaron Drinan, participated in the match having not been named on the official team sheet.

The Club is currently reviewing these matters in full and is working closely with the Football Association, the EFL, and all relevant governing bodies.

In respect of Ollie Clarke, the Club maintains that the appropriate protocols and governance procedures regarding player suspensions were followed and that both the Club and the player complied with the terms of the suspension as notified to them by The FA at all times. Ollie Clarke will complete his suspension as notified and will not be available for the forthcoming fixtures against Salford City (League Two and FA Cup) and Bromley (League Two).

In relation to the matter concerning Aaron Drinan, the Club acknowledges that his name was inadvertently omitted from the official team sheet. This was a clerical error in the completion of match documentation. The Club wishes to make clear that there was no intention to mislead, deceive, or gain any sporting or competitive advantage. Aaron Drinan was, at all times, a fully registered and otherwise eligible player to participate in the fixture.

Regarding the seven-match ban, Swindon manager Ian Holloway believes he wouldn’t have been suspended if the incident had been handled by the police.

He said: “I vouched for his character, and I know he’s competitive, and he wouldn’t have meant anything that he’s allegedly done.

“We tried to fight it. It took so long, it was disgraceful. They drew it out, and now he’s got such a hefty ban. It was an unfair decision, in my opinion. But there you go.

“For me, it hasn’t affected the way I feel about him, not in any way, shape or form. I saw what he did. I’ve watched it back. And for me, it was nonsense. That’s the way the game is these days, and that’s the way they see it.

“But I would have rather they reported him to the police, and the police would have let him off, because there’s no evidence, simple as that.”

The incident involving two anonymous Cardiff players was said to have left them shaken up and visibly upset.

Not the only problem

Incredibly, this wasn’t the only issue in the game in the match.

Swindon brought Dirnan on as a substitute in the game at half-time without naming him on the team sheet.

Swindon claim this was down to a clerical error, and due to Luton’s WiFi, Holloway could not check the squad list and sign it off.

Instead, Ryan Tafazolli was listed, and the match was stopped in the 67th minute when the Luton bench realised that Dirnan wasn’t listed in the squad.

Holloway told Luton’s manager Jack Wilshere that he would immediately substitute Dirnan, but the former Arsenal man said it was fine.

After the game, the ex-Blackpool boss admitted that he was expecting some sort of punishment.