Partick Thistle lose three SWPL points over payments to amateur players

Partick Thistle have been deducted three points in the Scottish Women's Premier League and fined £6,000 after a disciplinary tribunal found breaches involving payments to amateur players. The sanction applies immediately to their 2026/27 league total, although the payments concerned the previous season, according to the SWPL's statement on the case.

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The independent tribunal held its hearing on 9 November and found that Thistle had paid players registered as amateurs during 2025/26. It also found that the club had supplied incorrect information concerning a certificate and undertaking document required for league membership. The SWPL identified the breached provisions as Player Rule 37 and Competition Rule E31.11, under rules dated 10 June 2025.

Half of the £6,000 fine is suspended. The league's published disciplinary statement specifies that the £3,000 suspended portion runs until the end of the 2027/28 season. It also says Thistle have a right to appeal the sanctions to the Scottish FA, alongside confirming that the points deduction takes immediate effect.

Thistle have accepted the verdict, BBC Sport reported, citing the club's response on its website. The Glasgow club attributed both breaches to an internal process failure and said that the problem had since been corrected to prevent a recurrence. It said it admitted the breach as soon as it was brought to its attention and apologised to supporters for the error and its consequences.

The deduction moves Thistle down one place to ninth in the 10-team division, according to BBC Sport. They are now three points behind Spartans and four ahead of bottom club Aberdeen. Thistle finished sixth last season, but the punishment for last season's payments changes their position in the current campaign.

Ninth is the relegation play-off position under the SWPL's published league information. The team finishing there must face the winner of the SWPL 2 play-off semi-final, while the side finishing tenth is relegated directly to SWPL 2. Those are end-of-season outcomes rather than immediate consequences of the ruling, but they establish the stakes for Thistle after the deduction.