Football club fined £10,000 over sprinklergate

TL;DR

King's Lynn Town has been fined £10,000 for using their sprinkler system before postponing a match due to a waterlogged pitch. The incident was revealed through CCTV footage showing the sprinklers in operation the day before the game.

Key points

King's Lynn Town fined £10,000
Sprinkler system used before match
Match postponed due to waterlogged pitch
CCTV footage revealed sprinkler operation
Incident occurred on February 13

Mentioned in this story

Norfolk

King's Lynn TownSouth Shields

A CCTV image showing part of an empty football pitch and terraces, with water spraying from a sprinkler in the corner quadrant. Spectator areas are on the far side of the pitch and on the right.

An anonymous source shared the footage from 13 February - the day before the match [The Non-League Paper]

A non-league football club has been fined £10,000 after using its sprinkler system and then postponing a game because of a waterlogged pitch.

King's Lynn Town in Norfolk postponed their match with South Shields on 14 February stating there was "too much sitting water" on the pitch.

An anonymous source later released CCTV appearing to show a sprinkler in operation the previous day.

The National League said the club had breached rules. In response, the club said it acknowledged the outcome but that the irrigation system was used without "approval of senior staff".

The Linnets, who were four points above the relegation zone in National League North at the time, had injury problems ahead of the game against promotion-chasing South Shields.

A National League spokesperson said it received reports the sprinklers were activated during poor weather and that this "influenced the decision to postpone".

"Following a thorough investigation, the National League charged King's Lynn Town with a breach of league rule 8.11 - each club must take every precaution to keep its ground in good playing condition."

A league disciplinary panel met on Friday, they added.