The Football Association (FA) have decided to punish Tranmere Rovers player Sam Finley with a 13-match suspension for discriminatory abuse.
Finley has been banned for 13 games, fined £2,000, and ordered to complete an education program by the FA, after admitted to a misconduct charge for abusive, insulting, or improper language related to sexual orientation during a January match against Walsall.
The club condemns discrimination and say in their statement that they will handle the matter internally, making no further comment.
An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a 13-match suspension, £2,000 fine and mandatory education programme on Tranmere Rovers’ Sam Finley for a breach of FA Rule E3.
Full statement and written reasons: https://t.co/hy0wFAkFdP pic.twitter.com/lfXKrxiHXc
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) April 25, 2025
13-GAME BAN FOR TRANMERE MIDFIELDER 😳❌
Tranmere Rovers midfielder Sam Finley has been 𝘽𝘼𝙉𝙉𝙀𝘿 for 13 games with immediate effect by the Football Association (FA) following a Regulatory Commission hearing…
In a statement, the club say “The midfielder admitted the charge… pic.twitter.com/33MNPiSHBU
— The92Bible (@The92Bible) April 25, 2025
Tranmere Rovers midfielder Sam Finley has been suspended for 13 matches, after admitting to using a homophobic slur towards Jamille Matt in Tranmere’s defeat to Walsall back in January.
This is the 2nd time Finley has been suspended for homophobic abuse#TRFC #TranmereRovers #WFC pic.twitter.com/1Tf1HjdIP1— Ed Johnson (@EdJohnsonSport) April 25, 2025
TRANMERE STATEMENT:
The Club can confirm that Sam Finley has been suspended for 13 matches by the Football Association following a Regulatory Commission hearing.
The midfielder admitted the charge of Misconduct in respect of a comment made during the fixture against Walsall in January. It was alleged the language he used was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper, contrary to FA Rule E 3.1. It was further alleged that this breach of Rule E3.1 was an “Aggravated Breach”, as defined in Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to sexual orientation.
Finley’s suspension will begin immediately. He has also been fined £2,000 and ordered to complete an education programme.
The Club condemns all forms of discrimination and will deal with the matter internally. The Club will make no further comment at this time.
FA STATEMENT:
An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a 13-match suspension, £2,000 fine and mandatory education programme on Sam Finley for a breach of FA Rule E3 during the EFL League Two fixture between Tranmere Rovers and Walsall on Saturday 11 January 2025.
It was alleged that the midfielder’s language towards a Walsall player around the 23rd minute was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper contrary to FA Rule E3.1. It was further alleged that this constitutes an ‘aggravated breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference – whether express or implied – to sexual orientation.
Sam Finley subsequently admitted the charge against him. The Regulatory Commission imposed his sanctions following a hearing, and its written reasons for them can be seen in full below.
WRITTEN REASONS AND DECISION OF THE INDEPENDENT REGULATORY COMISSION
FOLLOWING THE HEARING ON 22nd APRIL 2025
1. These are the written reasons for a decision made by an Independent Regulatory Commission which took place via Microsoft Teams on 22nd April 2025.
2. The Regulatory Commission members were Ms Laura Prince K.C., Chair and Independent Legal Panel Member, Peter Alleyne, Independent EDI Panel Member, and Tony Agana, Independent Football Panel and EDI Member (“the Commission”).
3. Mr Michael O’Connor of the FA Judicial Services Department acted as Secretary to the
Commission.
4. The charges in question arose out of a match which took place on 11th January 2025 between Walsall FC and Tranmere Rovers FC in the English Football League 2.
5. By letter dated 12th February 2025, the Football Association (‘the FA’) charged Mr. Sam Finley (‘SF’) with misconduct in relation to a breach of FA Rule E3 relating to his alleged misconduct of using abusive and/or insulting words towards an opposition player during the match. It was further alleged that these breaches were Aggravated
Breaches pursuant to FA Rule E3.2, as they included a reference, whether express or implied, to sexual orientation.
6. The factual allegation was that during an interaction with an opposition player (Mr Jamille Matt (‘JM’)) SF used homophobic language towards him, namely the word ‘faggot’.
7. SF admitted using the word ‘faggot’ when he spoke to the referee after the game, and accepted the charges throughout this process. SF requested the opportunity to attend a Commission for a personal hearing in respect of sanction.
Relevant FA Rules
8. Rule E3.1 provides that: “A Participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.
9. Rule E3.2 provides that:- “A breach of Rule E3.1 is an “Aggravated Breach” where it includes a reference, whether express or implied, to any one or more of the following:- ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation or disability”
The breach in question
13. On 11 January 2025, WFC hosted TRFC at the Bescot Stadium in EFL League Two. Both SF and JM started the game for TRFC and WFC, respectively.
14. In a witness statement dated 17 January 2025, JM describes how he and SF exchanged verbal insults following a foul by TRFC’s Tom Davis on WFC’s Nathan Lowe. JM stated that SF called him a ‘faggot’. JM immediately notified the referee of the use of a discriminatory comment by SF.
15. Neither of the match officials heard the word faggot being used although they both recorded JM’s complaint.
16. The witness statement of Jeremy Simpson, match official, dated 14th January 2025 records that he spoke to SF prior to speaking to JM after the match and that SF admitted that he called JM ‘a big faggot’ and apologized for the words that he had used. SF stated that he was disappointed in himself for using such words, but that the words were said in the heat of the moment.
17. SF maintained his post-match admission in interview with the FA and accepted the charges against him at the earliest opportunity.
Sanction
Previous disciplinary record
18. As set out above, in their written submissions the FA alerted the Commission to two previous aggravated breaches by SF:-
18.1. SF was charged by the FA with an aggravated breach arising from his conduct during a fixture between Lowestoft Town FC and AFC Fylde on 16 February 2016. SF, who was playing for AFC Fylde in the fixture, denied a charged that he called the Match Referee a ‘fucking faggot’.
Following a paper hearing, conducted on 2 June 2016, a Regulatory Commission found the charge against SF proved and imposed a sanction of (i) a four-match playing suspension, (ii) a £250 fine, (iii) a warning as to SF’s future conduct, and (iv) an order that SF complete an online education course within four months.
18. SF was charged by the FA with an aggravated breach arising from his conduct during a fixture between Accrington Stanley FC and Rochdale AFC on 1 January 2020. SF, who was playing for Accrington Stanley in the fixture, admitted a charge that he said, ‘fuck off you pikey cunt’ to a Rochdale AFC player. Following a paper hearing conducted on 9 April 2020, a Regulatory Commission imposed a sanction of (i) an eight-match playing suspension on SF (which was reduced from an 11 match starting point); a fine of £850; and (iii) an order that SF undergo a face-to-face FA education programme.
FA punish Tranmere player Sam Finley with 13-match suspension for discriminatory abuse
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