Dunfermline striker Tam McManus will not be allowed to play in the Tennent′s Scottish Cup final against Celtic at Hampden Park, according to the SFA.
McManus was an unused substitute for Falkirk against Berwick in January before moving to the Pars.
Team-mate Stephen Glass was also left on the bench for Hibernian in the same round which led to them both missing the cup semi-final and replay against Hibs last week.
The SFA reiterated last week that neither would be eligible for the Hampden showpiece occasion on May 26.
However, it emerged that Kilmarnock midfielder Jamie Adams was an unused substitute for Killie against Morton in the third round in January then played against Cowdenbeath and Hibernian after moving on loan to Queen of the South.
But a spokesman for the SFA said: "There is no change to the McManus situation. The cup competition rules are very specific. What we will do is look at the Jamie Adams situation. We don′t know how that transpired. Clubs who enter competitions should be aware of the rules, they are in the handbook."
20 February 2007
Brechin City boss Michael O'Neill has signed youngster Chris Hughes as he looks to strengthen his squad.
Hughes was on the books of Cowdenbeath earlier in the season and made a number of appearances for the Scottish Second Division side.
The 17-year-old gained a man of the match award and scored two goals.
The youngster was named man of the match in Cowdenbeath's 4-1 win over East Stirlingshire in the CIS Cup at Central Park.
12 January 2007
Cowdenbeath have signed Livingston midfielder Murray Davidson on loan.
The 18-year-old follows Livi team-mate Steven Weir to Central Park and could make his debut in Saturday's Second Division match against Peterhead.
Davidson will compensate for the likely loss of Markus Paatelainen, who is poised to join Inverness Caley Thistle.
Cowden manager Brian Welsh said: "I am still looking to add more faces to the squad and will work right up until the last minute to do this."
Welsh had been thwarted in some attempts so far.
"We have shown our ambition by putting in bids for three top part-time players," he told his club's website.
"Unfortunately, their clubs were not willing to let them go at this stage, but we will re-asses the situation at the end of the season."
12 January 2007
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have signed Markus Paatelainen on a pre-contract agreement.
The Highland club are negotiating with Third Division Cowdenbeath to secure the 23-year-old's services with immediate effect.
Inverness director of football Graeme Bennett said: "Cowdenbeath have been exceptionally good to deal with and we hope to have Marcus starting full time training with our squad on Monday."
Caley Thistle claim they have beaten other Bank of Scotland Premier League clubs to his signature - as well as Finish outfit TPS Turku, who are managed by Paatelainen's elder brother Mixu.
Bennett added: "We're pleased to have beaten a couple of other SPL clubs for his signature and Markus was also wanted by his elder brother Mixu who is manager of TPS Turku in Finland."
Paatelainen joined Cowdenbeath in September 2005 shortly after former Hibernian, Aberdeen and Dundee United star Mixu took over as manager of the Blue Brazil.
Caley Thistle boss Charlie Christie continued: "We've been tracking him for some time and I'm delighted to land Markus as he brings something different to our pool. He can play wide right or left and also in central midfield, though it is primarily as an attacking wide man that we see him. He's 6ft 1in tall and weighs 12st 8lbs, so he gives a physical presence, which is something that adds balance to our smallish midfield. All sorts of names have been bandied about, some of whom I'd no real idea, but we managed to keep our interest in Markus under the radar till he came to Inverness and put pen to paper on Wednesday night."
01 January 2007
Ade Akinbiyi [Sheff Utd - Burnley] £750,000
George Boyd [Stevenage - Peterborough] £260,000*
* Pending - transfer due to be completed 8 January
Morgaro Gomis [Cowdenbeath - Dundee] Nominal fee
Dean Holden [Peterborough - Falkirk] Undisclosed
Paul Keegan [St Patrick's Athletic - Motherwell] Undsiclosed
Michael Kightly [Grays - Wolves] Nominal fee
Mark McChrystal [Derry City - Partick] Undisclosed
Hibernian boss John Collins today admitted a few of his young Easter Road stars could be on the move next month - but only on a temporary basis.
Defender Jay Shields has already left the club, joining First Division promotion hopefuls Dundee on a three-month loan spell, and Collins is ready to give others their chance of regular first-team football.
Since taking over from Tony Mowbray almost seven weeks ago, Collins and his assistant Tommy Craig have been assessing the strength of the squad they inherited.
But while that has focused, naturally, on those challenging for a first-team jersey Collins and Craig have also taken a keen interest not only in their reserve side but the club's Under-19 outfit.
And with the January transfer window only a couple of weeks away, Collins will be open to offers for those youngsters he believes will benefit from a period on loan at another club.
The reserve team only have one match in January, the re-arranged clash at home to Aberdeen, and only seven games thereafter while the Under-19s have no game at all next month, providing the ideal opportunity, Collins believes, to arrange much-needed experience for a number of Hibs youngsters.
He said: "There are a few who could do with a bit of first-team experience and going out on loan is a good way to do that.
"It's good for them because it means they keep playing and hopefully come back to the club as better all-round players."
Placing players with other clubs has proved a more than beneficial route for Hibs in the past with Garry O'Connor having spent a spell on loan with Peterhead as a 16-year-old while Derek Riordan enjoyed a short period with Cowdenbeath and, further back, Kenny Miller caught the eye with goals for Stenhousemuir.
Shields, who has been on the fringes of Hibs first-team squad for the past year, spent part of last season on loan to Berwick Rangers while at present Northern Ireland Under-21 defender Dermott McCaffrey is with Queen of the South and midfielder Kevin McDonald has joined Airdrie United.
John Park, chief scout and youth academy director, believes such deals are a "win-win" option for Hibs as youngsters not only gain experience but an opportunity to develop their social skills as they arrive in a new dressing room.
He said: "As a club we've never said we want to go winning leagues at youth level, what we want to do is develop players, to get them doing the right things. We have managers from other clubs coming to our reserve and Under-19 games on a regular basis and then come asking if they can take this player or that on loan."
And there comes a time, Park insisted, when youngsters need the taste of first-team football and, if that isn't immediately available at Easter Road, then a short spell elsewhere is mutually beneficial to Hibs and the club enjoying the arrival of a new face.
He said: "What they get is more of a 'man's game'. They are suddenly playing alongside guys who are playing for win bonuses, for the points that mean prizes. They'll also find the game more physical and need to be a bit sharper."
With many of Hibs' youngsters going straight from school into Easter Road, Park believes it can also be of importance for them to see a different face of football, particularly if they are asked to join a club from a lower league where their new team-mates may well be part-time.
He said: "Sometimes it can be a bit of a culture shock but it is also good for them to see what else is out there on the other side of the fence. That can also spur them on and when they return they are desperate to push on for a first-team place here."
15 December 2006
Inverness have taken Cowdenbeath forward Liam Buchanan on trial, with a view to signing him when the January transfer window opens.
The 21-year-old has banged in 12 goals for the Second Division side this term.
"Cowdenbeath do not want to stand in his way and were happy for him to come here," Caley Thistle boss Charlie Christie told the P&J.
"We thought there might be interest in him when the window opens, so we took the opportunity to get in there now."
