THE Rugby Football Union (RFU) has charged seven members of Basingstoke RFC – including the chairman, head coach and captain – after the club fielded an ineligible player under a false name last month.

All seven have been charged under RFU Rule 5.12 and stand accused of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union or the game, or which amounts to cheating.

Chairman Dr Steve Tristram, secretary David Crabbe, former first team manager Mark Randell, head coach Will Croker, assistant coach Niall Catlin, captain Freddie Gleadowe and player Chris Guyatt will be subject of a disciplinary hearing – the date of which should be announced in the next week.

The charges relate to ’Stoke’s London One South match at Guildford on September 13. Having realised that Guyatt was not registered to play, the decision was taken to put another player’s name on the official match card. Basingstoke went on to lose 37-31.

The club quickly decided to take action to mitigate the blunder, contacting the London and South East League in the following days to make them aware of the situation.

They were subsequently docked 15 points – but the RFU then launched their own investigation, which has now resulted in the seven individuals being charged.

If they are found guilty, the RFU have a wide variety of punishments open to them, ranging from an official warning right through to a lifetime ban from the sport.

In response to the charges, ’Stoke chairman Tristram issued the following statement: “I am not allowed to fully comment on the circumstances surrounding the Guildford match, as this is the subject of an RFU inquiry.

“I can say on record that I am confident that when the RFU hear the facts from the representatives of the board of the club, then the members of the board will be cleared of all charges and will be found to have acted properly throughout.”

Head coach Croker accepts that he was partly responsible for the situation, and is hoping for some leniency from the RFU.

“I’m not trying to hide my part in the events or not take responsibility,” he said. “I made a stupid mistake, but I have owned up, and I hope that the RFU see it for what it was.

“I am a bit disappointed because it feels like people have tried to portray that this was my responsibility alone, but by charging seven of us, the RFU have blown that to pieces.

“If anyone had told us that it was a stupid thing to do, then we would not have done it, but nobody did that and the members of the board present didn’t do anything when they were told either.”

The controversy is an issue that is having an adverse impact inside the club, with more than 15 members signing a motion of ‘no confidence’ in the board, due in part to the way the whole issue has been handled.

The motion was due to be voted on at an Extraordinary General Meeting next Wednesday, but officials have decided to defer the vote until after the RFU hearing.