Accrington Stanley have been fined £20,000 as manager James Beattie is still to gain a UEFA coaching licence.
Of that amount, £15,000 is suspended subject to Beattie achieving the necessary qualification by May 1.
Football League regulations state that all League 1 and 2 managers must hold a UEFA B licence and be working towards an A licence within three years of their appointment.
Beattie was named as Leam Richardson’s successor last May and the club were given grace by the Football League for the former England international to begin a B licence course in the summer.
However, at a hearing earlier this month, a Football Disciplinary Commission found that the 35-year-old “had still not attended a relevant course or been able to confirm a place on a future course”.
The club has since said “measures have been put in place to ensure that James Beattie has gained the required qualifications by the deadline of 1 May”. Stanley also confirmed they do not intend to appeal against the charge.
A Football League statement read: “ Accrington Stanley were reminded of their obligations under Regulation 40 by The Football League following the resignation of the club’s previous manager in April 2013, and again following Beattie’s appointment the following month”.
Beattie was still playing for Stanley last season before deciding to apply for the manager’s job after being recommended to the Stanley board by Richardson.
“I hadn’t thought about it (management), but I didn’t see myself stopping playing” he said at the time. “I was going to continue playing and I would have run the coaching badges alongside my playing career.But certain things happen and it’s just something I couldn’t say no to.”
Stanley’s then-managing director Rob Heys added: “We spoke to the Football League and obviously he’s got to get enrolled on his courses now and get those out of the way.
“Just from speaking to him you find he’s a very intelligent lad, he’s very well educated, his experience in the game is without question. He’s worked under some great managers as well.
“It’s important he gets those badges because they’re part of the rules and regulations of the League, but I don’t think not having them will hold him back.”
Although Stanley knocked Middlesbrough out of the Capital One Cup, it took 13 games for the Reds to register their first league win under Beattie.
The ex-Southampton and Everton striker has since steered Stanley off the bottom of League 2 and up to 18 place, with Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Cheltenham making it seven wins and just three defeats from their last 16 league games.
See above for our gallery reflecting on Beatties ups and downs and below for some of his best goals.
