Hamilton Accies owner Seref Zengin and director Gerry Strain banned from football by Scottish FA

The Scottish FA has ruled that Hamilton Academical owner Seref Zengin and director of football Gerry Strain are no longer considered to be “fit and proper” people to work at the club and that they are no longer to be involved in the day-to-day running of Accies.

The troubled League One side, who were in the Premiership only five years ago, have already been hit by SPFL points deductions and other punishments in recent months for failure to pay players on time, providing misleading information on the ownership of their stadium, paying players while under a transfer embargo and other rule breaches.

The club, which posted a loss of £1.8m in its most recent accounts, is now in further trouble over the ruling, which says that Strain, the only remaining director, and Zengin cannot be involved in any position that exerts power over the running of the business.

A Scottish FA statement read: “The Scottish FA has written to Hamilton Academical to notify that, following investigation, neither Seref Zengin nor Gerry Strain are fit and proper to hold a position within Association Football, in accordance with Scottish FA Article 10.3.

“Accordingly, pursuant to Scottish FA Article 10.10, the Board has determined that Mr Zengin and Mr Strain shall not, with immediate effect, (i) carry out any role at the club which would require them to be listed on the club’s Official Return and/or (ii) be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management or administration of the club and/or (iii) exert any power whatsoever to influence the management or administration of the club.

“The club has been directed by the Board to take all steps necessary to ensure its compliance with the foregoing determination. Should it fail to do so, the club may face disciplinary proceedings and sanctions under and in accordance with the Judicial Panel Protocol.”

The governing body said that Zengin was being sanctioned after being responsible for “financial matters at the club during a period when the club has demonstrated serious and sustained financial mismanagement, by repeatedly failing to pay individuals and organisations on time, including players, HMRC and employee pension funds”.

Strain was ruled to have been directly involved in the financial dealings that led to SPFL charges, as well as the club’s failure to achieve its license to run a training academy, and that he failed to meet the minimum standards required by the Scottish FA’s Child Wellbeing and Protection Policy.

“I received notification of the SFA’s position on this matter from a news story at 9.09am this morning,” Strain said on Tuesday. “I then spoke to Ian Maxwell [chief executive] of the SFA at 9.33am.

“Ian then sent me a copy of the letter via WhatsApp at 9.42am and my position is that I am having to seek urgent legal advice on behalf of myself and the football club.

“I cannot speak for Mr Zengin on the matter.”

While Strain will be expected to step down as director. The Scottish FA says there is provision for him to bring new board members in to ensure the continued running of the club.

“We note from the records at Companies House that Mr Strain is currently the only director of the club,” the statement said.

“We have informed the club to write to us within seven days to outline the steps it intends to take to ensure it complies with its legal obligations following the implementation of the determination referred to above.”