Emergency loan rules

Spireite keeper Tommy Lee took a big knock in the first leg of the League One playoffs against Preston North End. This could leave him touch and go for the return leg at Deepdale on Sunday.

We have delved into the Football League rule book on emergency loans:


53.3.4 Notwithstanding the provisions of Regulations 53.3.2 and 53.3.3, a Player cannot be registered on an Emergency Loan or Youth Loan:

(a) during the period commencing immediately after the end of a Transfer Window and during each of the seven days following the end of that Transfer Window;

(b) in the first half of the Season, after 5pm on the fourth Thursday in November; and

(c) in the second half of the Season, after 5pm on the fourth Thursday in March
unless in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 54.


54 Emergency Loan of Goalkeepers

54.1 (**Important bit!**) If all the professional goalkeepers at a Club are either certified by an independent medical practitioner as being unfit to play or are suspended, a Club may register (either before or after the deadlines laid down in Regulation 53.3.4), a further goalkeeper on a short term Emergency Loan in accordance with the following provisions:


54.1.1 the Executive shall allow a Club to sign such a goalkeeper for a period of 7 days (notwithstanding the provisions of Regulation 53.3.9), inclusive of the starting date and finishing date;


54.1.2 any such short term Emergency Loan shall be subject to The League, in appropriate circumstances, having received (including by facsimile) the appropriate medical certificate(s) together with the appropriate form(s) for his registration not later than 3 hours prior to kick off and the Executive having confirmed that the circumstances conform to the provisions of this Regulation;


54.1.3 the period of any short term Emergency Loan of a goalkeeper may be renewed for 7 days at a time but further medical certification must be provided on each occasion;


54.1.4 any short term Emergency Loan in respect of the same goalkeeper may not exceed 93 days during any Season; and


54.1.5 the provisions of Regulation 52.2.2 shall not apply to the Emergency Loan of a goalkeeper.