The Women's Super League has been left with an unusual headache after Crystal Palace used four substitution windows during their 1-0 win over Everton on the opening weekend.
The Eagles breached a regulation limiting teams to three substitution windows per match, with Kirsty Howat introduced in the seventh minute of stoppage time despite Palace having already used their allocation.
It is the latest in a string of avoidable rulebook and administrative errors to hit the WSL in recent seasons.
Palace's fourth substitution window
Palace made substitutions in the 62nd, 83rd and 90th minutes before manager Jo Potter sent on Howat in the seventh of eight added minutes.
The issue is not the number of substitutes Palace used, but the number of separate windows in which those changes were made. The WSL's regulations, like the Premier League, permit a maximum of three substitution windows per team during a match.
The league has confirmed an investigation involving both clubs and referee body Pro Ref, formerly PGMOL. Match officials, including referee Megan Wilson, have reportedly been stood down from the next round of fixtures.
There is no automatic punishment for breaching the substitution rule as there is no precedent. Palace could be referred to an independent tribunal, which has the power to issue anything from a warning or fine to a points deduction or other sporting sanction.
The incident is unusual enough to be uncharted territory for English league football.
While there have been cases of teams using too many substitutes in cup competitions, there is no recent precedent for a team using too many substitution windows in a league match.
A fine may ultimately prove the most likely outcome, particularly given Palace were already leading 1-0 when the additional change was made. But this will be an interesting case of how seriously the WSL treats breaches of its regulations and how much responsibility falls on clubs versus match officials.
Cascarino's earring causes a stir
It is not the first time a relatively straightforward rule has caught a WSL side out.
In January, following a transfer from Juventus, West Ham's Estelle Cascarino was denied her debut against Chelsea because she was wearing an earring that could not be removed.
The France international had covered the piercing with tape, but FA rules are specific in that jewellery must be removed, and taping is not permitted as an alternative.
West Ham boss Rita Guarino was left frustrated after discovering Cascarino could not enter the field, particularly because the defender had previously played in the Champions League with the earring taped.
Former England midfielder Fara Williams described it as a "schoolgirl error", while former Wales defender Nia Jones called the episode an "absolute circus".
West Ham ultimately lost 5-0, meaning the earring became an unfortunate footnote to a difficult afternoon.
Sockgate: when Arsenal turned up in Chelsea socks
Then there was the infamous issue of a sock clash in March 2024.
Arsenal's white socks were deemed too similar to Chelsea's, forcing the visitors to find an alternative, having already arrived at Stamford Bridge. With no suitable spare kit immediately available, an Arsenal official bought black socks from the Chelsea club shop and covered the Blues logo with tape.
Kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes for a fixture watched by a then-record Chelsea Women's home crowd of 32,970.
Former England midfielder Karen Carney labelled the situation "embarrassing", while Emma Hayes said she was "gutted" for Arsenal's kit man.
While none of the previous incidents changed the outcome of a match, they highlight the continued need for greater professionalism in these moments in the league.
However Palace’s rule breach could be deemed to have had a direct impact on the result. The Eagles will now have to wait and see what consequences follow the latest WSL rulebook headache.
