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01 Jun 05 11:34 12:34 UK |
Dundee have asked the Scottish Premier League to investigate the eligibility of Hassan Kachloul to play for Livingston as an amateur.
Chairman Bob Brannan has written to SPL secretary Ian Blair detailing Dundee's concerns about newspaper reports suggesting the Moroccan had been paid.
The forward helped Livingston avoid relegation and consigned Dundee to next season in Division One.
Livi could be fined or docked points should they be found guilty of payment.
A Dundee spokesman said : "It is important to stress this is not a legal letter.
"At this stage, it is simply a request for the SPL to investigate the exact circumstances of Mr Kachloul's signing.
"In order to give the SPL time to consider the contents and implications of our letter, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment on this matter at the moment.
"It is, however, our wish to keep our fans and shareholders fully informed and we will in due course publish the full text of our letter to the SPL and our reasons for making this request.
"Dundee Football Club share the concerns of Dunfermline FC over the status of Hassan Kachloul.
"There would, however, have to be a prospect of genuine benefit for Dundee FC and Scottish football before we would take the situation further.
"We do not want our fans to have to endure a rollercoaster ride of emotions or raise false hope amongst them."
Transfer window rules required Kachloul to play as an amateur because he was already signed by another club during the transfer window.
But Dunfermline Athletic raised the issue with the SPL seven weeks ago after reading comments attributed to former Livi boss Richard Gough about player payment.
The 32-year-old former Aston Villa and Southampton forward played in Livingston's final eight games, scoring twice.
But the West Lothian club, who finished two points ahead of relegated Dundee, insist they did everything by the book when signing Kachloul.
"We signed Kachloul as an amateur and we have the registration form," said a Livi spokesman.
"The only thing we would have paid him would have been expenses, which he was due.
"We signed him on an amateur form and that was passed by both the SFA and the SPL."
Blair stresses that Dundee's letter would have to demonstrate that Livingston were paying an amateur player to play football before an investigation would be launched.
But the SPL has the ability to access all financial records from Livingston.
"The player was an amateur player in England, transferred here and was registered as an amateur in Scotland," said Blair.
Jim Hamilton signed for Dunfermline last season and Gary Dempsey joined Aberdeen this season as amateurs.
Kachloul has said he unlikely to be at Livingston next season.