Scottish League Two club Bonnyrigg Rose have been deducted six points – because of the slope on their New Dundas Park pitch.
And the Midlothian club has launched a fundraising campaign to pay for resurfacing works.
It follows a Scottish Professional Football League disciplinary tribunal at which the governing body said the club admitted the rule breach.
Because of their pitch’s gradient, the Scottish FA in September downgraded the club’s licence to entry level from bronze level – a minimum requirement for the SPFL.
Bonnyrigg have been deducted six points, warned about their future conduct and now must provide details by 31 January of funding arrangements and a programme of works to allow pitch levelling works next summer.
It means Bonnyrigg drop four places from fourth to third bottom, still two points above Clyde and Forfar Athletic.
Appealing for donations, the club said on X: “The Rosey Posey, the heartbeat to our community, needs your help.
“We are fundraising to help towards levelling the pitch as well as improve draining, etc., to ensure compliance with league membership.”
Bonnyrigg won promotion to League 2 in 2022 after winning the Lowland League and finished eighth of the 10 teams last season.