Scotland international left in limbo after major 'confusion' emerges over squad rules at new club

Part of Steve Clarke’s squad at the World Cup this summer, he appeared off the bench in the closing stages of a 1-0 group stage defeat to Morocco, before swapping Southampton for fellow promotion chasers Swansea. He moved to South Wales on a Bosman free transfer after failing to agree a new contract at St Mary’s.

The 30-year-old striker has barely featured at the Swansea.com Stadium, making just two substitute appearances for the club, though. His well-documented injury issues led many to believe his exclusion was in part due to that. However, it has now emerged that his omission is due to him not being eligible for the EFL rule that requires at least seven homegrown players in a matchday squad.

Second in the EFL Championship table after 12 games, head coach Vitor Matos has largely used former Celtic hitman Adam Idah as a lone forward, with Slovenia international Zan Vipotnik providing backup. However, after Stewart’s impressive cameo off the bench in a 1-0 win over Millwall, he was selected to be on the bench for the table-topping clash against West Ham United on 17 October, only to be removed from the squad shortly before kick-off.

After the game, his manager conceded he was left confused by the EFL regulation on homegrown players. “That is a homegrown situation, and just because of that, I don't know why, but the Scottish players don't count,” said Matos. “Maybe someone can explain that to me.”

Stewart began his career playing in Scottish non-league football with Kilwinning Juniors, before making a £1500 move to Albion Rovers in the summer of 2016. A prolific spell in League One landed him a move to St Mirren a year later. He’d later enjoy a loan spell with Alloa Athletic before signing for Ross County.

It was at Ross County he truly emerged, scoring 28 goals in three seasons, before being bought by then-third-tier English outfit Sunderland for a fee of £350,000. He’d help the Black Cats to promotion to the second-tier with a 26 goal haul and was snapped up by Southampton for a fee of £8million shortly afterwards. While he suffered two years of injury hell with the Saints, he returned to full fitness last January, scoring 11 goals as they ended the season in the playoff spots.

Despite his extensive experience in English football, he does not qualify as one of Swansea’s homegrown players because, under EFL and Premier League rules, a player must spend at least three seasons, or 36 months, registered with a club in England or Wales before his 21st birthday.

In a further to address the issue, Matos admits the club may need to look at their options in the January transfer window: “That's something we will try to address in the next window,” he said. “While also knowing the challenges that come with a January transfer window. Of course, it's something that we are aware of and something we will assess."

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