REDDITCH United chairman Chris Swan has confirmed his club have made a formal complaint to the Football Association over Swindon Town's move for Jermaine Hylton.

The Advertiser revealed on New Year's Eve that Town were poised to sign the 21-year-old but on Saturday it became clear that Redditch were unhappy with the way that Swindon had approached the player.

Now the Southern League Premier club have submitted a formal complaint to the FA with Swan describing the Robins approach for Hylton as "illegal" and "disrespectful".

The complaint centres on the belief that Town spoke to Hylton after submitting the seven-day approach, a practice which is not permitted under the ruling for Southern League players.

Swan told the Redditch Advertiser: "Swindon have made an illegal approach for Jermaine and it's disrespectful to the club.

"We have spent a lot of time working hard to turn him from a straggly youth team player into a very good player ready for a move into the Football League.

"Swindon submitted a seven day approach for Jermaine on the morning of New Year's Day but their chairman has been quoted as speaking to him before the seven days are up. We've submitted a complaint to the FA and we'll see what happens."

When asked if he understood why there would be a complaint about Town’s approach for Hylton from Redditch, Town boss Mark Cooper said on Saturday: “No. We followed the procedure, we’ve put seven days in for the player and then after that we can try and sign him.

“We have put a seven days in for him, the official line of approach and then after that we can try and sign the player.

“We can’t do anything until the seven days is up, which I think is on Wednesday, then once we have done that then hopefully the player will be joining us.''

Swan was referring to comments by Town chairman Lee Power when asked whether he felt a deal for Hylton could be hijacked.

Power said: “We’ve spoken to the lad, he’s very keen to come, and we’re very keen to have him so hopefully no.”

The club were contacted for a statement on the Redditch's complaint but had not responded to the request at the time of writing.