Scottish First Division side Dundee received a massive 25-point deduction for entering administration, officials announced yesterday.

The Scottish Football League (SFL) also hit the club with a player registration embargo and the governing body said Dundee’s position would be reviewed if they were not out of administration by March 31.

Dundee are set to appeal but, if the deduction stands, it means they will plummet from fourth in the table on 14 points to bottom on minus 11 points – a huge 20 below current basement club Morton at the foot of what is the second tier of Scottish football, below the Premier League.

SFL chief executive David Longmuir said his organisation had to take action after Dundee, who are now set to be relegated to the Second Division, went into administration on October 14 after being unable to pay a tax bill which stood at £420,000.

“The SFL regrets the situation Dundee Football Club find themselves in for the second time in seven years,” Longmuir said.

“The SFL has a duty to protect the integrity and the ongoing smooth running of the league.

But Dundee administrator Bryan Jackson promised the club would appeal against the sanctions.

'I shall be appealing this decision by the SFL as I think that this is an outrageous punishment for the club.”