BROMSGROVE Rovers have reported Redditch United to the Birmingham Football Association over an alleged illegal approach for captain Quentin Townsend.

Rovers claim Redditch boss Rob Smith did not go through the proper channels in his quest to sign the steely centre half.

Under FA rules any club looking to sign a player from another club must give seven-days notice to his present employers.

Rovers chief executive Pat Bannister insists Smith failed to do that and he has reported United to the FA, although a date for the hearing is yet to be decided.

Bannister said: "What they did was totally illegal and they need to be reprimanded because they didn't go about it in the right manner.

"Quentin is the club captain and the kingpin of our team and he does not want to leave."

But Smith denies ever speaking to Townsend. He said: "I'm quite willing for Rovers to take us to a hearing because they will be laughed at.

"We never made any approach for Quentin -- I spoke to Pat about the player's availability but I've never spoken to Quentin in my life.

"In any case we're not interested in him anymore. I'm quite happy for him to stay in a relegation battle."

Townsend, who was sent off for two bookable offences against Cirencester on Saturday, is yet to learn how long his ban will be.

Andy Biddle is waiting to see when his three-match ban starts following his red card on Saturday.