NATIONAL League general manager Mark Ives has explained why clubs can be placed under a transfer embargo.

Southend United have today seen their own ban on making new signings lifted.

And, while not keen to discuss the Shrimpers directly, Ives remains determined to maintain the integrity of the competition.

“This is a generic comment and not aimed at any particular club but the league take the integrity of the competition very seriously because it has to be a level playing field,” said Ives.

“For example, and again this isn’t attributed to any club, you may have a perceived sporting advantage because a club haven’t been settling their bills to football creditors, their PAYE tax or whatever the case may be.

“There’s an argument that those clubs end up getting a sporting advantage because they’re paying their players more and not paying everything else.

“In that situation, we take it seriously.

“One of the remedies where that’s concerned is putting the club under an embargo until we’re satisfied the balance has been redressed.

“That’s quite important to us.”