It is being rumoured that close attention to the Boro finances are being made with reference to Financial Fair Play conditions by the FA for last season. A lot of money was expended on loan players and salaries were still in excess of those of other clubs in the championship.
We are all aware what happened to the Boro when we did have points deductions which ultimately caused us to be relegated from the Premiership. Whether it was the fault of the Chief Executive and his staff, or the FA, Or the Premiership making a point about an upstart club trying to better themselves we will never know. It is a decision made that will forever rankle with the Boro fans and Steve Gibson forever.
It would appear that the Premiership is once more flexing its muscles about points deduction and this time the focus is on Everton Football Club.
Everton are facing a 12-point deduction after the Premier League recommended a record-breaking punishment for allegedly breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rule
The Toffees, who have narrowly avoided relegation in each of the last two seasons, are said to have breached the Premier League's financial rules. It's believed English football's leading division wants them to face a severe punishment, setting a strong example.
If found guilty, the maximum punishment Everton will face is a huge 12-point deduction. Based on the current table, that would leave them bottom on -5 points. Such a punishment would've been enough to relegate them in each of the last two seasons.
It would also be the biggest points deduction in Premier League history. Portsmouth were deducted nine points for entertaining administration in 2010, while Middlesbrough were handed a three-point deduction for postponing a game at short notice for not having enough players to field in 1997. Both teams went on to be relegated.
Even without such a heavy punishment, Everton are among the favourites for relegation. They are currently 16th in the Premier League table - just three points above the drop zone. If they receive a 12-point ban, they will find themselves 11 points from safety.
Everton's case is being reviewed by an independent commission. They, NOT the Premier League, will make the final decision. Everton are thought to have recorded financial loses of £371.8million - £266.8m over budget.
Everton believe they have complied within the rules and will "robustly defend" their position. They will argue that exemptions, including those related to Covid, is to blame for their losses. They are confident that will be enough to satisfy the independent commission.
Other punishments are also on the table, such as a fine, a transfer embargo or a more lenient points deduction. Yet the Premier League want the book thrown at Everton.
The Toffees are currently in the middle of a takeover saga. American company 777 Partners are in the process of buying Farhad Moshiri's 94 cent stake in the club. Apparently the takeover is expected to go ahead as planned.
The Premier League announced Everton's alleged breaches in March and haven't publicly commented on the matter since. They said: "The proceedings before the commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private.
“Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the commission's final award will be published on the Premier League's website. The league will be making no further comment until that time."
There does appear to be one rule for certain clubs like Manchester City and another set of rules for less glamorous clubs like the Boro. It will be interesting to see what happens to Everton?
OFB
It is being rumoured that close attention to the Boro finances are being made with reference to Financial Fair Play conditions by the FA for last season. A lot of money was expended on loan players and salaries were still in excess of those of other clubs in the championship.
The Everton story seems legitimate but I don't think we have anything to worry about when it comes to FFP. Firstly the EFL runs its FFP equivalent and the FA has (as they say) FA to do with Boro. I think that what has happened is that someone has run a search for teams who have been deducted points by the Premier league and noticed us. That then has, maybe, got mangled into something about FFP.
There's a really good analysis of FFP on a Bristol fans forum. Their analysis of Boro comes down to "nothing to worry about" but no room for extra spending this season.
It isn't only little clubs who get battered by the FA or Premier League for infringements of the rules, but they seem to get more HEAVILY battered.
We all know the 3 points saga following the Blackburn Rovers match cancellation. But in 1990 Swindon Town (which had won promotion to the First Division that year) was penalised for financial irregularities and therefore the promotion was cancelled and, instead, the club was relegated to the third tier (Division Three as it then was because the Premier League didn't start until 1992). So relegated by 2 divisions - though on appeal that was reduced to having to play in the Second Division again despite having won promotion.
In June 1994 Sir Alan Sugar (prior to his appointment to the House Of Lords in 2009) saw Spurs, after self-reporting financial irregularities to the authorities, given a 12 point deduction for the following season (1994/95), suspended from the FA Cup that following season and fined £600K plus costs.
In 2007, West Ham United, having signed Carlos Tevez and paid money to a third party who "owned" the player (rather than a club holding the player's registration), was fined £5.5M but had no points deducted, which cost Sheffield United its Premier League place***. That was in circumstances where Tevez had almost single-handedly kept West Ham up by a narrow margin through his exceptional performances and those performances were sufficient for him to sign on loan for 2 seasons at Manchester United followed by 4 years at Manchester City and then a couple at Juventus. A "cut above" the West Ham of those times! It was later agreed that West Ham would pay compensation to Sheffield United but how much is NOT being in the Premier League worth to a club in terms of Premier League TV money, the commercial fees and sponsorships that come with the PL etc? And, as it turned out, for several years...
And after "disgraceful scenes" when a 21 man brawl took place between Manchester United and Arsenal players during a match in 1991 (David Seaman kept well out of it all) Arsenal received a 2 points and Manchester United a 1 point deduction.
Adminstrations, however, have been the cause of some of the most harsh "sentences" imposed on offending clubs. In 2004 Wrexham (now Celebrity-owned, and restored to the Football League, where it is doing very well, thank you) was deducted 10 points for extering administration and the same happened to Leeds United 2 years later for the same offence . , compounded by a further 15 points deduction the season after that, for leaving administration without having entered into an appropriate Voluntary Arrangment with the club's creditors.**
** More locally, Darlington went into administration on 2003, 2009 and 2012. Being by then a fan-owned club unable able to enter into a Creditors' Voluntary Arrangement, Darlington was expelled from the FA so had to found a new club "Darlington 1883" which then entered England's 9th tier of football (Northern League Divison One). Despite 3 promotions in the next 4 years, steam appears now to have dissipated from the club's engine and the club now finds itself struggling in tier 6 (National League North).
I suppose there is an argument that Scotland has been more willing to hammer the big clubs, as Rangers' demotion to the 4th tier (as it was before restructuring the league there) some years ago testifies. At least it allowed every club in the League structure to benefit by having sell-out crowds (and no doubt some TV exposure) home and away in their games against Rangers as the Glasgow club made its way back to the top division.
***Carlos Tevez AND Javier Mascherano.
Further to my post from yesterday (directly above this one) I see from today's Daily Telegraph (Page 1 in their Sports Section under the Headline "Everton face 12 point sanction") as follows: "...Any points deduction would be the first of its kind in England's top division, and is likely to cause panic among rival clubs. In February champions Manchester City were charged with breaching 115 regulations over 14 seasons from 2009-10 to last season."
I think Spurs fans would beg to differ since their club was deducted 12 points and fined in 1994, and I mentioned in my earlier post some other points deductions which applied to top division teams.