There are a lot of fans from across the Football league that are annoyed about this decision, I was amazed just how many. They don’t often achieve much, but has anyone seen a petition to the EFL about this? I’m sure thousands would sign one.
One can set up a Parliamentary petition. Not sure on the words to use but I am sure it would help.
I intend to send the letter below to the EFL later today (due to CV19 restrictions can only do this via e-mail) CAST and the Club will be sending their own versions plus others but I'm of the opinion that if these matters are raised now with the chair of the EFL (Rick Parry) he might consider the course of action the suggested in this letter - i.e. the EFL can as I understand it, appeal the IDC decision to defer the points deduction rather than risk this dragging into the courts.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY F.C. POINTS DEDUCTION TO BE DEFERRED
UNTIL SEASON 2020-2021
Dear Mr. Parry,
I
write in order to welcome the decision of the Independent Disciplinary Commission
(IDC) advising the EFL in recommending that the EFL deduct 12 points from
Sheffield Wednesday FC as a result of being found guilty of financial
misconduct (i.e. breaching the profitability and sustainability rules for the
three-season reporting period ending with season 2017-18).
However,
I am sure you will share with me and many in the wider football community the
sense of outrage that the IDC saw fit also to recommend that the points
deduction be deferred until next season. Should the EFL accept the
recommendation regarding the deferral then this will send a clear message to
any would-be unscrupulous club owners that the gamble to engage in financial
misconduct (cheating) could be worth it as the punishment does not fit the
‘crime’.
By
way of explanation: as a result of irregularities in Sheffield Wednesday’s
financial reporting over the three year period ending in 2017-18 the club was
able to accrue and disperse resources (for example in player signings,
contracts and wages) for the seasons 2018-19 and 2019-20, over and above that
which would have been available had the club been previously compliant with the
rules. This means that Sheffield Wednesday were operating at an unfair
advantage over all other Championship clubs who stayed within the rules when partaking
in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
In
addition to the seemingly extraordinary amount of time it took for the IDC to
come to a conclusion of guilt against Sheffield Wednesday the decision to defer
the penalty until next season allows that club to profit yet further
into a third season despite the penalty imposed. This is because, not only will
Sheffield Wednesday gain financially from finishing in 16th position in the Championship
table (rather than 23rd) but they will receive a share of Sky-Bet TV money for next season (2020-21)
which will not be received by the club (in this instance Charlton Athletic) who
are relegated - effectively as a result of Sheffield Wednesday having cheated and
with the punishment for cheating being delayed.
By
any accounting method this is patently unfair and will result in a club which
followed the profitability and sustainability rules being more heavily punished
in financial terms that the club which broke them.
Given
all of the above, I urge you to take the necessary steps to appeal the IDC
decision relating to the timing of the points deduction and put forward strong arguments
as to why the points sanction against Sheffield Wednesday should be imposed
this season rather than the next.
Any
other course of action would amount to a dereliction of duty and the integrity
of the EFL and its Championship competition will surely be brought into total
disrepute should it refuse to act in this matter in the way in which the wider
football world and even the general public I suspect would agree is required of
you.
I
have copied this letter to the Member of Parliament for Greenwich and Woolwich
whom I know is taking a great interest in this matter (Charlton Athletic FC
being in his constituency) and I hope this letter and others he may receive
will provide him with the ammunition to air his concerns in Parliament until
this matter is resolved in the only satisfactory way in which it can be and
that is for justice not to be delayed and for Charlton Athletic not to be relegated
and so heavily and unfairly penalised for the failings of another club to keep their house
in order.
Yours
sincerely
Dr.
John P. XXXXXXXXXX BA. FSA
XXXXX X
XXX
XXXXXXX
Devon
Rather surprisingly perhaps the EFL Chairman has responded to this letter already (it was sent to the EFL contact e-mail as postal letters are not being received by the EFL due to CV19 restrictions.
The response effectively asks us to await the reasons provided by the IDC for the decisions reached (i.e. the reason for the level of points deduction and the timing of the imposition of the sanction.
I have e-mailed back requesting as to when we might expect to see the decision reasons.
In the meantime, I have studied the whole matter a little more closely, something I should have done before writing the letter - although it was written whilst I was still seething at the decision to defer the 12 point deduction until next season so I was throwing everything at it - so I feel justified in some weird way.
Those with a cooler head will have already acknowledged that the nature of the breach is serious but 'technical' in the sense of SW having evaded this kind of penalty in an earlier season (by cooking the books as far as I now understand it).
As has been noted by some, the sale of the ground was not illegal - it was the placing of the sale in the wrong accounting year which was the offence. Had SW placed the sale in the correct accounting year they would have been in breach of FFP for that season* which, and I hope I am at least right in this respect - would be a more serious offence and potentially a greater penalty?
SW have seemingly engineered a way around FFP and gambled on not getting caught in the hope (like QPR) that they could get into the Prem (with a different governing body) and escape any sanction if the accounting breach was discovered following their promotion - or at least delaying it until and they were demoted back to the EFL (as happened to QPR who took the hit of a fine).
Even if they were caught before gaining the Prem - as has happened - they face the 'lesser' charges having not broken FFP as such but having evaded them.
As least that is how I now see it but I could be wrong.
What is clear and evident is that SW cheated and the punishment is delayed - not right !
This decision was crap,and EFL know it,the announcement was perfectly time to coincide with FA cup final weekend so it would get minimal coverage.However,they may have done us a favour as I do not see how we could possibly get a squad together to compete at championship level in time,bearing in mind we have about 12 players and an embargo at the moment,hey ho happy days.
The whole situation is a mess. If Charlton appeal how do they plan for next season? As it stands they are in league One next season and any player signings will have to reflect that. (assuming the transfer embargo was lifted and we have a club) No players with Championship ambitions and wages will sign for Charlton with no guarantees that they would be in the Championship next season. However if they did assemble a decent league One squad, and they won the appeal they would go in with a squad unprepared to the Championship and a season of struggle could follow. I can't see how we can avoid relegation by appealing due to the time constraints but it may still be worth it for claiming compensation for lost TV money / gates etc for being wrongfully relegated.
Of course the ownership of the club is the most important and like most fans I would rather have a club in League One with decent owners (Barclay / Varney) than be in constant turmoil with the risk of no future in whether that be the Championship or League One.
I think another option is to be compensated although it would be good to get that with decent owners. Ultimately I would rather have a club in the Premier League with decent owners, but that is the best scenario. We are currently looking at a club in League One with shitter than shit owners. Only one league up from potentially the worst scenario at this time.
It's the way this whole thing looks to the wider football world as well.
Leaving aside Charlton - Sheffield Weds have retained Championship status, 16th place finish this season and Sky-Bet TV money the next having cheated the rules, been found guilty and had the points deduction applied not this season but next.
Whereas, Wigan - who didn't cheat but were shafted by their owners- have an automatic 12 point deduction applied this season for going into Administration and are relegated.
But remember -when the 12 point deduction for Wigan was announced the EFL said it would only apply this season if it would lead to Wigan's relegation, otherwise it was to apply next season
Thus, had Wigan achieved enough points to take the 12 point hit and still avoid relegation then the sanction would have applied next season.
So why was the same caveat not applied in Wednesday's case? - i.e. points deduction this season if it led to Wednesday's relegation, otherwise points deduction next season.
They have reversed the Wigan caveat in the case of Wednesday. Thus, NO RELEGATION for Wednesday if a points deduction this season would lead to that happening and the sanction to apply only to next season
So, EFL - why? I look forward to seeing the reasons disclosed asap.
I suppose the EFL would argue that Wigan had the opportunity to defeat the punishment on the pitch. I think this is a ridiculous argument personally. It makes sense that a team is punished the season it goes into administration. It is a fixed punishment and can't be vague.
The punishment for Wednesday and Birmingham is more complicated as there can be a lag between the season the crime happened in and the season it came to light and then even the season the club was found guilty. You are not found guilty of going into administration, you do or you don't. So it gives the scope to manipulate the punishment date. This is dangerously, messy for a useless organisation like the EFL and it should be the club is punished in the season they are found guilty. It should be as simple as that with no manipulation.
Now technically, Wednesday were found guilty this season as the Championship season has not ended. But what is more outrageous is that the EFL clearly tried to delay the outcome. I suspect they were worried that an appeal may threaten the integrity of the league where they have to know who is playing in what division by x time. There is no way it should have taken that long from charges in November 2019. This is where I am sure a bit of digging would expose the EFL.
Ultimately, it feels wrong that a crime like this is not an automatic relegation. Cheating in this way gives a team an unfair advantage that might make them more likely to avoid the punishment on the pitch.
It's the way this whole thing looks to the wider football world as well.
Leaving aside Charlton - Sheffield Weds have retained Championship status, 16th place finish this season and Sky-Bet TV money the next having cheated the rules, been found guilty and had the points deduction applied not this season but next.
Whereas, Wigan - who didn't cheat but were shafted by their owners- have an automatic 12 point deduction applied this season for going into Administration and are relegated.
But remember -when the 12 point deduction for Wigan was announced the EFL said it would only apply this season if it would lead to Wigan's relegation, otherwise it was to apply next season
Thus, had Wigan achieved enough points to take the 12 point hit and still avoid relegation then the sanction would have applied next season.
So why was the same caveat not applied in Wednesday's case? - i.e. points deduction this season if it led to Wednesday's relegation, otherwise points deduction next season.
They have reversed the Wigan caveat in the case of Wednesday. Thus, NO RELEGATION for Wednesday if a points deduction this season would lead to that happening and the sanction to apply only to next season
So, EFL - why? I look forward to seeing the reasons disclosed asap.
Agree that Wigan have been shafted, but that middle part isn't correct.
The 12 points for Wigan would only be deferred to 2020/21 IF they were relegated on the pitch already without any deduction. As that wasn't the case, the 12 points apply this season whether it results in them going down or not.
I can't really see the point of this thread. Yes we have been shafted and the whole process stinks, but other than possible financial compensation we will get nothing out of bleating.
The fixtures are out shortly and I am told before the deadline for Wednesday to advise if accepting or appealing the decision. Any appeal will take forever on past experiences. No matter how wronged we've been, we need to concentrate on saving our club and Gallen needs to push ahead with the establishment of a div one squad.
I would think an effective punishment system would be - If you gain enough points for the play offs - the 12 points deduction can be applied to cost you your play off place. If you are above the relegation places, the 12 point deduction can send you down. If the deduction has no material affect in this season, it should carry on to next. Ok, it could be avoided the next season, but it becomes a bigger punishment and this should apply to all punishments.
As people have said, Wednesday have to win three more games than some potentially weak promoted teams. They could quite easily achieve this. There was an opportunity to actually punish them this season.
But that would be punishing teams twice. It's like giving a penalty against a team and if your keeper saves it then the other teams gets given the goal anyway.
The rule isn't automatic relegation, it's a 12 point deduction.
The reason it would apply next season is to stop people going into admin "on purpose" so they don't suffer the deduction the season after.
The system as it is now was set up to stop teams who were already relegated going into administration without any penalty. If you were rock bottom, 20 points off 4th from last place in March then you could go into administration then & there, take a 12 point hit without any repercussions as you were down already. I believe this it what Southampton did when they dropped into League 1. Went into administration at the end of the season, got a 12 point deduction which did f... all. They then cleared the club of debt (with creditors getting very little back- something like 10p in the £) and restarted again. Bought good players & managed to get out of League 1 at the first attempt Now look at them.
It is now a deterrent as if you tried that now the 12 point deduction would apply in the new season.
But that would be punishing teams twice. It's like giving a penalty against a team and if your keeper saves it then the other teams gets given the goal anyway.
True if you compare to a penalty. I don't think it is punishing a team twice as if a team escapes punishment they have not been punished.
Apologies for coming a bit late to this particular party; I've been otherwise engaged this weekend.
Sheffield Wednesday were charged with, effectively, cheating.
Sheffield Wednesday were found guilty of, effectively, cheating.
It then follows that Sheffield Wednesday should have been punished.
A large points penalty/relegation would have been suitable punishment.
Instead, by giving a token points deduction next season, Sheffield Wednesday have been given an inconvenience.
Starting the season 12 points behind everyone else is an embuggerance but not insurmountable, especially as the form of their cheating - financial - has allowed them to assemble a squad more expensive than they should have been allowed and, in theory, higher quality. Automatic promotion may have been made more difficult but a play-off spot could be a realistic target and then ultimately promotion.
What kind of deterrent is that? You can gain a not-insignificant unfair advantage over your rivals and be given a minor setback at a later date?
Swindon fans will look at this and ask: where's the consistency?
Thirty years ago they were demoted two divisions (reduced to one on appeal) - after they'd won the play-off final to gain promotion to the top flight - for breaking league rules relating to payments to players.
In my opinion (which I've stated before on the Barnsley-related thread) the punishment for Wednesday should have been automatic relegation, in keeping with the Swindon precedence, the scale/nature of the offence, and the lack of admission of guilt.
In fact I think the punishment, in general, should be a minimum 21-point penalty to bring about automatic relegation; if relegation is achieved without the full 21 points then the balance is carried over to the following season. In Wednesday's case 9 points would be required to drop them into the relegation zone below Charlton which would leave 12 points to be deducted in the lower division next year.
I know some people say that an owner should be allowed to spend whatever they want but these rules have been put in place for two main reasons, as I see it: firstly, to protect clubs from living beyond their means to reduce the possibility of insolvency further down the line; and to create a (slightly more) level playing field so that money isn't the be-all-and-end-all of achieving on-field success.
The clubs obviously voted in these regulations for them to be applied throughout the Football League; a few so-called bigger clubs then trying to circumvent these rules is a massive f-you to the rest of the sides in the League that are playing by these rules and should be punished accordingly in a way that sends out a message that it won't be tolerated. A small deferred points penalty is neither a punishment nor a deterrant.
My views are not informed by what's good for Charlton i.e. the Owls going down this year instead of us, but by my dislike of cheats, whether they be players (divers, feigning injury etc, even if - especially if - they're our players) or, in this case, clubs.
The Football League must appeal this decision from the independent commission and ensure that Sheffield Wednesday are given the points penalty this season thus ensuring the demotion the offence deserves and to preserve the integrity of their own competition; it shouldn't be down to individual clubs to threaten legal action which, by their very nature, will not be completed in time for the original punishment to be amended before a new season starts.
Sky just a sports lawyer on who looked about 14. Spoke very well for about 15 minutes and didn’t say anything. Commentator was a bit frustrated. I hope they weren’t paying him.
The rule isn't automatic relegation, it's a 12 point deduction.
The reason it would apply next season is to stop people going into admin "on purpose" so they don't suffer the deduction the season after.
The system as it is now was set up to stop teams who were already relegated going into administration without any penalty. If you were rock bottom, 20 points off 4th from last place in March then you could go into administration then & there, take a 12 point hit without any repercussions as you were down already. I believe this it what Southampton did when they dropped into League 1. Went into administration at the end of the season, got a 12 point deduction which did f... all. They then cleared the club of debt (with creditors getting very little back- something like 10p in the £) and restarted again. Bought good players & managed to get out of League 1 at the first attempt Now look at them.
It is now a deterrent as if you tried that now the 12 point deduction would apply in the new season.
Southampton were deducted points which were carried over as a result of their relegation for the start of the 2009/10 season in League One.
Sorry, I have not read all of this thread but heard on Sky today by an expert that any appeal by Charlton would never succeed. First Weds have to appeal if they choose to, which will take about four weeks before they will listen to any appeal by Charlton, which will mean that next season will be soon to start and they cannot delay next season any more. Stop hoping our leaders have any intention of appealing, it is just to try and keep fans happy
The rule isn't automatic relegation, it's a 12 point deduction.
The reason it would apply next season is to stop people going into admin "on purpose" so they don't suffer the deduction the season after.
The system as it is now was set up to stop teams who were already relegated going into administration without any penalty. If you were rock bottom, 20 points off 4th from last place in March then you could go into administration then & there, take a 12 point hit without any repercussions as you were down already. I believe this it what Southampton did when they dropped into League 1. Went into administration at the end of the season, got a 12 point deduction which did f... all. They then cleared the club of debt (with creditors getting very little back- something like 10p in the £) and restarted again. Bought good players & managed to get out of League 1 at the first attempt Now look at them.
It is now a deterrent as if you tried that now the 12 point deduction would apply in the new season.
Southampton were deducted points which were carried over as a result of their relegation for the start of the 2009/10 season in League One.
Oops.....my bad. Having just read their history of that period I fund that after relegation to League one they bought Rickie Lambert who became the Golden Boot winner 3 years out of 4. They paid in excess of £1m, which for a team who had just come out of administration was pretty good going. £1m in 2009 I would expect equates to double that now. I cant remember us spending anything like that over the past 10 years......
Sorry, I have not read all of this thread but heard on Sky today by an expert that any appeal by Charlton would never succeed. First Weds have to appeal if they choose to, which will take about four weeks before they will listen to any appeal by Charlton, which will mean that next season will be soon to start and they cannot delay next season any more. Stop hoping our leaders have any intention of appealing, it is just to try and keep fans happy
Said this elsewhere and it's not aimed at you but I will never understand anything in life that has to be so drawn out over 4+ weeks.
Is it that difficult to get all involved parties sitting around a table or all online together at the same time and thrash it all out over 2-3 days like you would as if you were on jury service.
It's un-necessary delays like this that have dragged this thing out since November last year, really boils my piss there is no excuse for any appeal to take 4 weeks. Get on with it and it's probably 4 days max.
Charlton
Athletic have received support from as many as seven Sky Bet
Championship clubs after threatening to launch a legal challenge against
the controversial decision to delay a 12-point deduction for Sheffield
Wednesday until next season.
Wednesday
have been sanctioned by an independent panel for a serious breach of
the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules and would have been relegated
instead of Charlton had the points been deducted this season. As it was,
a process that started with an EFL charge last November — and
revelations in The Times two months prior to that — was only completed last week.
Charlton
have now written to the EFL challenging the decision to delay the
sanction until next season. Club sources say that they have also
received written support from “six or
seven Championship clubs”. Charlton were relegated with 48 points.
Wednesday finished the season with 56 points.
Wednesday
were punished for including the £38 million profit for the £60 million
“sale” of Hillsborough to a company owned by the club’s chairman and
owner, Dejphon Chansiri, in their 2018 accounts, thus enabling them to
be financially compliant, when Land Registry documents dated the
purchase almost 12 months later.In
a statement last week Charlton said they were “considering a legal
challenge following the news that Sheffield Wednesday will receive a
sporting sanction that will take effect in the 2020-21 season”.“We
fail to understand why the deduction will take place next season rather
than the current season, which seems to be irrational, and are writing
to the EFL to get an explanation of the justification,” added the
statement.Yesterday
the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust described the decision by the
panel, which is due to publish its written reasons, as a “massive
injustice”.In
a statement the trust said: “Charlton’s last hope of retaining
Championship status was dashed on Friday evening when the news emerged
that the independent disciplinary commission appointed by the EFL had
reached a decision to hand Sheffield Wednesday a 12-point deduction, but
with the punishment to be imposed next season.“Wednesday
evaded sanctions for breaching financial fair play rules in 2018-19 by
selling their stadium to themselves (which is permitted) but posting the
income into their accounts for the previous year. The 12 point
deduction is, however, not for misconduct, but for the original breach
of FFP. The issue of course is in the timing of the deduction.“It seems completely unjust and illogical therefore that the sanction should not also have been applied for the 2019-20 season.“Both
Sheffield Wednesday and the EFL can appeal against the decision but the
EFL are unlikely to. Both parties will await the written reasons and
will consult with their legal teams.“Should
either party decide to appeal it could still be up to a month before
any appeal process could begin and the written reasons might not be made
public for some time as releasing the information might prejudice the
process.“The
new season kicks off in six weeks, leading to the conclusion that the
reason for the postponement of the sanction is pragmatic. However, that
does not excuse the failure to start the investigation earlier nor to
set and enforce an appropriate deadline for its completion. We are left
feeling this is a massive injustice.”
You imagine the clubs supporting us will have clean finances themselves, so not the likes of Derby or Reading
The likes of Barnsley, Luton, Preston, Millwall (so they can get their guaranteed 6 points next season), Middlesbrough (who've been vocal on FFP) and maybe Birmingham who've had plenty of deductions themselves, all done in the same season
Unlike the premier league, your position in the end of season table doesn’t bring you more prize money. So any point reduction that bring relegation is meaningless.
The EFL need to do either of two things, prize money on final position, where a points reduction will hit the club (better still the club loses all prize money) or automatically relegate any club found guilty of cheating.
Comments
The response effectively asks us to await the reasons provided by the IDC for the decisions reached (i.e. the reason for the level of points deduction and the timing of the imposition of the sanction.
I have e-mailed back requesting as to when we might expect to see the decision reasons.
In the meantime, I have studied the whole matter a little more closely, something I should have done before writing the letter - although it was written whilst I was still seething at the decision to defer the 12 point deduction until next season so I was throwing everything at it - so I feel justified in some weird way.
Those with a cooler head will have already acknowledged that the nature of the breach is serious but 'technical' in the sense of SW having evaded this kind of penalty in an earlier season (by cooking the books as far as I now understand it).
As has been noted by some, the sale of the ground was not illegal - it was the placing of the sale in the wrong accounting year which was the offence. Had SW placed the sale in the correct accounting year they would have been in breach of FFP for that season* which, and I hope I am at least right in this respect - would be a more serious offence and potentially a greater penalty?
SW have seemingly engineered a way around FFP and gambled on not getting caught in the hope (like QPR) that they could get into the Prem (with a different governing body) and escape any sanction if the accounting breach was discovered following their promotion - or at least delaying it until and they were demoted back to the EFL (as happened to QPR who took the hit of a fine).
Even if they were caught before gaining the Prem - as has happened - they face the 'lesser' charges having not broken FFP as such but having evaded them.
As least that is how I now see it but I could be wrong.
What is clear and evident is that SW cheated and the punishment is delayed - not right !
Of course the ownership of the club is the most important and like most fans I would rather have a club in League One with decent owners (Barclay / Varney) than be in constant turmoil with the risk of no future in whether that be the Championship or League One.
Leaving aside Charlton - Sheffield Weds have retained Championship status, 16th place finish this season and Sky-Bet TV money the next having cheated the rules, been found guilty and had the points deduction applied not this season but next.
Whereas, Wigan - who didn't cheat but were shafted by their owners- have an automatic 12 point deduction applied this season for going into Administration and are relegated.
But remember - when the 12 point deduction for Wigan was announced the EFL said it would only apply this season if it would lead to Wigan's relegation, otherwise it was to apply next season
Thus, had Wigan achieved enough points to take the 12 point hit and still avoid relegation then the sanction would have applied next season.
So why was the same caveat not applied in Wednesday's case?
- i.e. points deduction this season if it led to Wednesday's relegation, otherwise points deduction next season.
They have reversed the Wigan caveat in the case of Wednesday.
Thus, NO RELEGATION for Wednesday if a points deduction this season would lead to that happening and the sanction to apply only to next season
So, EFL - why? I look forward to seeing the reasons disclosed asap.
https://www.efl.com/news/2020/july/efl-statement-wigan-athletic/
The punishment for Wednesday and Birmingham is more complicated as there can be a lag between the season the crime happened in and the season it came to light and then even the season the club was found guilty. You are not found guilty of going into administration, you do or you don't. So it gives the scope to manipulate the punishment date. This is dangerously, messy for a useless organisation like the EFL and it should be the club is punished in the season they are found guilty. It should be as simple as that with no manipulation.
Now technically, Wednesday were found guilty this season as the Championship season has not ended. But what is more outrageous is that the EFL clearly tried to delay the outcome. I suspect they were worried that an appeal may threaten the integrity of the league where they have to know who is playing in what division by x time. There is no way it should have taken that long from charges in November 2019. This is where I am sure a bit of digging would expose the EFL.
Ultimately, it feels wrong that a crime like this is not an automatic relegation. Cheating in this way gives a team an unfair advantage that might make them more likely to avoid the punishment on the pitch.
The 12 points for Wigan would only be deferred to 2020/21 IF they were relegated on the pitch already without any deduction. As that wasn't the case, the 12 points apply this season whether it results in them going down or not.
The fixtures are out shortly and I am told before the deadline for Wednesday to advise if accepting or appealing the decision. Any appeal will take forever on past experiences. No matter how wronged we've been, we need to concentrate on saving our club and Gallen needs to push ahead with the establishment of a div one squad.
The rule isn't automatic relegation, it's a 12 point deduction.
The reason it would apply next season is to stop people going into admin "on purpose" so they don't suffer the deduction the season after.
As people have said, Wednesday have to win three more games than some potentially weak promoted teams. They could quite easily achieve this. There was an opportunity to actually punish them this season.
It is now a deterrent as if you tried that now the 12 point deduction would apply in the new season.
Sheffield Wednesday were charged with, effectively, cheating.
Sheffield Wednesday were found guilty of, effectively, cheating.
It then follows that Sheffield Wednesday should have been punished.
A large points penalty/relegation would have been suitable punishment.
Instead, by giving a token points deduction next season, Sheffield Wednesday have been given an inconvenience.
Starting the season 12 points behind everyone else is an embuggerance but not insurmountable, especially as the form of their cheating - financial - has allowed them to assemble a squad more expensive than they should have been allowed and, in theory, higher quality. Automatic promotion may have been made more difficult but a play-off spot could be a realistic target and then ultimately promotion.
What kind of deterrent is that? You can gain a not-insignificant unfair advantage over your rivals and be given a minor setback at a later date?
Swindon fans will look at this and ask: where's the consistency?
Thirty years ago they were demoted two divisions (reduced to one on appeal) - after they'd won the play-off final to gain promotion to the top flight - for breaking league rules relating to payments to players.
In my opinion (which I've stated before on the Barnsley-related thread) the punishment for Wednesday should have been automatic relegation, in keeping with the Swindon precedence, the scale/nature of the offence, and the lack of admission of guilt.
In fact I think the punishment, in general, should be a minimum 21-point penalty to bring about automatic relegation; if relegation is achieved without the full 21 points then the balance is carried over to the following season. In Wednesday's case 9 points would be required to drop them into the relegation zone below Charlton which would leave 12 points to be deducted in the lower division next year.
I know some people say that an owner should be allowed to spend whatever they want but these rules have been put in place for two main reasons, as I see it: firstly, to protect clubs from living beyond their means to reduce the possibility of insolvency further down the line; and to create a (slightly more) level playing field so that money isn't the be-all-and-end-all of achieving on-field success.
The clubs obviously voted in these regulations for them to be applied throughout the Football League; a few so-called bigger clubs then trying to circumvent these rules is a massive f-you to the rest of the sides in the League that are playing by these rules and should be punished accordingly in a way that sends out a message that it won't be tolerated. A small deferred points penalty is neither a punishment nor a deterrant.
My views are not informed by what's good for Charlton i.e. the Owls going down this year instead of us, but by my dislike of cheats, whether they be players (divers, feigning injury etc, even if - especially if - they're our players) or, in this case, clubs.
The Football League must appeal this decision from the independent commission and ensure that Sheffield Wednesday are given the points penalty this season thus ensuring the demotion the offence deserves and to preserve the integrity of their own competition; it shouldn't be down to individual clubs to threaten legal action which, by their very nature, will not be completed in time for the original punishment to be amended before a new season starts.
good to know before I took that elsewhere !!!!
Is it that difficult to get all involved parties sitting around a table or all online together at the same time and thrash it all out over 2-3 days like you would as if you were on jury service.
It's un-necessary delays like this that have dragged this thing out since November last year, really boils my piss there is no excuse for any appeal to take 4 weeks. Get on with it and it's probably 4 days max.
Don't subscribe so haven't read the whole story.
Does this mean 16 don't back us?
Charlton get backing of rivals over Sheffield Wednesday points penalty delay
Charlton Athletic have received support from as many as seven Sky Bet Championship clubs after threatening to launch a legal challenge against the controversial decision to delay a 12-point deduction for Sheffield Wednesday until next season.
Wednesday have been sanctioned by an independent panel for a serious breach of the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules and would have been relegated instead of Charlton had the points been deducted this season. As it was, a process that started with an EFL charge last November — and revelations in The Times two months prior to that — was only completed last week.
Charlton have now written to the EFL challenging the decision to delay the sanction until next season. Club sources say that they have also received written support from “six or seven Championship clubs”. Charlton were relegated with 48 points. Wednesday finished the season with 56 points.
Wednesday were punished for including the £38 million profit for the £60 million “sale” of Hillsborough to a company owned by the club’s chairman and owner, Dejphon Chansiri, in their 2018 accounts, thus enabling them to be financially compliant, when Land Registry documents dated the purchase almost 12 months later.In a statement last week Charlton said they were “considering a legal challenge following the news that Sheffield Wednesday will receive a sporting sanction that will take effect in the 2020-21 season”.“We fail to understand why the deduction will take place next season rather than the current season, which seems to be irrational, and are writing to the EFL to get an explanation of the justification,” added the statement.Yesterday the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust described the decision by the panel, which is due to publish its written reasons, as a “massive injustice”.In a statement the trust said: “Charlton’s last hope of retaining Championship status was dashed on Friday evening when the news emerged that the independent disciplinary commission appointed by the EFL had reached a decision to hand Sheffield Wednesday a 12-point deduction, but with the punishment to be imposed next season.“Wednesday evaded sanctions for breaching financial fair play rules in 2018-19 by selling their stadium to themselves (which is permitted) but posting the income into their accounts for the previous year. The 12 point deduction is, however, not for misconduct, but for the original breach of FFP. The issue of course is in the timing of the deduction.“It seems completely unjust and illogical therefore that the sanction should not also have been applied for the 2019-20 season.“Both Sheffield Wednesday and the EFL can appeal against the decision but the EFL are unlikely to. Both parties will await the written reasons and will consult with their legal teams.“Should either party decide to appeal it could still be up to a month before any appeal process could begin and the written reasons might not be made public for some time as releasing the information might prejudice the process.“The new season kicks off in six weeks, leading to the conclusion that the reason for the postponement of the sanction is pragmatic. However, that does not excuse the failure to start the investigation earlier nor to set and enforce an appropriate deadline for its completion. We are left feeling this is a massive injustice.”The likes of Barnsley, Luton, Preston, Millwall (so they can get their guaranteed 6 points next season), Middlesbrough (who've been vocal on FFP) and maybe Birmingham who've had plenty of deductions themselves, all done in the same season
The EFL need to do either of two things, prize money on final position, where a points reduction will hit the club (better still the club loses all prize money) or automatically relegate any club found guilty of cheating.