In the afternoon hours of November 17 in the United Kingdom, a shocking revelation came to light. Everton, one of the oldest soccer clubs, in the history of the Premier League, has been docked by 10 points. The ban is issued, due to the failure of the club to adhere to the league’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules. This highlights the gross mismanagement happening in the English clubs.
Everton have been docked 10 points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules
They immediately drop from 14th to 19th in the table pic.twitter.com/MJJTM8eTMz
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 17, 2023
This means that the immediate points deduction has pushed them down to 19th in the table, 2 points off safety. The last few seasons have been very troublesome for the club. Results on the pitch have not been very encouraging, and there is an increased backlash against the owners.
However, Everton is not the first club in the Premier League, to have been docked points. There are some very big names on the list for very bizarre reasons. Let’s have a quick look at it:
5) Tottenham Hotspur (1994-95)
In June 1994, the Football Association docked Spurs 12 points, banned them from the 94-95 FA Cup, and handed a fine in excess of $900,000 over illegal payments. The crime was committed by the club’s former owners, several seasons earlier. The news sent shockwaves across the club’s fan community.
Biss on playing for Spurs 🤍 pic.twitter.com/1DnW6GbwG8
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 17, 2023
The crime was for illegally paying the players, during the period of 1985-89. Tottenham then proceeded to appeal against the FA’s decision. Initially, the points deduction was reduced to 6 points, but the fine increased to approximately $2 million. With increased deliberation with the board, the club could finally get the punishment revoked, altogether.
4) Manchester United and Arsenal (1990-91):
These two giants of English soccer were docked points in 1990, due to a brawl that broke out between the two teams’ players when United hoisted Arsenal, for a Football League First Division game, which was the top-flight division in England, back then. Due to the brawl, Arsenal was docked 2 points, while United faced a 1-point deduction.
Edu has won the Best European Director Award at Golden Boy 2023 👏
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 17, 2023
Initially, both teams tried to settle the matter by fining some of the players, but a month later the Football Association (FA) found both parties guilty and docked their points. The punishment didn’t really affect Arsenal, as they went on to win the League losing just one game, in the process. This remains the only time when clubs were docked points due to the misconduct of players
3) Middlesborough (1996-97):
In a bizarre sequence of events, Middlesborough saw their final points tally by 3 points, as a result of not being able to turn up for a game against Blackburn Rovers. As the team was preparing for the game, a virus ran riot through the club, and infected 8 first-team players, thus Middlesborough could not field enough outfield players and was deducted 3 points, which later turned out to be precious.
🔝⚽️ No player has scored more goals in the #CarabaoCup this season than @Boro‘s @morgz_10! 3⃣#EFL | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/Hbz2pKiIk7
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) November 14, 2023
The club at the time had exciting players like Emerson and Juninho, and with the legendary Brian Robson at the helm, things were looking good for the club. But the 3-point deduction meant that the club was relegated to the second division, finishing only 2 points off safety. After relegation, most of their key players bid farewell to the club.
2) Portsmouth (2009-10):
Portsmouth became the first club in the Premier League’s history to enter administration- a form of protection from bankruptcy. This meant, that a severe points deduction of 9 points was on its way. The deduction crushed any hopes of survival for the Pompeys, as their fans are fondly called.
The club from the south of England had accumulated a staggering debt of around $100 million. The financially crippled club had no other way, but to go down. But an inspiring figure of Avram Grant took the club to the final of the FA Cup 2010, only to be beaten by Grant’s former employer Chelsea. Their FA Cup heroics could not overshadow their lowly Premier League finish. Portsmouth finished bottom of the table, 16 points off safety
1) Everton (2022-23)
Everton becomes the latest club, to be docked points after the FA found it guilty to have breached its PSR. This means, that Everton has been handed out the biggest points deduction in the history of Premier League, a mammoth 10 points. Now, the immediate points deduction has pushed them down to 19th in the table, 2 points off safety.
34.1% – The Opta supercomputer is giving Everton a 34.1% chance of relegation this season following their 10-point deduction, up from 3.5% this morning. Worry.@OptaAnalyst looks at the need-to-know facts.https://t.co/VV8dcI4jMy#EVE
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 17, 2023
An independent commission on November 17, 2023, handed out Everton, the biggest points deduction in the history of the league. Everton’s PSR loss of $154.70 million was in excess of the stipulated £105 million ($130 million), for the period ending the 2021-22 season.
The club has informed that it is very “shocked and disappointed” by the Premier League’s commission and called out its alleged disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction (via ESPN India)
Sean Dyche has a huge task in front of him to steer the club to Premier League safety. Everton barely survived The Championship. They have been a regular Premier League team ever since 1950-51. A relegation would cost the club a fortune. They could lose out on the Premier League money, sponsorships, and even important players. For the Everton players and the staff, it’s now or never.