SUMMARY
- Premier League club was on the brim of relegation due to FFP rules being broken.
- Premier League hit Everton with a heavy point deduction penalty.
In a surprising turn of events, Everton Football Club has received a glimmer of hope amidst a tumultuous season. Three months after a points deduction for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Premier League has revised the penalty, offering the club a much-needed lifeline.
In November 2023, the Premier League hit Everton with a significant points deduction as punishment for exceeding FFP regulations. Initially set at a hefty ten points, this penalty threatened to send the Merseyside club into the relegation battle.
🚨🔵 Official: Everton points deduction reduced to 6 points, Premier League statement confirms. pic.twitter.com/j30KrvTHBh
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 26, 2024
Refusing to accept the full force of the punishment, Everton exercised their right to appeal the decision. After careful consideration, the arbitration panel ruled in favor of Everton, granting them a partial victory. The authorities reduced the revised points deduction to six points, making it significantly less impactful than the original ten-point penalty.
Everton’s statement on the scenario
The club appealed the decision, and the hearing, which lasted for three days, concluded in early February. As a result, Everton’s points will increase to 25, moving them up to the 15th position and keeping them five points away from the bottom three.
Leading to the appeal, Everton released a statement. The statement read, “While the club is still digesting the appeal board’s decision, we are satisfied our appeal has resulted in a reduction in the points sanction.”
They added further, “We understand the appeal board considered the 10-point deduction originally imposed to be inappropriate when assessed against the available benchmarks of which the club made the commission aware, including the position under the relevant EFL regulations, and the nine-point deduction that is imposed under the Premier League’s own rules in the event of insolvency.”
📋 #EFC have released a statement following the news that they have had their 10-points deduction reduced to six points:
“Everton can confirm an Appeal Board has concluded that the points deduction imposed by an independent Premier League Commission in November be reduced from… pic.twitter.com/4FoftdBiqb
— BBC Sport Merseyside (@bbcmerseysport) February 26, 2024
Ending the statement by saying, “The club is also particularly pleased with the appeal board’s decision to overturn the original commission’s finding that the club failed to act in utmost good faith. That decision, along with reducing the points deduction, was an incredibly important point of principle for the club on appeal. The club, therefore, feels vindicated in pursuing its appeal.”
The summary of the appeal board stated that Everton used nine grounds of appeal against the initial 10-point penalty. Seven of these grounds were related to how the original commission handled different mitigating and aggravating factors. The authorities dismissed these seven grounds. However, the appeal board did determine that the initial commission made legal errors on the other two grounds.
Everton still in contention to lose points
The authorities charged Everton and Nottingham Forest with breaking the rules in January, marking the second time for Everton. This could result in another points deduction for Everton. This showcases that despite earning a small win in this scenario they could still be in contention to go into the relegation zone.
BREAKING: Everton’s 10-point deduction has been reduced to six points after the club’s appeal.
While it’s good news for The Toffees, there’s still the second FFP charge hanging over the club’s head, so there may be more points deductions in the future. #EFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/iKMuterjgH
— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) February 26, 2024
Following the success of the appeal, Everton had another statement. They said, “Notwithstanding the Appeal Board’s decision, and the positive outcome, the club remains fully committed to cooperating with the Premier League in respect of the ongoing proceedings brought for the accounting period ending in June 2023.”
In the history of the Premier League, only three other clubs have received point deductions. Middlesbrough lost three points for failing to play a match against Blackburn in 1996/97. Portsmouth had nine points taken away after entering administration in March 2010.
The authorities imposed a 12-point deduction on Tottenham Hotspur before the 1994/95 season due to financial irregularities committed a few seasons earlier. The authorities eventually overturned the punishment.