At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to see the points returned and any impending charges and ongoing investigations across the league to be at least suspended until a new system is agreed upon. Aren't new rules already planned? The initial decision was ludicrous in that the breach was relatively small and the panel explicitly stated that no footballing advantage was sought. It would make sense for the appeal to go not only after the specifics of the case but against the legitimacy of the process and how it could reach such a conclusion. The precedent it has set for other clubs committing more serious offenses with obvious attempts to gain a competitive edge would likely see the PL facing pressure from very wealthy and powerful stakeholders, such as Manchester City's owners. The league may be making the most of this time to get its ducks in a row and put together a message about how this case helped bring clarity to issues that they're eager to resolve.
Or not. I'm just bored and hadn't said anything in this thread.
Sorry to disagree but I very much doubt that unless the appeal amends the sanction that any points will be returned or indeed the two charges ( which will probably be the last ones under the current rules ) won’t go through the current process.
Whilst I understand and agree with your view about the £19.5 million sum in the overall scheme of things not being that great the IC took the view that it was indeed that’s what they stats and interestingly consider the target to be nil meaning the sum exceeded was £124.5 million .
In terms of sporting advantage sorry on this one the IC don’t state there wasn’t any sporting advantage they state three things one that such sporting advantage can’t be quantified. Which yes in isolation could be read to mean there wasn’t any but elsewhere in the written reasons they state to exceed the £105 million limit by inference gives a sporting advantage over those clubs who have managed their finances “ more responsibly “
The third mention talks about such sporting advantage becoming an aggravating factor if such an overspend was cynical but the IC concluded that if that to treat it in such a way would in effect be double counting
I have said from day one this shouldn’t have been subject to a points deduction and still feel that is right but if you read the written reasons in detail it seems probable that :
1) Had Everton had admitted the charge from day one 2) Not advanced some bound to be discounted sums such as the claim re stadium interest 3) Filed expert witness re the transfer market that didn’t get amended during the commission put the relevance and validity of evidence into disrepute and to be honest seems that it was inherently full of flaws
Then it’s possible, no probable that the points deduction would have been reduced on mitigation.
www.telegraph.co.uk
