Premier League takes stand over financial fair play
Everton have been given a 10-point deduction after an independent commission found them guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial fair play (FFP) rules.
The club plan to appeal against what they regard as a disproportionate and “unjust” punishment and said they were “shocked and disappointed” by the decision and the sanction.
The appeal will be heard before the end of the season but as it stands, Sean Dyche’s men will drop from 14th to 19th place in the Premier League table and be plunged into greater danger of relegation, as they only stay above bottom side Burnley on goal difference.
The Toffees become the first English top-flight club to receive such a punishment for falling foul of FFP guidelines. They are just the third club in the Premier League era to be deducted points for any reason: Portsmouth saw nine points taken away for entering administration in 2010 and Middlesbrough were slapped with a three-point deduction for illegally postponing a game in 1997 – both teams subsequently suffering relegation at the end of the season.
The commission ruled Everton had overspent by ~$24m. The Premier League claimed Everton “submitted misleading information” about the financing of its new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, about interest charges on building the ground, and the commission ruled the club was “less than frank” in its evidence.
Manchester City face 115 charges for allegedly breaching FFP rules in a case that has not yet been heard while Chelsea could also face charges relating to former owner Roman Abramovich’s reign.
Everton added: “The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.”