Luton Town player Andros Townsend claims that the recent ‘nonsense’ points deductions ‘make a mockery of the Premier League’.
He strongly criticised the Premier League over penalising Everton and Nottingham Forest by deducting points, condemning the penalties as unjust, and said it was damaging to the integrity of the Premier League.
He further emphasised that such actions only serve to complicate the relegation battle, putting additional pressure on teams mentally.
Everton initially faced a 10-point deduction in November, but later had four points reinstated. On the other hand, Forest lost four points earlier this month due to violations of Premier League profit and sustainability regulations.
Townsend said clubs battling to stay up “don’t know what’s going to happen”, with Luton sitting 17th in the table – one point and one place above Forest.
But the league standings are potentially still subject to change given Forest’s decision to appeal, while a hearing into a second alleged breach by Everton is taking place this week.
The league’s rules state any appeals process should “conclude no later than and if possible some time before the 24th of May”, which is five days after the season finishes – although Forest’s case is set to be concluded before then.
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Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, Townsend said: “We don’t know what’s going to happen. Everton have got points back, Forest are appealing and may get points back, Everton may get more points [deducted] – who knows…
“It all may get wrapped up the week before the end of the season. It’s all nonsense to be honest.
“Psychologically, if you’re above the relegation zone, you’re thinking a point is enough to keep you above the relegation zone.
“Then a week later you’re back in the relegation zone because teams have got their points back.
“For me, it makes a mockery of the Premier League [and] what is the best league in the world.”
Town boss Rob Edwards has always insisted he is operating with a league table that doesn’t include any points deductions, which means that in his mind, the Hatters remain firmly in the bottom three with nine games to go. It was something of a masterstroke according to Townsend, who added: “We beat Brighton four-nil and for the first time maybe all season, or definitely in a long while, it took us out of the relegation zone.
“The next time we were in, the manager called us in and showed us that table with Everton’s points back on just to keep us grounded and not let us get carried away. It was a great bit of man management.”
Everton were initially deducted 10 points in November – the biggest punishment in Premier League history – dropping from 14th to 19th in the table.
However, their sanction was reduced to six points on appeal, which lifted them up to 15th.
Luton drew 1-1 with relegation rivals Forest two days before the latter’s four-point deduction was announced.
Forest said they were “extremely disappointed” with the decision, which “raises issues of concern for all aspirant clubs”.
An independent commission found the club’s losses to 2022-23 had breached the threshold of £61m by £34.5m.
BBC Sport have put together a brief timeline guide to ongoing Forest and Everton cases…
15 January: Everton and Nottingham Forest charged for breaches of the league’s profit and sustainability rules. The hearing has to be concluded within 12 weeks of this date, which is 8 April
8 March (approximate): Forest’s hearing takes place
18 March: Forest docked four points and drop into relegation zone
25 March: Forest appeal submitted
25 March: Everton’s hearing takes place this week
1 April (UK Bank Holiday): Seven-day deadline for a response to Forest’s appeal
8 April (approximate): ‘Directions hearing’ to set a date for an appeal hearing, which will last between one and three days and conclude no later than 24 May. It is likely to be much earlier in Forest’s case
19 May: The final day of the Premier League season, when Forest travel to Burnley and Everton visit Arsenal
24 May: The latest possible date for an appeal hearing into either the Everton or Forest cases to be concluded
SEE MORE: Nottingham Forest put in appeal against points deduction from the Premier League
This is what fans are saying as Andros Townsend claims ‘nonsense’ points deductions ‘make a mockery of the Premier League’…
Andrew Woolford: Couldn’t agree more, it’s not a sport anymore!
Steve Murphy: I agree, it’s a farce for sure.Cannot something be done to ensure everyone knows what’s to play for before season ends?
Steve Holmes: Just apply the rules consistently. These are absolute offences. You either overspent or you didn’t. Have a tariff of points deductions. Work out a way to allow smaller clubs to grow and catch up to the big sides (or probably more fairly given that big sides have benefited from decades of financial doping) a way to drag them down to the competitive level of everyone else
Matt Dyer: Absolutely! It’s farcical moving the goalposts at the crunch end of the season! Would never happen at the top end!
Philip Sabell: Can the term financial fair play be changed to something more appropriate …it has nothing to do with fair play … the richer the club the more they can spend so perhaps ‘financial unfair’ is more appropriate !
Andy Lee: Alternatively, clubs deliberately breaking rhe very clear (if not necessarily fit for purpose) FFP rules makes a mockery of the league.
Chris Dolman: This ffp thing is farcical Man City facing 115 charges I think and case has still not been heard football used to be a sport played on the pitch not a court room with the players being highly paid lawyers the whole thing is becoming a joke my own club villa are rumoured to be facing ffp and sustainability charges basically for having the audacity to challenge the established pecking order at the top of the table
Gareth Jones: Funny all fans except fans of the sky 6 think it’s farcical… I’m a toffee and believe our board most definitely made mistakes .. Yes the Premier league moved the goalposts in regards to stadium costs …and we didn’t start the Ukraine war to get our main money man sanctioned… but its not only unfair on us and to a lesser extent forest…. but its ruined this season teams around us don’t know if even they stay up that they won’t be relegated if appeals succeed… its a complete joke
Laura Nelson: Let’s be honest teams shouldn’t rely on deductions etc for there place on the table. as a forest fan they have put themselves in this position by not winning games points deduction or not!
Michael Joseph: Notice how it’s only the small teams who are getting destroyed by this. That’s what Financial Fair Play is REALLY about. It was the big teams that demanded these financial rules in the first place. Kill the competition!
Gary Chambers: Their rules make a mockery of the premier league!! A billion pound product run by amateurs
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