Derby and Sheffield Wednesday handed suspended points deduction

Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday have been handed a suspended points deduction ahead of the 2021/22 season which begins next month.

More sanctions has come to light on Friday evening after it emerged that eight EFL clubs have been placed under transfer embargoes.

The embargoes limit a club’s ability to make signings, with sanctions preventing transfer fees being paid, and those includes are Derby, Reading, Hull, Fleetwood, Gillingham, Swindon, Oldham and Scunthorpe.

The EFL have started publishing a list of clubs under embargoes following a change in regulations voted for by EFL clubs last month.

Now it’s confirmed that Championship outfit Derby have accepted a suspended 3-point deduction that will be activated if they fail to pay their players before the 30th of June 2022.

League One side Sheffield Wednesday have accepted a suspended 6-points deduction, which becomes active if they don’t pay before the same date.

The Owls have had ongoing issues surrounding player wages for a while, but appear to have settled matters over the last couple of weeks after both current and former players had their outstanding wages settled.

However that has now been sorted, and the EFL have said the Owls will get a 6-point deduction if they fail to pay players again before January 1st 2022, and 3 points if they fail to pay between January and June 30th 2022.

The full document released read as follows:

Introduction and Factual Background

1. This is an Agreed Decision pursuant to EFL Regulation 85.

2. The EFL received an allegation that the Club failed to pay its Players in respect of the following months:

a. March 2021;

b. April 2021;

c. May 2021; and

d. June 2021,

and as such failed to strictly adhere to the terms of each Player’s contract.

3. As a result the Club was charged with Misconduct for failing to comply with Regulation 63.7 (the “Charge”).

4. Regulation 63.7 provides: “The terms of a Standard Contract between a Club and a Player shall be strictly adhered to.”

5. The Club admitted the Charge and in accordance with Regulation 89.3.1, made submissions as to mitigation.

Agreed Decision and Sanction

6. Regulation 85 allows the EFL and a Club to enter an Agreed Decision where it is appropriate in the circumstances to conclude a matter effectively and equitably without referring the matter to a Disciplinary Commission.

7. Having reviewed the Club’s submissions and having taken into account the considerable impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the Club’s ability to generate revenue during this period of time, the EFL Board invited the Club to consider the following proposed sanction in respect of the Charge:

a. a suspended 6-point deduction (reducing to a suspended 3-point deduction in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 7(b)) which shall be immediately activated in the event that:

i. the Club fails to ensure that all arrears currently owed to the Club’s Players are paid in full on or before the 5 July 2021; and/or

ii. the Club breaches Regulation 63.7 on or before 30 June 2022, (each a “Triggering Event”),

b. provided that the Club has not (whether by act or omission, intentionally or otherwise) committed a Triggering Event on or before 31 December 2021, from 1 January 2022 the sanction referred to in paragraph 7(a) will be reduced from a suspended 6-point sanction to a suspended 3-point deduction which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be immediately activated in the event that the Club breaches Regulation 63.7 on or before 30 June 2022;

c. the Club agrees to bear the costs of ratification of the Agreed Decision; and

d. the Agreed Decision be published on EFL.com, the “Proposed Sanction”.

8. The Club has accepted the Proposed Sanction.

9. The parties agree that entering into this Agreed Decision shall not constitute a waiver or fetter by the EFL of its rights or remedies (however so arising) in respect of any future breaches of the EFL Regulations by the Club, including but not limited to any further breaches of Regulation 63.7.

EFL statement reads: “In December 2020, Derby County failed to pay their Players as per the terms of the agreements between the Club and its Players and were charged with Misconduct under the EFL Regulations

“The Regulations permit the EFL to enter into an Agreed Decision with a Club in order to resolve disciplinary matters without them being referred to a Disciplinary Commission for determination.

“Upon consideration, the Board determined that it would be appropriate to do so in these circumstances and offered the Club the following sanction, which was subsequently agreed.

“A suspended 3-point deduction to be immediately activated in the event that the Club breaches Regulation 63.7 (failure to adhere to the terms and conditions of an employment contract) on or before 30 June 2022.”

Fans reacted as Derby and Sheffield Wednesday are handed a suspended points deduction…

@smithytilidie: Bollocks if that was blues they would have given us the points deduction straight away #bcfc

@EmmaKinsey7: So basically we have to make sure our players are paid every month, for the next 12 months. No slips ups else a 3pt deduction. Ok then, we move on…

@jxe_l: swear the efl just pull things out a hat and run with it

@PunjabiRams: Just when you want a quiet weekend and start relaxing before 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, the EFL come out again. The penalty is minor but would’ve taken us down last year so we can’t relax. Need that takeover soon, that’s if there is one on the cards

@swfc_callum: oh fuck off not this again 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@SteveBloomerPod: EFL get to do some dick-waving, we don’t get an actual deduction. Seems reasonable. Even if we do fail to pay players (entirely plausible), 3 points wouldn’t be an automatic season-ruiner.

@SowdenR: Bet this has gutted the EFL so desperate to punish the Rams

@BluesCollective: @EFL you are not fit for purpose… Give Blues 9pts for overspending but 3pts suspended for tram that can’t pay players wages… Fucking useless….

@dcfcholm: EFL HAVE BOTTLED AS PER😭😭😭

@beds_villafan: And yet the big six can plot to break up the English league and swan off to the ESL and only get a tiny fine. 🙃

@benpriest9: But I thought the consensus was after the ESL debacle that we shouldn’t be punishing clubs with points deductions because “it’s unfair to punish the fans”? Or is that just for the powerful big boys..? 🤨 #swfc #dcfc #EFL

@ryanwise94: Interesting! If another proposed takeover fails then more pressure is on Mad Mel to keep footing the bill. Imagine it’s hard to attract an owner when accounts haven’t been filed and embargo in place. Difficult season ahead for #dcfc I suspect.

I think it means if Derby miss *any* pay date before that date, ie the players have to be paid on time, every month for the next 12 months.

— James Randall (@500milesforGRiT) July 9, 2021

You’re seething whilst typing that aren’t you

— cam (@c4mdcfc) July 9, 2021

Correct, it’s a joke

— Derbyrams (@Pat00758889Pat) July 9, 2021

Can’t get punished for not paying your players if you don’t have any players to pay pic.twitter.com/KS9clXvUaD

— Jonny Birkin (@jonnybirkin) July 9, 2021

EFL need to address FFP. It’s handicapping the teams and that was not the purpose of it?

— Kasir Kkay (@Kkasir23) July 9, 2021