Everton have their points deduction REDUCED after appealing decision

Everton have their points deduction REDUCED after appealing the decision, meaning it’s all change in the Premier League table.

Everton go from 10 points deducted, to six on appeal, meaning, Sean Dyche’s side move up to 15th, five points clear of the relegation zone.

The Toffees were found to have exceeded the Premier League’s financial regulations, which allow clubs to incur losses of up to £105m over three years.

An independent commission determined that Everton’s losses up to 2021-22 totaled £124.5m, resulting in the largest sporting penalty in the league’s history.

The club admitted to the breach during the three-day appeal hearing in early February, expressing shock and disappointment at the severity of the punishment.

Everton claimed they were not informed how the 10-point deduction was calculated by the independent commission and believed that a sporting penalty for financial violations was unfair.

The appeal was heard by a panel to review the commission’s decision, evaluating the process and the fairness of the penalty imposed

PREMIER LEAGUE STATEMENT:

An independent Appeal Board has concluded that the sanction for Everton FC’s breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs), for the period ending Season 2021/22, will be an immediate six-point deduction.

This follows the club’s appeal of an independent Commission’s decision in November 2023 to impose a 10-point deduction for the club’s breach of the PSRs.

The appeal was heard over three days earlier this month, by an Appeal Board comprising Sir Gary Hickinbottom (Chair), Daniel Alexander KC and Katherine Apps KC.

Everton FC appealed the sanction imposed against it on nine grounds, each of which related to the sanction rather than the fact of the breach, which the club admitted.

Two of those nine grounds were upheld by the Appeal Board, which has substituted the original points deduction of 10 for six.

This revised sanction has immediate effect and the Premier League table will be updated today to reflect this.

Appeal Boards are independent of the Premier League and member clubs. The members of the Appeal Board were appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel.

The Premier League Board is satisfied with today’s decision and that the independent disciplinary process, clearly set out in its Rules and agreed by all clubs, has been followed throughout.

Further away from the relegation zone 📈

Everton's new position after the FFP punishment point reduction ⬆️ pic.twitter.com/Kh2ACBgIT6

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 26, 2024

EVERTON STATEMENT:

Everton can confirm an Appeal Board has concluded that the points deduction imposed by an independent Premier League Commission in November be reduced from 10 points to six points, with immediate effect.

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.

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 9-point deduction that is imposed under the Premier League’s own rules in the event of insolvency.

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.

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.

The Club is still considering the wider implications of the decision and will make no further comment at this time other than to place on record its thanks to our Fan Advisory Board and other fan groups throughout this process, and to all Evertonians for their ongoing support and patience.

Twitter users reacted as Everton have their points deduction REDUCED after appealing decision…

@HarryHesketh:
1. Should be more
2. Forest should be very worried

@PaulPower92: Absolute stinks of another 6 for the other charge this so we lose 12 😂 can never just take a positive as an Evertonian

@LewisT_Williams: I wasn’t concerned about battling with Everton to stay up. It was always Forest, Brentford or Palace. Are we surprised the Premier League bottled?

@nothinkbuttheb1: This should be a non-sporting sanction. This is not acceptable. The club should not “be pleased” with this. Absolutely not. Everton should be taking further action to remove all points deduction. Don’t forget 2nd charge! @EFC_FanAdvisory @AndyBurnhamGM @DCMS @cj_dinenage

@_luke1878_: Not a good look for the league 🤷‍♂️ indicates the need for an independent regulator even more!

@jamesiwanj: Appeal again

@efchayden: 4 is better than none I suppose 👍🏽

@BurnsA1997: Should be all fucking 10.

@toffeetowninc: Massive thanks to the lawyers. Best signings we’ve made in ages 👏👏

@NeilColeran: Go after them, this is still wrong. Don’t let Masters off the hook. Whether is court or whatever next step is, if we go for them we should have all points reinstated.

@BrownAlert_bulb: I look at it this way. It’s round 1, the PL were found to be acting unfairly and now it’s out there that they can’t manage these processes. I’m not a lawyer, so I’m hoping round 2 capitalises on this climbdown & gets all points back because there was bias & no sporting advantage.

@HowardParr3: This is NOT acceptable…. and @Everton MUST continue to appeal, to whatever “court”/panel required. If insolvency = 9 pts… then how can a club with a consistently tight net-spend, which has built a STADIUM, be 2 thirds of the way(6 points) to insolvency???? Fight this 💙

@Don_Falcone2: Bit of a farce this. Why has the points deduction been reduced? They got charged for breaching rules and should be charged accordingly, not given a better punishment. Got to feel sorry for teams like Luton in all of this

@SK21878: Good statement. We shouldn’t be happy with just 4 points back, it should have been all of them, especially given they’ll come for us again on the second impending charge. #Corrupt

@ClayLaSoul: It’s still an absurd sanction, but the appeals board saying that Everton worked transparently with the Premier League drives a stake into the heart of so much that was said all those months ago. Have to feel pretty confident in the next hearing now too.

@ThomRawlinson: Calm statement, with a hint of relief. We have to take all the points we can back, but the focus needs to be on the pitch now with winning and scoring more goals to carry on climbing the table.

@Joegt15: I’m not really celebrating it, yes it helps but the second charge will be more points and back in the same predicament, 6 point penalty for building a stadium is a joke