Wycombe owner makes HUGE threat to Derby as Rams hit out at the EFL

Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig makes a HUGE threat against Derby County who hit out at the EFL for the points deduction saga.

The Rams have been accused by the Chairboys chief of “systematic cheating” and has threatened to sue them for millions of pounds if his club are denied a place in the Championship because of the timing of a disciplinary appeal.

The English Football League released “interchangeable fixtures” for both Derby and Wycombe on Thursday morning amid an ongoing Financial Fair Play case against the East Midlands outfit.

Derby were fined a total of £100,000 and ordered to resubmit their accounts by an EFL disciplinary commission.

That came after an independent arbitration panel found out that the club had not followed standard accountancy rules in making their original submissions.

The EFL has the option to appeal against the punishment and are likely to ask for a points deduction – which could still see the Rams relegated from the Championship.

Wycombe were relegated on the final day of last season, finishing one point behind Derby.

DERBY STATEMENT ON THE MATTER

An independent Disciplinary Commission has delivered its Decision on sanctions for Derby County relating to disciplinary proceedings brought by the EFL relating to the Club’s policy adopted for the amortisation of player registrations.

Last night the Disciplinary Commission communicated the following findings to the parties:

1. It declared the Club’s accounts for years ended 30 June 2016, 30 June 2017 and 30 June 2018 did not comply with the requirements of the Championship Profitability and Sustainability Rules (‘the P&S Rules’).

2. It ordered the Club submit revised accounts for those years by 18 August 2021 using a policy for the amortisation of player registrations which complies both with the requirements of FRS 102 and with the P&S Rules.

3. It issued the Club with a reprimand, along with a fine of £100,000.

Although the Disciplinary Commission has yet to publish its full written reasons for its Decision, the EFL issued a press release about it and the fixture list last night. The Club is disappointed that the EFL has not, as is usual, waited until after the publication of the Disciplinary Commission’s reasons nor agreed a statement with the Club and in addition has chosen to be selective about the Decision and present it in a form which omit key dates and details, which the Club has provided by way of clarity above.

The EFL had sought a points deduction against the Club to be imposed in the 2020/21 season which finished in May 2021. No points deduction has been imposed by the Disciplinary Commission.

The EFL claims to have developed “an interchangeable fixture list for Derby County and Wycombe Wanderers” because there is a “possibility” that as part of a future appeal against the Decision of the Disciplinary Commission (which has not yet been brought) a points deduction could “take effect in 2020/21 that would potentially impact the final league placings”.

The Club disputes that a points’ deduction at any time is appropriate, and disputes that it is lawful for the EFL to seek to impose one retrospectively, altering the final league placings after the season has already finished.

The Club looks forward to competing in the Championship in the 2021/22 season. It shall not comment further until after publication of the full written reasons of the Disciplinary Commission.

– STATEMENT ENDS –

However, Couhig feels Derby deserve to be punished even further.

“It is beyond disappointing that a club can systemically cheat and end up with a slap on the wrist,” he said. “You have years upon years of violating the rules.

“I don’t want to sound bitter about it. It is not over yet, obviously. But it just doesn’t make any sense.

“A £100,000 fine is what you would expect to receive if it was merely a technical [breach].

“In this case it was way beyond technical. That is what the appellant panel said.”

The Rams were cleared of breaching Financial Fair Play rules last year. However, the EFL appealed against the decision to an independent tribunal and won that part of the case concerning how the club measured the value of players – which is called amortisation.

On Wednesday, the EFL said Derby had been fined and also issued with a reprimand as to their future conduct.

The club have also been ordered to file restated accounts for financial years ending the 30th of June 2016, 2017 and 2018 “together with updated profit and sustainability calculations if necessary”, the EFL said.

BBC Sport has been told any further breaches will be dealt with through further charges, and that the EFL produced an interchangeable fixture list to allow for the entire case to run its course. Although, there is no timescale, the EFL has left open the potential for it to run beyond the 7th August, when the domestic season is due to begin.

That could mean Wycombe start life in League One before the final outcome of the case is known.

“If we don’t get a decision until after we have started and we were forced to play in League One, my suspicion would be Derby would owe Wycombe for the losses we would sustain for not playing in the Championship in 2021-22 and any reasonably projected economic losses,” Couhig said.

“So we are looking in the region of £10m-£15m of potential losses for a Derby club which, the last time I looked, is having some trouble paying its creditors.

“We would have an obligation to look into [suing them]. If it was the best thing for the club, yes, that is  what we would do.”

Fans reacted as the Wycombe owner makes a HUGE threat to Derby as the Rams hit out at the EFL…

Befuddlement ‘a confused or dazed state’. Think I prefer his reference to ‘systematic cheating’.
Easy for #dcfc fans to point fingers at EFL (incompetent as they are), or Couhig/Wycombe, but the real problem is on our doorstep. Derby are universally despised throughout football.

— Ian J Redfern (@redfern_i_j) June 25, 2021

@TunnyMOT: I hope you get put into Northern counties league

@dcfc53: I hope we sue the EFL

@17Dan17: Pure shade thrown at the EFL 😂

@corybryan94: The process wont be done in time they’ll chuck us a point deduction for season afterwards. So basically all this sesson it will be hanging over are heads knowing the 22/23 season we’ll be playing in L1. Pointless season incoming. Il give it 10 days before rooney walks

@PaulMotto: Literally the @EFL are not fit for purpose.

@Chrissyh2711: The way I see it is EFL won’t be happy until we are relegated. I read that as an 100k fine so no transfer embargo happy days get on with take over and getting a squad together. Then 18th Aug we find out what EFL want to do hopefully end is near

@JohnBlackley3: @EFL are not fit for purpose. I am not saying you guys haven’t done anything wrong but it is another job the @EFL have done terribly and I know how bad they are as with what happened to my team Bury.

@TheoWatsonTDC: FUCK THE EFL

@knight37: Always the fans that suffer! The owners should be investigated! We have been there! It’s not good! A team should only be relegated over a season by not having enough points to stay up!

@SupersonicPD: Right so we have this awful situation. But the big 6 who broke more rules get away with it? Very fair

@Jack1919LUFC: Small club enjoy relegation clowns

@StuartLufcstu: You really think you deserve a championship place after what you have done? Other clubs have suffered much harsher penalties for much lesser so called crimes ie #lufc If @EFL decide to dock you points it’s exactly what you deserve.

@R0b_Peat: EFL don’t have a leg to stand on 🥵

@DannyHinks_: We’ve chanted ‘F the EFL’ so many times over the past seasons i’m fully expecting a none stop chorus of it throughout the full game on the 1st day regardless who we play and what division it is 😂 #dcfc #dcfcfans

@JJsLeftFoot: Good on Rob Couhig for having the balls to call out this absolute shambles for what it is. The game needs more voices like him, because enough is enough – and it has been for a very long time. #Chairboys

@steveth05251162: I’m a Blackpool fan but I definitely come in peace. The EFL are a complete joke!!!! Hope you get out of this mess but I have a feeling they won’t be there to help you I’m afraid.

@ChrisHurley1968: 25 points for the coming season, you heard it here first

@cLawn92: That’s a fat “fuck you” isn’t it. Basically the EFL rushed to get something out last minute on fixture eve.

@GuyDBradley: It’s a shambles this isn’t sorted! How can Wycombe sort transfers? Currently in L1 so budgeting accordingly but then could be thrown into championship???

@Lajt89: Derby fined 100k for breaking the rules and cheating with their financed while Leeds got 200k for watching Derby’s training from public space and not breaking any existing rules

As the Wycombe owner makes a HUGE threat to Derby whilst the Rams hit out at the EFL, what do you make of it all. Who are you defending?