I have a soft spot for Everton – ‘The People’s Club’.
One of the founding members of the football league, the second longest continuous presence in the topflight and nine-time League winners, 5 times having lifted the FA Cup, this is a big club.
Yet them being immediately deducted 10 points for breaching financial rules is a huge moment in English Football.
The Toffees will appeal, thousands will be spent on the best lawyers in the UK to contest that the sanction is beyond reasonable, saying: ‘Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted.’
Yet, the Premier League has finally proved they have the gumption to take their own rules seriously. The assumption is they were always happy to hand out fines knowing the sums were just spare change that billionaire owners could find down the back of their settee.
Taking away points though was seem as self-sabotage. The Prem is one of England’s biggest brands. It’s hard to market it as the best in the world if you have to punish teams for cheating.
This shows not just the blue half of Merseyside, but the rest of the country that there will be consequences if you don’t follow the sport’s laws.
Hopefully it will be a deterrent to other chairmen and women, while some might now be sweating.
Thoughts obviously turn to Man City, but to be fair to the Champions, they have always insisted their innocence and maintain that will be proven.
Everton’s statement is more bizarre. They are not denying their guilt, they simply argue that they were only over the profit and sustainability threshold by 19.5 million, had been honest about the oversight, had been transparent and think the punishment is ‘harsh’.
Let me translate that …. They thought they could knowingly break rules, the repercussions would be a fine and that the Governing body would never dare go down the route of points deductions.
Another line out of Goodison is: ‘The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.”
So, because others have done wrong that makes it okay for you to do the same? Because you think your peers might be doing the same that makes you the victim? Don’t worry what others are doing, look in the mirror and address how you’re running your business. So badly off the pitch that it’s now impacting on the pitch.
Their words suggest they think otherwise but Everton haven’t been unlucky here.
In terms of profitability, you are allowed to be 105 million in the red! That’s a lot of money, a lot of room for error.
Now is this as bad as the ‘Big Six’ trying to break away and start their own Super League? Would that have been more costly to the whole pyramid of England’s footballing pyramid?
Some Gooners might want to cover their ears, have Everton been treated more harshly than when we broke the rules?
Of course, I can write that because I don’t pretend there’s an agenda against us.
Some readers will just casually ignore this. It’s easier to make an example out of Everton then an Arsenal. Reasons you want to keep the Big 6 happy.
Sources say, there was pressure from other clubs to throw the book at Everton. Less so on the Big Six because of that lucrative TV contact the Big 6 are responsible for yet share with the rest.
Because the Big 6 got a tap on the wrist though doesn’t make it okay for others to act how they want.
If you don’t meet the standards set by the League, you leave yourself open for repercussions.
Everton are now 19th but only three points from safety. With another 26 games to go it’s not a disaster for Sean Dyche, who will know there are three worse sides then his.
Everton will be fine.
Long term though I hope it sets a precedent.
Dan
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