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BREAKING: Everton’s 10 points deduction reduced to six after appeal

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2024

Everton’s penalty for breaching Premier League financial rules has been reduced from 10 points to six after an appeal.

The club were referred to an independent commission in March for alleged breaches relating to the 2021-22 season and initially deducted 10 points in November.

The reduction of their points penalty will move Everton on to 25 points and up to 15th in the Premier League.

The club called the decision — the biggest in the competition’s history and first relating to financial fair play regulations — “wholly disproportionate and unjust” and appealed against it two weeks later.

That appeal has now been partially successful, with four of the 10 points restored.

A Premier League statement read: “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.”

Everton say they feel “vindicated” in their decision to appeal against the sanction and are “particularly pleased” the initial assessment that the club failed to act in utmost good faith was overturned.

A statement read: “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 nine-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.