Dyche expresses shock at Everton’s points deduction
The Premier League have clapped back at Andy Burnham after he accused the organisation of an ‘abuse of process’ following Everton’s 10-point deduction. Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is a season ticket holder at Goodison Park and recently wrote an open letter in which he claimed there had not been a fair process when enforcing the deduction.
Burnham was highly critical of the Premier League for adopting a new sanctions policy in August, after Everton had been charged with breaching profit and sustainability rules and before their case was heard. He claimed in his letter that the measures were an ‘abuse of process’ and comparable to ‘the government handing new sentencing guidelines to a judge in the middle of a … trial’.
It has since been reported by The Telegraph that Premier League chair Alison Brittain has responded to Burnham with a letter of her own, in which she refuted the allegations of impropriety. She was said to have explained that no fixed sanctions are in place because any set penalties would hinder the ability of the independent panel to consider mitigating circumstances.
Brittain went on to state that Premier League clubs, including Everton, collectively decided against introducing a fixed set of sanctions in 2020 when the idea was put to them in a vote. She also argued that Everton ignored clear warnings over their spending in the transfer market before they were eventually charged with breaking financial sustainability rules in March.
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There are only two offences for which the Premier League currently imposes fixed sanctions, with clubs going into administration immediately deducted nine points. Meanwhile, those seeking to join unapproved competitions will be docked 30 points after the rules were changed following the European Super League fiasco in 2021.
Everton’s recent deduction marked the biggest sporting sanction handed down in Premier League history and saw the Toffees slip to 19th in the table, only above bottom side Burnley on goal difference. They are expected to submit an appeal later this week in order to challenge the landmark ruling after confirming their intention to do so when the punishment was announced.
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Leicester City, along with Leeds United and Burnley, will certainly be looking on with interest as they consider pursuing legal action following relegation at the end of last season. The Foxes finished in 18th place with two fewer points than Everton, who stayed up on the final day of the campaign.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Everton could be punished again by the Premier League if their next set of accounts show further breaches. Clubs can be sanctioned for breaching profit and sustainability rules in consecutive seasons, according to The Times, with accounts for the year ending June 2023 needing to be submitted by the end of March.
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