Derby County face league expulsion as EFL sets deadline
Troubled Derby County could be kicked out of the league if they do not prove they have funds to complete the season.
The Rams could face expulsion from the EFL if they can’t meet a deadline of midday on February 1 to show the funds are in place, according to reports in The Sun.
Late on Friday afternoon, Derby County administrators issued an ominous update outlining that they hadn’t been able to do a deal with the EFL to settle claims from Middlesborough and Wycombe.
A statement from Quantuma said: “As we have previously reported there has been considerable interest from a number of credible parties. There are currently three parties who have made offers. One of the Joint Administrators duties is to act in the interest of all creditors , and this includes secured creditors, preferential creditors and the unsecured (“ ordinary “) creditors owed monies by the club. In relation to a football insolvency this duty is further compounded by dealing with those creditors known as ‘ootball creditors’ which need to be dealt with in order to protect the club’s ongoing membership of the English Football League.”
Quatuma said it has an exit plan ready to implement and be approved by creditors and this is “with a view to adjusting offers received to accommodate the EFL insolvency policy and their requirements to creditors”.
The statement added: “The difficulty and currently, in our view, the last remaining significant obstacle is to deal with certain claims that are very much disputed but which we are being advised by the EFL cannot be currently compromised notwithstanding statute says otherwise. Whilst we accept this is frustrating for all, none of the interested parties are able to progress matters further until such time that an agreement can be reached.”
Local MPs have reacted worriedly to the news. Amanda Solloway, the Conservative representative for Derby North, said in a statement: “Like many fans, I am deeply concerned about the future of Derby County Football Club.
“I want to reassure residents of Derby North that I continue to monitor the current situation and you have my assurance that I will do whatever I can to support the club as a Derby MP.”
Solloway said she had written to both the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture Media and Sport (Nadine Dorries MP) and has met with representatives from the EFL.
Despite a 21-point deduction, Saturday’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United saw the Rams move off the bottom of the Championship and in with a real shout of avoiding relegation. However, on Sunday afternoon it emerged that Everton had sacked their manager Rafa Benitez, with Rams manager Wayne Rooney heavilty fancied to rejoin his boyhood club.
