Appeal board to consider Everton FC case this week

An appeal board will tomorrow (January 31) begin hearing Everton FC’s objections over the decision to dock the Premier League side 10 points for breaching the league’s Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR).

The club was hit by the biggest points sanction in Premier League history on November 17 last year.

The Blues had contested the accusation, but during the original hearing had admitted to breaching the guidelines. It was stunned by the severity of the punishment, branding it disproportionate.

No explanation of how the 10 points figure was reached has been given, even though the Premier League had, beforehand, called for a 12 point deduction.

The club is understood to feel a sporting penalty, involving a points deduction, is the wrong solution for a financial issue.

The appeal process is expected to last around three day, and will consider whether the original process was fair, or not. A decision could be announced by mid-February.

The outcome could either uphold the original ruling or possibly reduce the deduction level.

The club has been hit, again, with PSR charges over breaching the spending rules following submission of their latest accounts, including alleged breaches from the same period as the original punishment, which has raised claims of ‘double jeopardy’.

Everton’s appeal process has to take place before the club can face another panel hearing to consider the second alleged breach, which also includes charges against Nottingham Forest.

The November points deduction dropped Everton into the Premier League relegation zone.

The team then went on a winning streak and pulled clear of the drop zone.

But an indifferent period recently means the club is languishing in 17th place, one point clear of the bottom three and relegation rival Luton Town, which has a game in hand on the Blues.

Everton play at Fulham tonight (January 30) and at home on Saturday against high-riding Tottenham Hotspur, which could see the Toffees slip back into trouble.

Everton’s severe punishment appears to have affected other clubs’ ambitions. The current transfer window, which is due to close this week, has been one of the quietest on record, with many sides fearful of falling foul of PSR rules.