Dan Carter

Tue 28 November 2023 13:40, UK

Simon Jordan has slammed Andy Burnham’s suggestion that the point deduction given to Everton should be made null and void, labelling it a “silly argument”.

The Greater Manchester Mayor had hit out at the independent commission’s decision to give the Toffees a 10-point deduction for breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, calling for it to be made null and void given the introduction of new rules during the process.

TalkSPORT presenter Jordan has hit out at Burnham’s suggestion, telling the Toffees to appeal the decision and also slammed the protest from supporters suggesting the punishment was evidence of corruption in the Premier League

Speaking on talkSPORT (28 November, 12:10) he said: “It’s a silly argument. He doesn’t make a lot of sense in some of the things that he says, it’s very simple. Do you know what the resolution is to this? It’s called an appeal. End of discussion.

“The problem with Andy’s argument is it’s not about £20 million. You didn’t go £20 million over, you went £250 million over. You were £350 million worth of losses and you were allowed adjustments down to £120 million, so let’s get it right.

“To then move it into the corruption argument, by whom at to what end? Who is the person that is pulling the trigger on the corruption argument? Is it Liverpool? Is it Manchester City? You’re part of a league of 20 clubs, you are guilty. It’s not a null-and-void outcome. You are guilty.

“It is clearly evident by their own admission that they have breached financial fair play governance. Every time a football club doesn’t get something it wants, it’s a conspiracy theory.

“Their own chairman said ‘We overspent because we had no midfield’. This is evidence that you are giving to people that you’re giving an excuse to sanction you.

“Where Andy and I will conquer is, is it necessary for 10 points?”

Messy situation

Jordan is right in his insistence that Everton are guilty of breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and nobody is doubting that they have overspent and registered too great a loss over the last three years and he is also correct to suggest there is no evidence of corruption.

It will have of course irritated Everton fans to see such a severe point deduction handed out for one breach when Manchester City have managed to remain unpunished for over 100 alleged breaches, but the two cases are very different.

The Toffees like all clubs, signed up to the Premier League’s rules and they have then been punished in accordance with these rules. That punishment does seem too severe, as everybody has agreed, but as Jordan suggested that is why it can be appealed.

Everton fans would like Burnham’s suggestion that the punishment should be declared null and void to be put into action, but as Jordan has insisted, this is incredibly unlikely to happen.

In other Everton news, Gary Neville has slammed Farhad Moshiri’s ownership following the Toffees’ point deduction