Former Everton chief expects reduction in penalty as ‘very surprised’ verdict shared
Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness would be “very surprised” if the punishment handed to the club was not reduced.
The Toffees were recently deducted 10 points after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
But Wyness, who was in charge at the Goodison club between 2004 and 2009, is expecting the sanction to be reduced after Everton’s appeal.
“I would be very surprised if there wasn’t some reduction in the penalty,” Wyness told Total Sport Merseyside, as quoted by BBC Sport (29 November).
“I am hoping they see the flaws in their decision-making – they did not accept the mitigating factors correctly, they make it a suspended points deduction and there is a bigger financial penalty. It should be reduced at the very least.
“The problem is that Everton did admit guilt so that should be taken into account. It may not have been the biggest breach ever because even £1 [over] is a breach, so that has to be accepted.”
Reduction incoming?
Everyone connected with Everton are unsurprisingly still feeling the effects of the punishment, particularly given how some of their Premier League rivals have seemingly gotten away with financial breaches thus far.
But it certainly isn’t the end of this story regarding the Merseyside club, who will be keen to have some form of positive impact on proceedings with their appeal.
The punishment came at a time when the club were enjoying themselves on the pitch, with Sean Dyche having orchestrated wins against the likes of West Ham and Crystal Palace.
Such displays helped them climb to 14th place in the Premier League table, but all of their hard work was then undone with the 10-point deduction, with Everton crashing all the way down to 19th place.
Supporters will certainly follow the situation closely in the coming months and weeks, eager for any form of lighter punishment as the Toffees look to climb the table.
In other Everton news, a journalist has slammed the Toffees after their recent defeat to Manchester United as a “dogs of war” claim is made.