Finance Expert Stefan Borson explains why Nottingham Forest points deduction differs to Everton
Football finance expert Stefan Borson has explained the differences between the points deduction handed to Everton and Nottingham Forest by the Premier League.
Borson explained that Forest’s lower limit of £61million means their overspending looks worse despite having spent less than Everton who were capped at £105million.
On top of that, the base deduction handed to the clubs was six to Forest and five to Everton, before mitigation was applied to Forest for corporation, while Everton gained an extra point for providing misleading information.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [19 March, 10:40], Borson explained: “The circumstances around that breach were different. Everton, yes they breached by only £20million, but it was a breach after huge amounts of allowances were taken off, and above the £105million limit.
“Nottingham Forest were working to a limit of only £61million, so yes in absolute terms their breach was £35million compared to £20million, you can’t shy away from that, but they were working to a lower limit.
“In any event, when you break it down, arguably Nottingham Forest have had a higher sanction than Everton on appeal. If you break down what the Everton sanction was – it was six points, and at least one of those must have been in relation to the misrepresentation that they made to the Premier League.
“‘Misrepresentation’ is not my word, it’s the word used in the appeal, and their own barristers called their own information ‘Objectively misleading’. At least one point must’ve been for that. Therefore the other five must have been for the breach.
“If you look at the Nottingham Forest sanction, it’s actually six points, but what’s then happened is because of their cooperation, which was not the case with Everton, it was reduced by two points. On a like-for-like basis, arguably it’s six for Forest and five for Everton.
“Everton fans are going to shout at me, but the problem is, the commission pointed out that in the Everton appeal decision, it doesn’t specify that two of the points were because of the misleading information.”
Everton to learn second points-deduction fate in April
After Forest learned the outcome of their charge, all eyes have now moved back to Everton who await a verdict on their second charge, with a likely second points deduction on the cards in another blow to the side in the Premier League.
Tony Bellew expressed his anger towards the decisions made this season live on talkSPORT as he labelled the Premier League “corrupt”, claiming the rules are an “absolute disgrace” given the punishments handed to both Forest and the Toffees.
The club are now set to release their financial reports before the end of the month, which will provide an early insight into the club’s financial situation before the independent panel finishes its investigation in April.
Releasing their financial accounts before the end of March could allow supporters to figure out how far in breach of PSR rules the club has strayed, and come to some sort of assessment of what the Premier League’s decision will be.
In other Everton news, a second points deduction now looks inevitable.
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