Everton: Richard Masters told to resign over damning commission verdict against Premier League
Richard Masters is “incompetent” and should resign as Premier League CEO after the latest Everton commission hearing, according to Alan Stubbs.
The former Toffees defender reacted via Twitter on 9 April, the day after the club were hit by a new two-point deduction, to a paragraph in the written decision from the commission (page 56, paragraph 256) which rejected the league’s criticisms of Everton amid a dispute over whether they had been sufficiently co-operative in providing financial information.
The commission wrote: “In our view, many if not most of the criticisms levelled against the Club in this respect by the PL are unwarranted, overstated, or both. In our view, the Club has indeed cooperated with the PL in the presentation of these proceedings according to the Standard Directions (to which the Club consented from the outset) albeit in a manner that protected (quite properly) the interests of the Club.”
In reaction Stubbs highlighted that part and wrote: “More damning words against incompetent Richard Masters [&] Premier League on how Everton have been treated throughout the whole of this disgraceful inconsistence [sic] process!!
“17pts Masters wanted to punish us whilst he keeps running scared of the elephant in the room Man City! #resign.”
The written decision revealed the Premier League had sought a starting point of five points deducted (page 21, paragraph 96), although it did accept a two-point reduction was appropriate based on the double jeopardy argument (page 25, paragraphs 115 & 116).
In the original hearing decision it emerged the Premier League wanted 10 points (page 27, paragraph 87), which the hearing did settle on despite rejecting their methods, although it had previously been reported as many as 12 had been recommended [Telegraph, 23 October].
Premier League slapped down over Everton dispute
The most recent commission hearing has seemingly been the most sympathetic of the three the club have been in front of.
And since the same panel will be in place for yet another hearing following the season which carries the threat of additional points sanction perhaps that is just as well.
It’s not strictly the case that Richard Masters himself was demanding 17 points be stripped from Everton when it is the league’s legal representation arguing for them, and both the league and the top flight clubs bear some responsibility for the daft system which sees each case heard in isolation by different panels in such a way that inconsistency has been huge, and is now due to be replaced.
But he is the league’s chief executive and he has presided over a process which seems awfully hot when it comes to cracking down on Everton, who have admittedly caused plenty of their own problems, but doesn’t come across as having quite the same zeal when it comes to other clubs, with even Nottingham Forest comparatively hailed for their sparkling behaviour.
The Manchester City case looming over everything with more than 100 times more charges than the two Everton have already been punished for is a terrible look for a system that should, in theory, be even-handed towards all sides.
But given how messy the three Everton and Forest cases have already been, and how the most recent commission couldn’t even decide on the stadium interest payments dispute in this hearing it is maybe no surprise that the authorities haven’t got their act together yet on the 115 historical charges against City despite charging them over a year ago.
All the while the pending 777 Partners takeover is in the hands of Masters and his staff at the very same time the profit and sustainability issues are running in parallel with Everton and the league in opposition, which is a measure of the Toffees’ current predicament.
In other Everton news, Kieran Maguire has reacted to the possibility of yet another PSR breach next season.
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