Home Sports Nottingham Forest release statement expressing their ‘extreme disappointment’ at four-point deduction from Premier League, claiming financial rules will ‘destroy mobility in the football pyramid’

Nottingham Forest release statement expressing their ‘extreme disappointment’ at four-point deduction from Premier League, claiming financial rules will ‘destroy mobility in the football pyramid’

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Nottingham Forest hit back in Premier League after four-point deduction

Nottingham Forest launched an extraordinary attack on the Premier League on Monday night after being handed a four-point deduction for breaching spending rules, plunging them into the relegation zone.

In a strongly worded statement, the club accused the Premier League of breach of trust and enforcing financial rules in a way that could lead “to the stagnation of our national football”.

Forest were dropped four points by an independent commission which found they had exceeded permissible limits by £34.5million in the 2020-23 accounting period.

The commission’s original six-point penalty was reduced by two in recognition of Forest’s early guilty plea and their cooperation with the Premier League, earning them a lesser penalty than Everton despite admitting a much bigger offense.

Everton’s 10-point deduction was reduced to six at an appeal hearing last month after a second panel concluded there were legal errors in the original trial, but the club did not did not benefit from the two-point reduction given to Forest as they did not plead guilty and were found to have submitted inaccurate information to the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest hit back in Premier League after four-point deduction

Nottingham Forest hit back in Premier League after four-point deduction

Nottingham Forest release statement expressing their extreme disappointment at four point

Nottingham Forest release statement expressing their extreme disappointment at four point

Forest enter relegation zone after winning penalty and slip behind Luton Town

Forest are now in the relegation zone below Luton following the four-point deduction

Forest are now in the relegation zone below Luton following the four-point deduction

Forest are now in the relegation zone below Luton following the four-point deduction

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The Merseyside club face a second hearing this month over spending breaches this month and another points deduction appears inevitable.

Forest’s four-point penalty

By Matt Hughes

Forest received a lesser sanction than Everton, partly because they admitted culpability early on and took a collaborative approach to the Premier League. In contrast, Everton denied breaching spending rules for a long period after being charged.

Forest are expected to appeal, which the Premier League has committed to hearing by April 15. The verdict would follow later this month. The Premier League has set a deadline of May 24 to conclude all PSR cases and appeals. That’s five days after the final day of the season, but the Premier League hopes to resolve the issues before then.

The Premier League has made it clear throughout this process that it does not have a fixed sanctions policy nor recommend fixed points deductions. Each individual case is treated on its merits and heard by a separate independent commission, and they have no plans to change that at the moment. The independent panel which heard Everton’s appeal last month ruled that a six-point deduction was “necessary and sufficient” to enforce PSR rules, but did not recommend its introduction as a minimum tariff.

Forest are likely to follow Everton’s lead in appealing following a verdict which saw Nuno Spirito Santos’ side drop into the bottom three, one point behind Luton and, ironically, four points behind Everton .

After pleading guilty to charges stemming from a lavish £142.8 million spending spree following their promotion to the Championship in 2022, Forest criticized the punishment and the Premier League’s approach during the hearing.

“The high levels of cooperation shown by the club during this process, and which are confirmed and recorded in the committee’s decision, have not been reciprocated by the Premier League,” a statement from the Premier League said. club.

“After months of engagement with the Premier League and exceptional cooperation throughout, this was unexpected and damaged the confidence we had in the Premier League. We were extremely dismayed by the tone and content of the arguments presented by the Premier League to the Commission.

Forest’s anger is based on the Premier League’s attempt to persuade the committee to award them eight points, although they had already lobbied for Everton to drop 12 points at their first hearing last year, and on their refusal to accept the club’s mitigation arguments.

In their submissions, Forest claimed that being promoted via the Championship play-offs without receiving parachute payments put them in a particularly difficult position to meet spending targets, while arguing that the subsequent sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham for £47.5m two months after the financial year closes in August 2023 should entitle them to greater leniency.

The Premier League rejected both arguments and the commission agreed, accusing Forest of “sailing close to the wind” with its business model.

Forest have spent almost £250m on 46 players since promotion but claimed in their statement that swapping players was the only way they and other clubs could survive.

Nottingham Forest highlighted the sale of Brennan Johnson as part of efforts to comply

Nottingham Forest highlighted the sale of Brennan Johnson as part of efforts to comply

Nottingham Forest highlighted the sale of Brennan Johnson as part of efforts to comply

Johnson joined Tottenham at the end of August on an out-of-period deal.

Johnson joined Tottenham at the end of August on an out-of-period deal.

Johnson joined Tottenham at the end of August on an out-of-period deal.

Forest Points Deduction Questions and Answers

By Matt Hughes

Why did Forest lose four points and not six like Everton?

The Premier League requested an eight-point deduction on the grounds that Forest’s excess spending of £34.5 million was 77% higher than Everton’s, but the Commission concluded that six points was sufficient for what she called it a “significant” breach. From a starting point of six, the Commission later reduced the sentence by two due to Forest’s early guilty plea and his cooperation with the Premier League.

What grounds would Forest have for appealing?

All Forest’s arguments for mitigation – the supposedly ‘unique’ circumstances of their promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs and the sale of Brennan Johnson to Tottenham for £47.5m two months after the end of the accounting period – were rejected by the Commission. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is so angry with the Premier League over PSR issues and recent refereeing controversies that they might appeal anyway.

When should the appeal be completed?

Any appeal would be heard next month, with the Premier League pledging to conclude it by April 15, with the verdict published a few weeks later. The Premier League has set a deadline of May 24 to conclude all PSR cases and appeals, five days after the last day of the season, it hopes the issues will be resolved before then.

Will the Premier League bring fixed points deductions like the EFL?

The Premier League has no fixed sanctions policy and has no plans to change this, as it insists each individual case must be treated on its merits and heard by a separate independent commission. Although this stance was criticized, the Premier League followed it consistently, including claiming that Everton should be awarded 12 points and Forest eight, because the former initially disputed their spending and subsequently provided them with inaccurate information.

How will Forest pass the PSR next season?

The club’s spending limits will be increased by £22m this season as they will have spent two years in the Premier League, although given they were £34.5m over for the 2022/23 campaign , remaining compliant can still be a challenge. Selling Johnson will help them, and they have other gaming assets they could sell before June 30 if necessary, including Morga Gibbs-White and Brazilians Murillo and Danilo.

What next for Everton and their second charge?

Everton’s second PSR hearing will take place this month and the verdict will be delivered in early April pending a possible appeal. As they have already been punished once Everton used the ‘double jeopardy’ argument as mitigation to push for a reduced sentence in this case, it will indicate that Forest received a four point deduction for an offense much larger, although another point deduction for Sean. Dyche’s side seems inevitable.

“The fact that the Premier League asked for an eight-point sanction as a starting point was completely disproportionate to the nine points that its own rules prescribe in cases of insolvency,” Forest said.

“The Commission’s decision raises issues of concern for all applicant clubs. There will be occasions where a player transfer cannot be completed in the first half of a transfer window and can only be completed at the end of that window. This should not be grounds for condemning a club.

“What is more concerning is the disruptive effect this decision will have on the operation of the player exchange model. It is the only model by which clubs outside the small group at the very top of the Premier League can realistically progress up the football pyramid.

“The Commission’s reasoning is that clubs should only invest after making a profit on the development of their players. This reasoning destroys mobility within the football pyramid and the decision will have the effect of significantly reducing the room for maneuver of all these clubs, leading to the stagnation of our national football.

In their submissions to the committee, Forest also criticized Everton, accusing the club of seeking to disrupt the Premier League and compromise its integrity by successfully delaying its PSR charges last season towards this campaign to avoid relegation.

The Premier League changed its rules last summer to prevent other clubs adopting a similar approach and Forest were the first to suffer the consequences.

1710886639 348 Nottingham Forest release statement expressing their extreme disappointment at four point

1710886639 348 Nottingham Forest release statement expressing their extreme disappointment at four point

Forest, owned by Evangelos Marinakis, claimed PSR rules meant only a “small group at the very top of the Premier League can realistically progress up the football pyramid”.

“Forest respectfully note in this regard that Everton appear to have avoided the prospect of relegation during the 2022-23 season due to the initial dismissal of the complaint made against them and the consideration of various points, notably in resisting the Premier League’s request for dispatch, so that the first instance proceedings against him could only be determined in November 2023,” Forest’s document states.

“The need for rapid decision-making to contribute to the integrity of the Premier League means that clubs who cooperate should be significantly rewarded to incentivize others to do so and deter those who seek to delay or disrupt proceedings. against them.”

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