Kieran Maguire makes Everton admission as Goodison Park points deduction appeal verdict shared
Everton will find their appeal against a Premier League points deduction is going to rest on the “mitigating circumstances” surrounding the club and why they committed the spending breach, according to Kieran Maguire.
Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside on Wednesday (7 February, via BBC Sport), the football finance expert said nobody could have predicted how a once-in-a-century global pandemic would impact the Toffees’ ability to trade in the transfer market and that Russia would try to invade Ukraine.
Given that the new stadium won’t be in place until 2025, he added that any sporting advantage won’t be available until then, so if the Toffees’ representatives can articulate that to the newly formed commission, then they may take a “more sympathetic approach” and decide to reduce the sanction imposed back in November.
“I think it’s going to rest on the mitigating circumstances,” said Maguire. “Nobody could have predicted a once-in-a-century global pandemic and how that would impact upon the club’s ability to trade in the transfer market. Nobody could have predicted that Russia was going to invade Ukraine.
“Those are very unusual and the commission appeared to say, ‘Tough luck – bad things happen in business’. Intuitively that sounds harsh. The commission is also saying that Everton is getting a sporting advantage from some of these things.
“But, given that the new stadium will not be in place until 2025, any sporting advantage won’t be available until then. If Everton’s representatives articulate that to the newly formed commission, they might take a more sympathetic approach and then decide to reduce the sanction.
“Everton have admitted the breach. What we’re now arguing about is how much over the limit are we. The extent of the penalty will be linked to the extent they are over the limit.”
It’s an extremely tense time for Everton and their fans as they wait to hear what will be the outcome of their appeal to their 10-point deduction.
The Toffees would be well clear of the relegation zone had they not been docked points and, after a run of disappointing results, they could really do with some of those points back.
Sean Dyche will still believe his side have enough quality in their ranks to pull themselves out of trouble, but they currently sit third-bottom and have a tricky run of games coming up.
The ruling that was handed out was deemed to be harsh by many, so they are now relying on the new commission to take a more understanding view of why they breached the spending rules.
There is no way of knowing which way the appeal will go, but if the Blues can take care of matters on the pitch, then that decision may not prove to be a deciding factor in their fate this season.
