Everton’s 10-point deduction continues to dominate headlines with the club expected to submit a formal appeal to the decision.
The Blues were hit with the punishment a week ago, after an independent commission agreed with the Premier League’s ruling they broke financial regulations.
Everton accepted the single breach of the league’s profit and sustainability rules but were left ‘shocked and disappointed’ at the severity of the decision, and made their frustration public within minutes of the news breaking. It was a punishment they saw as an accounting issue was met with a sporting sanction.
Fan group ‘The 1878’s’ have raised over £40,000 as they prepare to protest the decision with flags and banners at this weekend’s home game against Manchester United.
MerseySportLive went out in the streets of Liverpool to get the public’s reaction to the decision, with supporters from both the red and blue halves of Merseyside left disappointed with the news.
Colin Vickers, 42, an Everton fan from West Derby said: “I think it’s completely unfair on the fans. We’ve campaigned hard to change things at the club, change the ownership and the way it was being run. Farhad Moshiri’s not going to answer to the charges so it’s the fans who suffer.
“Everton have got one charge and Man City have got 115 – if you do the simple maths on the back of that they could be in League Two, but I’ve got no faith that will actually happen. I still think we’ll stay up if we keep our first eleven fit and healthy, the Premier League’s not the strongest it’s ever been so we’ve got a decent chance.”
The decision threatens to derail what had been a better start to the Toffees’ season, plunging them back into the relegation zone level on points with bottom side Burnley. Sean Dyche’s men sat in 14th before the deduction with nine points separating them from 18th-placed Sheffield United.
Liverpool fan Lewis Phillips, 32, from Wavertree said: “It’s tough for Everton, but if they’re going to take it this season is the best time to do it because the teams who have come up aren’t great. It would be funny to see them go down for one season but it would be bad for the city.
“It would be terrible for County Road, Kirby and places like that which rely on taxi’s, chip shops and pubs. Do you go back and take Premier League titles off Man City and give them to Liverpool? There’s no point, we don’t cheer that we’ve won that.”
Fellow red Kevin Mack, 61, from Liverpool said: “I think it’s disgusting what they’ve done to Everton. It wouldn’t be the same in the city (if they got relegated). Why have they punished Everton when it’s been going on for years at Manchester City and still nothing has been done to them? They’re still getting rewarded.”
The implications of the ruling are being felt across the league, with many feeling a precedent has now been set. Chelsea are currently under investigation by both the FA and the Premier League over potential financial breaches, while City received 115 charges earlier this year.
There have also been reports that Leicester City and Leeds United, who were relegated last season, and Burnley, who were relegated the year before, are weighing up legal action after David Phillips, the head of the commission, said he was “satisfied” that they had “potential claims for compensation.”
Robert Cherry, 74, a Leicester fan from Northamptonshire said: “It seems unfair. As a Leicester supporter I know we would have stayed up if they’d had the points taken off them last year, but I don’t think the decision is fair. I’m wondering what Everton have done that everyone else hasn’t. I hope we don’t sue them, I know there was talk of that.”
With Everton set to appeal the decision in the coming days it remains to be seen whether the punishment will be upheld, but with the threat of rival clubs suing for damages and the potential for further punishment if losses continue into further seasons it appears Everton are not out of the woods yet.
