Everton points deduction appeal: What’s going on?

Everton were deducted 10 points on November 17 for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR); the club appealed against the decision and a three-day hearing took place from January 31; Jamie Carragher reckons Everton should get some points back

Everton’s appeal hearing has taken place but when will we know the outcome? Sky Sports answers the key questions over the club’s 10-point deduction…

What happened and why?

Everton were deducted 10 points with immediate effect in November for a breach of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

The points deduction was the largest in Premier League history and plunged Sean Dyche’s team into the relegation zone.

The league’s rules say that over a three-year cycle, a club must not lose more than £105m. An independent commission determined that “Everton’s PSR calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5m”.

According to the Premier League, Everton admitted during a five-day hearing they were in breach of the rules.

Everton had 14 days to appeal against the decision.

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“Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted,” said the club.

When did the appeal hearing take place?

The club’s appeal, headed up by Laurence Rabinowitz KC, was considered over three days from January 31 by a three-person independent appeals commission which included a different set of people from the original commission panel.

A final decision was expected to be announced by the middle of February and will arrive soon.

What was the club’s argument at appeal?

Everton argued strongly there were clear mitigating circumstances for the breach and those were situations that were mainly beyond the club’s control.

The loss of sponsorship money due to sanctions as a result of the Ukraine war and a change in how interest payments on the club’s new stadium were calculated were all part of the club’s defence.

The commission will consider Everton’s argument that the original hearing did not give sufficient prominence to the mitigating circumstances, although another major part of the Everton case centres on the disproportionate nature of the punishment the original commission handed out.

Could there be further sanctions?

Everton, along with Nottingham Forest, have been charged with a further breach regarding the 2022/23 season which is expected to be heard following the appeal decision of their first charge and before the end of the current campaign.

While the two alleged breaches will be treated as completely separate offences, the decision of the independent commission could well have an impact on such cases going forward.

Dyche: Outcome needs to be sped up

Everton manager Sean Dyche on appeal decision:

“I don’t know the dates, we’re just waiting for the moment. For the good of football, it needs to be sped up. Not just for us, but all these cases.

“No one wants them to be dragged out, but whatever it’s going to be – let’s get on with it. At the end of the day, I can’t do anything about it. It’s not in my hands.”

Carragher: Everton should get some points back

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher speaking on Monday Night Football:

“I would expect some points to come back.

“The initial reaction from everybody in football when they saw the 10-point deduction was that it was harsh.

“Yes, Everton admitted a breach so there will be some sort of sanction. What should it be? That’s never happened before so it’s a grey area.

“The big thing for me is that Everton will get something back. I think it will be two to three points maximum.”