Football finance expert Stefan Borson has shared a major update on when West Bromwich Albion could receive a points deduction, having been charged with an alleged breach of the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules.
West Brom come out fighting in victory against Preston
The possibility of a points deduction has been hanging over West Brom since last week, and they are in line to receive a three-point penalty, should they be found guilty of breaching the rules by up to £2m.
Fortunately, James Morrison’s side now have some breathing room in the Championship relegation battle, having moved five points clear of 22nd-place Oxford United, and above Blackburn Rovers on goal differencem, after defeating Preston North End 2-0 at Deepdale on Saturday.
Morrison has since insisted he won’t allow off-field issues distract his side, saying: “As you can imagine, it was a little knock, but that’s all it is. We can’t affect that. Our jobs is the football side and we’ve got to concentrate on that.
“I’ve said in previous interviews that it’s how we deal with the little knocks – the 20% – we can deal with majority stuff, it’s just the little things, how we react to it, how we let it affect us. But this week I don’t feel like it has.”
New West Brom points deduction timeline emerges
The uncertainty can’t be doing the players any favours, but Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett recently suggested the punishment is likely to be decided soon, with all parties pushing for a resolution as quickly as possible.
However, there has now been a twist, with Borson telling Football Insider that a verdict may not be reached until June, as West Brom will rejected efforts to expedite the process.
“I’m sure the EFL is saying, ‘Well, let’s do an expedited process so we can find out whether you are going to be deducted points’.
“But why would West Brom accept that? They don’t have to. I’m sure that they will say, ‘No, we needed the appropriate time to prepare for the case to get submissions in, to get the witness statements, to get availability of the right K.C.’, so they’re going to try and slow it down.”
The football finance expert also added: “Clearly, West Brom want to push this out to next season, depending on what happens in the next few days on the pitch, but it just shouldn’t be in the mix. The way they’re talking at the moment is that we could get to early June and still have that situation uncertain.”
West Brom facing points deduction as Sheffield Wednesday connection emerges
The Championship relegation battle may have taken a twist.
All the players can focus on is continuing their fantastic form on the pitch, having extended their unbeaten run to eight games courtesy of the win against Preston, and they have some favourable fixtures, taking on an out-of-form Watford side and bottom of the table Sheffield Wednesday.
