Sheff Utd to start on -2 points if relegated as Nuno bemoans ‘messy’ Forest points deduction situation
Sheffield United will start the 2024/25 season on minus two points if they are relegated from the Premier League to the Championship.
An independent commission has imposed a two-point penalty for the start of the next campaign they are under the English Football League’s jurisdiction, after the Blades defaulted on payments to other clubs during their promotion season in 2022-23.
Sheffield United given points deduction for next season
An independent commission has imposed a two-point penalty for the start of the next campaign they are under the English Football League’s jurisdiction, after the Blades defaulted on payments to other clubs during their promotion season in 2022-23.
A further two-point penalty has been suspended until the end of that same season, the EFL said. This will be triggered if United default on any payment to another club under a transfer or compensation agreement for more than five business days from the due date of payment.
The EFL said the defaults which led to the sanction were cumulatively in excess of 550 days.
The club also agreed to pay the EFL’s costs of £310,455.
Sheffield United are currently bottom of the Premier League, nine points off safety with seven games left to play.
The club said in a statement: “While disappointed to have the deduction imposed upon the return to the EFL and highlighting that awaiting overdue monies from several other clubs affected Sheffield United’s financial situation, the club took the view that it was better to reach an agreement which minimised the risks of a higher deduction or further transfer embargoes being imposed, and being distracted by lengthy and costly legal proceedings.
“The club is now in a position to close this matter and concentrate on the future.”
Forest: Nuno not happy with PSR
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has described the current points deductions under the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) as a “mess”.
Forest – who are 17th in the table – were given a four-point sanction for breaching PSR last month and are awaiting the results of an appeal.
Fellow strugglers Everton have also been deducted points this season and were handed a 10-point penalty imposed last November which was cut down to six points.
The Toffees were plunged into further trouble earlier this week after receiving a further two-point deduction and Nuno admitted the situation is a “mess”.
He told a press conference: “That’s a lot of uncertainty, the appeal going on, we’re still waiting, so there’s nothing much to say about that. Let’s focus on what we have to focus (on) and wait.
“I’ve never experienced this situation, I think none of us has experienced this before. It’s a mess, isn’t it?
“There’s so much things going on that we cannot clearly know what’s going to happen, so let’s leave it this way and wait.
“Honestly, me and the players are only focused on our tasks.”
The points deductions and subsequent appeals, if successful, could change the landscape at the bottom of the Premier League table, where Forest are fighting for survival.
With the current deductions, Everton now sit just two points above Forest in 16th and Nuno’s side are lingering just above the relegation zone with only goal difference separating them from 18th-placed Luton.
Nuno comes up against his old club Wolves on Saturday at the City Ground and the Forest boss admits this season’s points deductions have created “uncertainty”.
“It’s played (on players’ minds) since the decision came around. It’s always there,” Nuno added.
“What you are trying is (to) put (it) away from our focus and just pay attention to the things we can control.
“But it’s there, we are talking about this, we read, the players know, the fans are aware so what we expect is sooner than later the final decision comes so we can finish the season and see what’s happening.
“It’s very important that we have the decision sooner, it’s better for us, it’s better for the competition so it doesn’t create mess, it doesn’t create confusion and uncertainty because this is what we’re experiencing now.
“(There is) so much going on, so much talking, appeal after appeal, we don’t know. Like yourselves, we wait and see what’s happening.
“For us, it’s vital we focus on our tasks and the players’ tasks is to play and be focused on the game, try to ignore everything else.”
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