Derby County FFP and the EFL
As the dust settles after our stunning performance on Saturday I'm so proud to be a supporter of a Club that battles so hard and "never gives up". With that in mind it strikes me as strange that we supporters seem to have meekly accepted our situation. We are also part of Rob and Gaz's Blue Army so we surly should also never give up and should be trying everything to help and support.
The EFL are continuing to investigate the Derby County FFP shenanigan's and have I believe, appealed against the earlier independent enquiry decision which found in favour of Derby. If successful and found guilty, then the question will be when the inevitable points deduction will be applied. We should be trying everything we can to raise the issue into the wider public view so that the EFL will for once, come down hard and fairly in applying punishment for the offences committed in the actual season. That being the case we will benefit as Derby will fall to the foot of the table.
I see that @TheAndyGrahamFanClub, @Shev, @WanderingDays and @Twizz have mentioned this in the Middlesbrough Thread but nothing really followed. Come on, let's keep the discussion going and perhaps someone, somewhere will have a loud enough voice to be heard. You never know, imagine if the EFL win their appeal? COYB!! COEFL!
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The Couhig family are business people. I fully expect them to challenge the EFL on this regardless of what us fans think. The amount of extra income we could get next season if we were in the Championship is money we could previously only dream of.
Not for me.
Derby's (alleged) offence and Sheffield Wednesday's were committed in the same season, right? They were charged on the same day anyway.
If, as is being reported, the EFL have won their appeal against Derby, a points deduction ought to be on the way (although I think that has to be determined by an independent panel).
Wednesday had their points deduction applied to this season, so why should it be any different for Derby if they're slapped with one too?
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Exactly @ReturnToSenda!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9561583/Derby-RELEGATED-Championship-EFL-won-appeal-against-FFP-rule-break.html
Nor me. However if successful, it would be great to see Alan Swann having another apoplectic fit claiming after cheating promotion we now avoided relegation by foul means!
I'm buzzing for next season whatever division we're in - and I'm certainly not expecting any decision to go in our favour - but it would be nice if there was some consistency and fairness for once.
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/relegated-wycombe-wanderers-threatening-legal-action-3230482
We sometimes complain about unfair decisions and how the bigger clubs seem to get more than their fair share of positive 'luck'. How much of this is influenced by the size and voracity of the supporter base? Are we just punching above our weight? I just think that we need to shake off the 'little club' image we have and make noise that the EFL can't ignore. We only have one chance right now and we fully deserve to be a Championship side. I fully appreciate that it feels a tad underhand to try to get a club relegated but that doesn't seem to worry those that stick two fingers up to the FFP rules or their fans who follow along for the ride.
Wasn’t a fan of Rob Couhig speculating on this after the final game. Came across a bit desperate and makes us look like sore losers. Don’t think it does us any favours. Would prefer they keep those conversations behind closed doors until there’s something definite to announce.
While I empathise with the sentiments, I think the suggestion that we "fully deserve to be a championship club" is not supported by the league table as it stands.
@Swiss_Exile Agreed. Embarrassing.
Derby should definitely get points deducted this season rather than next.
They were charged at the same time as Sheffield Wednesday, and the only reason why points haven't been deducted yet is because of their dodgy amortisation accounting policy (basically blatant cheating) which magically took £30 million off their net losses. This prolonged the process, and delayed them getting found guilty and punished. If anything, it is worse than what Sheffield Wednesday did.
If I were Rob Couhig I would be absolutely fuming if points weren't deducted this season
We all complained when Bristol Rovers p*ssed on our chips when we stayed up in 2014 and now we're doing the same, i hope we keep out of of it or we could lose all the goodwill we earned this season.
If Rob Couhig is fuming about us no longer being a Championship club I hope he's fuming at his own decisions. If we'd signed another player in January - as Gareth Ainsworth publicly lobbied for - there's every chance we'd have got the two more points that would have kept us up and delivered the entailing financial windfall.
If that's the case that they were charged at the same time, Im sure the Sheff Wed board will be looking at the situation carefully.
Isn't the whole 'Wycombe are taking legal action to avoid relegation' just more tabloid crap, taking Rob's words and spinning them into a story?
Also, whether we're actually involved or not, there's a big difference between what Brizzle accused us of doing (which we'd already voluntarily admitted to the EFL and been fined for) and the multi-million pound cheating Derby are guilty of. Don't see why they should benefit from another year of Championship money when they've lied and cheated to such a degree.
Yep, they were both charged on exactly the same day apparently
Their offences were both in the same financial year as well. If there's any fairness then either Derby will have points removed this season, or Sheff Wed get their deduction revoked, and added next season along with Derby
I agree with @Swiss_Exile .. embarrassing to come out with it now, and won't show us in a good light in my opinion
Sorry but I feel uncomfortable with Rob Couhig's comments. Let the EFL sort it out. We have a good reputation as a club punching well above our weight and have earned an enormous amount of goodwill on how we have performed against incredible odds. With Couhig's actions we are in danger of losing all this goodwill. At the end of the day we didn't get enough points.
From The Athletic:
Rob: "We have an obligation to our fans, players and coaches to look at everything and go from there"
Club spokesman: "We’re probably going to get advice, whether it’s from a QC or whether it’s from people in the EFL as to exactly what the status is and what the possible ramifications are."
I'm all for quiet dignity me, though the ensuing complete breakdown of Alan Swann would be absolutely wonderful to watch. He'd be on pills for his nerves and sleeping in his Jag within weeks.
Before we get too carried away with what Rob said it is a different scenario to other punishments. Derby have over a period of 3-years cheated by not accounting for player contracts correctly and for doing the cheeky ground sale that Sheffield Wednesday got stung for. They were charged at the same time as SW but somehow slipped the net. This is the EFL appealing against this decision. So JUSTICE is that they get treated the same as SW. This is not Wycombe justice, this is treating them the same as SW.
One has to wonder why they have been subject to failed take overs from different parties. Is that at due diligence something crops up?
There is plenty in the public domain to read about this and all of it stinks.
Couhig's public comments about looking into the legal ramifications were a bit unnecessary. I would have thought keeping his own counsel would have made more sense as I can't see what there is to gain from even hinting at trying to avoid relegation through lawyers.
What a mess. If the offence was for the same financial year and both clubs were charged on the same day, the punishments absolutely should be applied to the same season, to ensure some kind of sporting integrity.
However, I think Sheffield Wednesday would have a far more ‘ethical’ claim to stay up. If Derby are applied a points deduction, I would suggest the deductions for both clubs should apply to next season, and Sheffield Wednesday should stay up. From a purely sporting perspective, they accumulated 47 points, enough to stay up. As heroic as our efforts were, we didn’t and shouldn’t be saved after the season finishes on a technicality (unless wrongdoing was proven within that season or a club goes bust etc).
Having said that, it is a complete mess, as other clubs could argue ‘had we known we needed more points to stay up, our approach in games may have been different etc etc’.
Let’s look forward to a fantastic season next year in League 1. It could be very special
I think we should stay out of it, and i wish Rob would. But, if Derby have broken the rules they should be punished accordingly, and if we benefit i won't have any qualms about it.
Nothing will happen but as you say it would be great to witness Swanny losing it and tif possible taking the opportunity to throw some petroleum on his flames of indignation
I'd agree it's a bit unseemly to be grabbing at this, but the actual quotes don't seem unreasonable. Gaz asked the players to give everything knowing a good win puts us in place to capitalise if anything does happen and Rob is never going to turn down asking about what could be a real season in the championship: Full houses, Away days, Corporates, sponsors, a team ready to compete, and all of that if it happens. How gutted would you be if Rotherham stayed up this way? would we be calling them out as opportunists and taking the high ground?
Of course most other clubs would hate us for ever but it seems just beating clubs with a bigger budget inspires that these days.
The two things are totally different. If Derby have done the crime they deserve the points deduction. Simple as that
In fact exactly what @floyd said
To be fair on this point, Rob Couhig as a director, has a duty to preserve the best interests of WWFC. If he believe that's served by staying in the Championship, then he has no choice but to be aware of and if necessary participate in any decision making by the EFL on a points deduction for Derby.
I actually doubt there's anything that WWFC can do to influence whatever action is taken other than to try and ensure fair process is applied.
He's the lawyer so I'm going to assume he knows what he's doing.