News broke on Monday night that Middlesbrough Chairman Steve Gibson is demanding an investigation into the financial conduct of three clubs in the Championship. Gibson is unhappy at the way Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and our chums from across the expressway have skirted the P&S rules.
The dust has now settled after the big news of Birmingham City being sanctioned with a nine-point deduction for breaching Profit and Sustainability rules. The questions now have to be asked as to how Birmingham City got into the mess it did and how it can ensure it does not happen again.
The EFL today confirmed in a statement that the independent disciplinary hearing has ruled that Birmingham City will be deducted nine points as a result of a breach of the League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules. The ruling brings to an end months of waiting to see what would happen and will be imposed on Blues immediately.
The EFL have confirmed in a statement today that the Profit and Sustainability Disciplinary Commission hearing will be delayed for about a month. The commission had been scheduled to meet this week but due to a member of the Disciplinary Commission being “conflicted” they have had to withdraw.
Late on Thursday evening the Daily Telegraph published a story by John Percy confirming that the date of the disciplinary panel hearing into Blues’ breach of P&S regulations will be around the 26th February, with a verdict expected to be delivered this season.
As fans celebrated Lee Camp saving Nakhi Wells’ injury time penalty to ensure Birmingham City beat QPR 4-3 on Saturday, news filtered through that the EFL have made their proposed sanction against Blues for their “aggravated breach” of the Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Despite a flurry of bids from Burnley on deadline day, Che Adams remains a Blues player as the board remained defiant that the 15-goal forward would not be sold. With February now upon us the focus for the board must now face is the disciplinary hearing into the infractions against the new Profit and Sustainability rules. The big question is just where do Blues stand now?
Bolton Wanderers Chairman Ken Anderson today reacted strongly to criticism of his recent conduct in a statement on Bolton’s official website. While Blues have a financial interest in what is going on with Jonathan Grounds on loan at the University of Bolton Stadium, I think there are wider lessons to be learned.
With the October international break now into its second week, Blues fans are still none the wiser as to when the independent disciplinary panel will meet to decide the punishment Birmingham City will face for breaking “Profit and Sustainability” rules.
Despite the club announcing his arrival on the official website on June 25, this website can today confirm that Danish left-back Kristian Pedersen is not in fact registered as a Birmingham City player. It is understood that the EFL have declined to allow Blues to register the full back as a player and have since placed the club under a transfer embargo.
