Division one things to forward to……..

[Stranded]

Guess we’ll never know but would they have given us 12 points considering they gave Derby 9?

We prob could have survived with 9 at a push

With all the restrictions AND a likely 6 point penalty was always going to be a massive ask this year

TBF with a couple of better decisions - mainly replacing the manager earlier when it became clear he was struggling to know how to turn the ship around, it was probably a sound decision at the time.

Keeping Ince seems to have been a case of loyalty from the owner and that potential managers Bowen looks to have spoken to did not want to come until the restrictions were done with.

[Orion1871]

The business plan was never going to be hit. The EFL basically gave us two options, sell the players that would make us competitive, that was never achievable due to their current value, the length of their contracts, and injury records (Meite, Joao).

Or sell one of the dwindling number of assets still owned by club. Why the EFL are encouraging asset stripping a football club is an interesting question. But then this is the organisation that approved Zingarevich and Dai to run the club, so it seem like they are too interested in best interests of their member clubs.

Basically we took the option of risking being able to stay up with the points deduction likely to take effect.

[leon]

The business plan was never going to be hit. The EFL basically gave us two options, sell the players that would make us competitive, that was never achievable due to their current value, the length of their contracts, and injury records (Meite, Joao).

Or sell one of the dwindling number of assets still owned by club. Why the EFL are encouraging asset stripping a football club is an interesting question. But then this is the organisation that approved Zingarevich and Dai to run the club, so it seem like they are too interested in best interests of their member clubs.

Basically we took the option of risking being able to stay up with the points deduction likely to take effect.

and it would have worked if we'd ditched the manager that was dragging us down 2 months ago. It would have been brutal but the writing was on the wall.

[Royal_jimmy]

Either way it feels definitely like the EFL are out there to get us relegated. The whole profit and sustainability rules and the way the EFL conduct themselves needs fixing

[Orion1871]

Either way it feels definitely like the EFL are out there to get us relegated. The whole profit and sustainability rules and the way the EFL conduct themselves needs fixing

Agreed, they want any team who break the rules to go down. If teams survive then it makes their rules look weak, and then everyone would be breaking them.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Either way it feels definitely like the EFL are out there to get us relegated. The whole profit and sustainability rules and the way the EFL conduct themselves needs fixing

Agreed, they want any team who break the rules to go down. If teams survive then it makes their rules look weak, and then everyone would be breaking them.

Funny you say that because the first 2 teams that suffered from EFL punishments in regards to FFP, QPR and Birmingham, both stayed in the league (QPR big fine and Birmingham points off and then business plan). I wonder if they changed certain things within the rules they set, such as in agreed business plans, which made it categorically harder for teams to survive, as every team since has subsequently gone down bar ourselves, but that's looking ominous this season.

[Stranded]

Either way it feels definitely like the EFL are out there to get us relegated. The whole profit and sustainability rules and the way the EFL conduct themselves needs fixing

Agreed, they want any team who break the rules to go down. If teams survive then it makes their rules look weak, and then everyone would be breaking them.

To be fair, we didn't just break them we absolutely smashed them to pieces.

EFL should just have a clear sliding scale of punishments - breach by less than 1m - 1 point deduction, 5m - 3m, 8m 6 and so on with the penalty for breaching by say 15m being automatic relegation. Make it clear that penalties will only be announced or applied after the final games of the season and will not be appealable.

Clear and concise and no-one can have any complaints as punishment known before you commit the crime.

[Hound]

All pointless unless it’s also applied to promoted teams

[blythspartan]

All pointless unless it’s also applied to promoted teams

Any team who clearly breaks FFP rules to get promoted to the Premier League should be placed under an immediate transfer embargo. In addition, any money they are due to receive from the Premiership should be shared equally between all of the EFL clubs. This probably wouldn’t be feasible but I’d like to see punishments handed out even if retrospectively.

[Forbury Lion]

Division one is either the league we are now or the league above us depending on your age.

Do you mean league one?

This is why I prefer to use the terms Second Tier (Championship), Third Tier (League 1) etc, makes it clearer for all generations.

Is the Johnsons Paint Worthington Skybet Cup League Cup still a thing? - Is that the same as the Papa Johns trophy? If so do we get even more free pizza if we win it?

[Forbury Lion]

Either way it feels definitely like the EFL are out there to get us relegated. The whole profit and sustainability rules and the way the EFL conduct themselves needs fixing

Agreed, they want any team who break the rules to go down. If teams survive then it makes their rules look weak, and then everyone would be breaking them.

To be fair, we didn't just break them we absolutely smashed them to pieces.

EFL should just have a clear sliding scale of punishments - breach by less than 1m - 1 point deduction, 5m - 3m, 8m 6 and so on with the penalty for breaching by say 15m being automatic relegation. Make it clear that penalties will only be announced or applied after the final games of the season and will not be appealable.

Clear and concise and no-one can have any complaints as punishment known before you commit the crime.

I think the punishment should diminish over time.

The EFL can't come back in 10 years time and say "actually, we found another accounting discrepancy by the previous owners who passed our fit and proper persons test which we missed in 2023, Here's another 6 point deduction and because in that time you won the league in 2028 whilst benefitting from that we're going to strip you of the title"

Also, what irks me is owners passing the fit and proper persons test, Poor auditing by 3rd parties and the EFL taking too long to investigate clubs. Maybe the plan was to break the bank and get promoted out of the league before the EFL found out?

Every business employs auditors who report back to the shareholders, Maybe it's time to have Football Auditors who also report back to the EFL twice a year on the Finances, accounting treatment, controls and levels of co-operation at each club? If an accounting error or questionable treatment is detected in good time, the clubs can rectify this and/or the EFL can take timely action.

[Snowflake Royal]

Apparently we missed the business plan by about 12m. That’s actually quite funny, how the hell were we ever going to recoup that much?

No wonder there was no point selling anyone.

[Dirk Gently]

Either way it feels definitely like the EFL are out there to get us relegated. The whole profit and sustainability rules and the way the EFL conduct themselves needs fixing

Agreed, they want any team who break the rules to go down. If teams survive then it makes their rules look weak, and then everyone would be breaking them.

To be fair, we didn't just break them we absolutely smashed them to pieces.

EFL should just have a clear sliding scale of punishments - breach by less than 1m - 1 point deduction, 5m - 3m, 8m 6 and so on with the penalty for breaching by say 15m being automatic relegation. Make it clear that penalties will only be announced or applied after the final games of the season and will not be appealable.

Clear and concise and no-one can have any complaints as punishment known before you commit the crime.

Any sentence that's non-appealable is a no-no whatever it's to do with.

[Royal_jimmy]

Agreed, they want any team who break the rules to go down. If teams survive then it makes their rules look weak, and then everyone would be breaking them.

To be fair, we didn't just break them we absolutely smashed them to pieces.

EFL should just have a clear sliding scale of punishments - breach by less than 1m - 1 point deduction, 5m - 3m, 8m 6 and so on with the penalty for breaching by say 15m being automatic relegation. Make it clear that penalties will only be announced or applied after the final games of the season and will not be appealable.

Clear and concise and no-one can have any complaints as punishment known before you commit the crime.

Clever idea I think

[tmesis]

Also, what irks me is owners passing the fit and proper persons test, Poor auditing by 3rd parties and the EFL taking too long to investigate clubs.

In truth, there's not a huge amount the league can do. As was mentioned in that expose of football club money laundering/takeovers, it only takes a threat of legal action to have the football league running scared.

Unless there are legal reasons why owners can't own clubs, the league's hands are tied really.

If the League are finding things look a bit 'dodgy' though, you'd have to ask why club owners sell up, unless they really just don't care.

[Lower West]

If the League are finding things look a bit 'dodgy' though, you'd have to ask why club owners sell up, unless they really just don't care.

China Dili Group's shares remain suspended. Suspect Dai's facing far bigger challenges back home than worrying about the football club.

Recently sold a property in Sydney for $25m. Makes you wonder what's really going on.

[Royal_jimmy]

One thing is for sure. If we are losing to teams like Cheltenham, Stevenage and Northampton next season then I'll lose it big time

[Snowflake Royal]

How will we know the difference?

[Royal_jimmy]

How will we know the difference?

Because we should be expecting to be fighting near the top of league one, not the bottom of the championship. I can see the smile on your face from Reading at the prospects of playing Stevenage next season.

[Snowflake Royal]

How will we know the difference?

Because we should be expecting to be fighting near the top of league one, not the bottom of the championship. I can see the smile on your face from Reading at the prospects of playing Stevenage next season.

Grow up jimmy. There's a nice lad.