Kieran Maguire drops twist in West Brom case that impacts Leicester & Portsmouth
Kieran Maguire has revealed a possible error in the EFL’s charge against West Bromwich Albion which could have a massive impact on the Championship relegation race.
West Brom charged with profit & sustainability breach
A tough season for West Brom could be about to get a lot more difficult after they were charged with breaching the EFL’s P & S rules with just four games left to play.
Should they receive a point-deduction at this stage of the campaign, their chances of survival will plummet just as it did in the case of Leicester City earlier in the campaign.
As things stand, the Baggies are two points clear of the dropzone and desperately hoping to avoid punishment until next season after releasing a statement on the matter.
“West Bromwich Albion acknowledges media reports relating to the club’s compliance with the EFL’s Profitability & Sustainability (P&S) rules. The club considers that it has fully complied with the P&S rules.
“The club will continue to co-operate with the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit and looks forward to resolving this matter. Albion understands the concerns of supporters and thanks fans for their unwavering support of the team, whose success on the pitch during the final four games of the season remains our absolute priority.
“It would not be appropriate for the club to comment further at this stage.”
What’s more, according to The Telegraph’s John Percy, who first broke the news of the breach, West Brom have tried to delay the punishment until next season, but their attempts could end in failure.
The charge has arrived after they exceeded the limit by around £16m – recording losses worth £55m over the course of three years. It would be an almighty blow if West Brom were punished at this stage, and finance expert Kieran Maguire has delivered a fresh twist on that front.
Maguire shares latest twist in West Brom case
Speaking to BBC Sport, Maguire had his say on the West Brom caserevealing a possible ‘error’ which would of course mean no deduction at all and have a massive impact on the likes of Portsmouth, Oxford United and Leicester City.
How many points could West Brom be deducted and when is the punishment decided?
West Brom insist they have fully complied with profit and sustainability rules.
The finance expert said: “I’ve heard on the grapevine – and this was nothing to do with the club – they think that somebody, somewhere may have made an error in adding up or subtracting some numbers.
“I think it’s more of a mess up than a conspiracy. I don’t think there’s been some kind of grand plan by West Bromwich Albion to overspend.”
Kieran Maguire’s West Brom verdict
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WBA no more than £1m over limit
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Not fair on WBA or other clubs at this stage of the season
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Situation could still be an admin mistake
If that is the case and West Brom believe that somebody has made an error, then the coming weeks will certainly be interesting. From pushing above the relegation zone, the Baggies’ Championship status could be thrown into greater doubt than ever because of actions away from the pitch.
It would also be incredibly alarming if all three relegated clubs in the second tier were handed punishments related to financial issues on their way down to League One.
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