Legal challenge to FFP in the offing? Guardian piece inc. Mr Barber

[dougdeep]

Why stop at a Prem 2? Why not 4 prem leagues? Then we might be back to the good old days.

 

[drew]

We would be in the Premiership 2 like a shot if it was ever set up, would mean loads more TV money and teams wouldn't be so far apart in wealth thus making the leagues more competitive. As long as the rest of the clubs didn't suffer then it is the way to go

Exactly how do you think that set up would not affect other clubs?

We should start taking a keener interest in the Prem relegation dogfight. In particular, we should support Norwich, WBA and Swansea as they have no debt and should piss this division with £23 mill parachutes.

Sides in the shit if they come down are Cardiff and Fulham.

Disappointed you didn't include Palace!

One way of sorting out over spending so that we could do away with FFP, if that is a club go into administration, they are not deducted 10 whole points, instead they are expelled from the football league, and make them reform in the conference north/south.

This way the likes of Leicester, Palace et all would not gamble in the way they do now if the punishment was being kicked out, instead of 10 pts!

The problem is the owners. If they didn't get what they wanted, they walk away from a club that, in most cases prior to their purchase of said club, had no affiliation with that team. Yes they will lose money but will probably remain as creditors but the club and the fans will find themselves back in the conference. I have no problem with rich owners pumping money into a club but it should be just that, not repayable loans at commercial rates. In our case, we have an interest free loan which will be converted to shares. Not ideal but shouldn't saddle us with a debt to Mr Bloom.

 

[spellfast]

Why stop at a Prem 2? Why not 4 prem leagues? Then we might be back to the good old days.

Now that's a good idea!!

 

[Seagulls Downunder]

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't all the clubs sign up to the rules at the beginning of the season and therefore shouldn't be able to mount a legal challenge.

They all sign up to two teams being automatically being promoted and one team by the playoffs. Based on a club challenging the FFP rules, what stops a club mounting a challenge for not being promoted when they finished third?

If you don't like the rules, tough, don't sign up and agree to the conditions etc set at the beginning of the season the moan later, challenge them first !!!

Yep, all the Chairman agreed to it but not before some had done their homework to find any loopholes you can bet on that. When has bending the rules ever stopped the bigger clubs anyway and if QPR get done for it you can bet your bottom dollar Harry will plead not gulity and walkaway again having blown millions.

 

[KNC]

Thank goodness we're PLR

 

[Twinkle Toes]

"....which have been threatened with a legal challenge by "several clubs" who have not identified themselves..."

Reads like made up bollocks to me.

I hope you're right phil.

Unfortunately, I don't think many of us would be surprised to learn that that it turns out to be an informed 'heads up' on the impending legal challenges that the big spenders will instigate - when they fail to reach the so-called 'Promised Land' of The Premiershite.

 

[Czechmate]

It was voted 21-3 to implement so there should be no issues ! As for several clubs not taking any notice of the FFP , then they should be hammered with hefty fines , don't forget only 3 clubs get promoted so the other 'several' clubs will probably be in financial difficulties then will have to do something about it anyway.

 

[Biscuit]

This seems to be saying something very significant ...

"The Premier League is understood to favour clubs whose owners are investing, even to subsidise losses, and did not want to see money shared from fines among clubs which do not have wealthy owners backing them".

In other words ... Let's look after the rich guys and to hell with the poor guys who run a prudent club.

What about the rich guys that run a prudent club? :S

 

[doogie004]

Makes you wonder if we are ever going to be able to get there , doing it the right way

 

[Goldstone1976]

It is inevitable that some clubs which have overspent who get promoted and face fines, or who stay down and face transfer embargoes will challenge the FFP rules, possibly even taking legal action. What is more interesting to me is what our stance with the FL will be if the FL don't "rigorously defend" FFP in the way they have said they will.

I would have thought that we, along with other FFP compliant clubs, will have a strong case against the FL for failure to impose the proscribed sanctions in the event that they don't defend FFP in the Courts. We have been vocal in our support for FFP, which has two intentions, IMO, 1) to encourage the FL to stay strong, 2) to provide public evidence that we are complying with the rules as laid down which could be used as evidence in any action against the FL that we may take if they bottle it.

Interesting times ahead!

 

[stripeyshark]

If clubs don't pay their fines straight away, don't let them back into the football league.

Meaning: relegation for the premier league would mean conference football.

 

[ManxSeagull]

It is inevitable that some clubs which have overspent who get promoted and face fines, or who stay down and face transfer embargoes will challenge the FFP rules, possibly even taking legal action. What is more interesting to me is what our stance with the FL will be if the FL don't "rigorously defend" FFP in the way they have said they will.

I would have thought that we, along with other FFP compliant clubs, will have a strong case against the FL for failure to impose the proscribed sanctions in the event that they don't defend FFP in the Courts. We have been vocal in our support for FFP, which has two intentions, IMO, 1) to encourage the FL to stay strong, 2) to provide public evidence that we are complying with the rules as laid down which could be used as evidence in any action against the FL that we may take if they bottle it.

Interesting times ahead!

If a legal challenge is made and successful, should the clubs that have met the FFP requirements mount their own counter challenge; if they had flouted the rules in the same way other clubs have without punishment they might have got a better chance of being promoted and therefore claim compensation.

I am for FFP but also against. If an individual wishes to bankroll his club into the Premier League surely that is his choice. Based on the current setup it will be virtually impossible for another Cardiff, Swansea, Hull etc to climb from the bottom division to the Premier League.

 

[c0lz]

I do agree the The parachute payments are so unfair and does need to be address. player's contract's should be agreed that a wage reduction if they were ever to be demoted.

 

[algie]

If clubs don't pay their fines straight away, don't let them back into the football league.

Meaning: relegation for the premier league would mean conference football.

Be realistic. That's never going to happen.

FFP will be challenged and either it will buckle or the loses increased. No way the football league will come down hard on the bigger clubs in the Championship. Think we all know that deep down. Our club has banged on to much about this i feel and we are paying the price of it due to a poor transfer window. It's amazing that Blacburn are making massive loses but still spend a load to sign Conway. But they are not the only ones as we all know
You wait until Barber says how disappointed he is that FFP has failed - because it will.

 

[Triggaaar]

This is the biggest part of FFP that I don't understand. The Premiership is an lrrelivence to the Championship FFP, If they want to act like control freaks then why not side step them by suspending the fines till re-entry to the football league?

The problem I have with that, is it could be decades before some clubs come back down. I don't see Man City returning for a while. The only reason to accept the Premier's request, is if we want to keep them happy, and keep getting the solidarity payments. If that's why the FL are going along with it, then fine. I don't like it, but it's a business decision.

Yep, all the Chairman agreed to it but not before some had done their homework to find any loopholes you can bet on that.

I don't get this either. You know when you enter a competition, it says their decision is final etc - that's how the FA and FL's rules should be. This is their competition, if a club wants to be in it, they agree to be bound by whatever decision the FA or FL make. An example of a loophole that shouldn't be allowed, is a large sponsorship deal from a company linked with the owner. They should simply tell the clubs that's not acceptable, and while they can keep the money from the deal, for FFP purposes, the last kosher deal they had would be used. Simple.

 

[Mileoakman]

There is a simple solution to this if the Football League had any balls. Write to every club in the Championship now and say that unless they get a written statement back from each club saying they won't challenge the FFP rules that have been agreed by, say, the end of March this year, those clubs will have an automatic 20 point deduction this season.

Forest, QPR, Leicester etc, would have to agree otherwise its goodbye promotion.

 

[EDS]

There is a simple solution to this if the Football League had any balls. Write to every club in the Championship now and say that unless they get a written statement back from each club saying they won't challenge the FFP rules that have been agreed by, say, the end of March this year, those clubs will have an automatic 20 point deduction this season.

Forest, QPR, Leicester etc, would have to agree otherwise its goodbye promotion.

A simple solution you say?

What when all the clubs solicitors pummel the football league into the ground, surely has to be one of the silliest ideas ever.

 

[EDS]

Palace were put into administration over a £4.5 million debt. The Albion have debts of over £100 million.

The truth has no place in football supporting and blind rivalry, tut tut tut.

 

[Silverhatch]

If a legal challenge is made and successful, should the clubs that have met the FFP requirements mount their own counter challenge; if they had flouted the rules in the same way other clubs have without punishment they might have got a better chance of being promoted and therefore claim compensation.

I am for FFP but also against. If an individual wishes to bankroll his club into the Premier League surely that is his choice. Based on the current setup it will be virtually impossible for another Cardiff, Swansea, Hull etc to climb from the bottom division to the Premier League.

It's individuals bankrolling clubs with no regard for sound business principles that has so ****ed up the finances of football and is distorting fair competition. Even the USA make a stab at trying to stop competitive domination thru salary caps and draft systems. This is a pretty major moment for football in this country - if there are legal challenges to pre-agreed rules then it's no different to West Ham trying to overturn Carroll's red card in the courts.

 

[Goldstone1976]

The truth has no place in football supporting and blind rivalry, tut tut tut.

The difference is that our debt is interest free, to our Chairman, who has committed to not calling that debt in. Your debt was to, inter alia, local small businesses trading on an arms-length basis who went bust and put people out of work when you refused/couldn't pay them.

The truth has no place in football supporting and blind rivalry, tut tut tut.