Luton deducted 20 more points

[REDLAND]

With Rotherham and Bournemouth likely to start the season with points deductions as well , League Division 2 will be a bit like the Premiership - we already know for certain who will be relegated

Bournemouth will be deducted 15 points as well, if the same rule applies that is !!!

 

[steward 433]

Go on then - post your email !

Sorry deleted all my sent as mailbox was full Just going through my inbox now

When they reply i will post it and the reply

Mine was a bit harsher than yours though

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

This is just rediculous.

If teh league want to relegate a club for going into administrartion, they should just do that.

By starting with -30 what does that do?

Its just madness

Thems the rules though Dave.

 

[Gary Leeds]

my email to the league

Dear Sirs

I am writing to you to express my disgust over the extra points deduction you have landed on Luton Town. You have already penalized the new owners and fans 10 points for something the previous management did, infact its not even the same company that broke league rules over payments to agents you have penalized. Now you are giving them another 20 point deduction basically for rescuing the club. You set a precedent with Leeds United and now you find yourself in an impossible situation but you have to break the trend somewhere. If you want to relegate Luton Town then do it without the deductions. At least it would give them a fighting chance of getting promotion back to the league next season from the Conference but with the latest deductions you have made it close to impossible for them to even complete the season, players will not want to sign for them in the current situation, money is not flying at Luton for staff and for them to even survive in the league they will have to produce promotion getting form with what will amount to their youth team just to stay up. I just hope when the money is removed from Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool that you will take the same hard stance against them, you probably wont though as they are "ambassadors" to English football and clubs like Luton and my team, Brighton and Hove Albion are nothing more than an embarrassment to you. infact isn't Chelsea due a retrospective points deduction for the mismanagement of the club over 10 years ago? It's only fair you know.

Get a grip on reality, we are in a cash crunch and freefalling to a recession, fans will not be able to support their teams as often as they want to and being honest, only the die hard fans will want to watch a lost cause week in week out. Luton Town will fold during the season and it will be YOUR fault. It probably has not helped Luton Towns case that you allowed Wimbledon FC to relocate into an area where Luton would have drawn some casual fans. Take the punishment out on the old management, ban all of them from the club manager upwards from ever being involved in English football again but don't take it out on the fans, most of who were there long before the bent management came along and hopefully will be there long after

Regards
Gary Pearson

 

[severnside gull]

Have to say the League's rulings are lagging behind the reality of clubs in financial meltdown. It's a mess and over the next year or so I reckon we could see several clubs going to the wall.

I was wondering if it happened to us (after all we have been mighty close and are currently losing a great deal year after year) how many would still follow the Albion outside the league?

 

[steward 433]

I would still follow outside the league!!!

Can see half a dozen clubs above us going to the wall in the next few years yet.

Might get into the championship by default of other clubs being deducted points

 

[Gary Leeds]

Looks like their fund raising to pay the fine needs a bit of a seagulls push, come on if you have a spare tenner and want to help out a club in need and make a big point to the FA then sign up here
'I will give £10 (or more) to Luton Town FC as part of a FAN FUND to pay the Fine set by the FA on the Club.' - PledgeBank

Gary

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

my email to the league

Dear Sirs

I am writing to you to express my disgust over the extra points deduction you have landed on Luton Town. You have already penalized the new owners and fans 10 points for something the previous management did, infact its not even the same company that broke league rules over payments to agents you have penalized. Now you are giving them another 20 point deduction basically for rescuing the club. You set a precedent with Leeds United and now you find yourself in an impossible situation but you have to break the trend somewhere. If you want to relegate Luton Town then do it without the deductions. At least it would give them a fighting chance of getting promotion back to the league next season from the Conference but with the latest deductions you have made it close to impossible for them to even complete the season, players will not want to sign for them in the current situation, money is not flying at Luton for staff and for them to even survive in the league they will have to produce promotion getting form with what will amount to their youth team just to stay up. I just hope when the money is removed from Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool that you will take the same hard stance against them, you probably wont though as they are "ambassadors" to English football and clubs like Luton and my team, Brighton and Hove Albion are nothing more than an embarrassment to you. infact isn't Chelsea due a retrospective points deduction for the mismanagement of the club over 10 years ago? It's only fair you know.

Get a grip on reality, we are in a cash crunch and freefalling to a recession, fans will not be able to support their teams as often as they want to and being honest, only the die hard fans will want to watch a lost cause week in week out. Luton Town will fold during the season and it will be YOUR fault. It probably has not helped Luton Towns case that you allowed Wimbledon FC to relocate into an area where Luton would have drawn some casual fans. Take the punishment out on the old management, ban all of them from the club manager upwards from ever being involved in English football again but don't take it out on the fans, most of who were there long before the bent management came along and hopefully will be there long after

Regards
Gary Pearson

Correct on all counts except one.

Luton are the victims here and are undeniably the unfortunate recipients of years worth of bent deals coming home to roost.

If it wasnt for shithouses like Bates and Bellotti the League would not need to introduce these rules, as it is there is no other option open other than to close the club down when the maggots set in.

Poor poor Luton.the fans dont deserve it, the players dont deserve it but it is the right thing to do to make the club so unattractive that the parasites f*** off out of it. No club=no dodgy deals. The fans should restart the whole thing from scratch.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I'm not that clued up on Luton's situation, but aren't the two points penalties for separate offences? One to do with agents, and the other for being in administration?

I can see why people think it's harsh that the fans pay the price for the sins of the previous owners, but on the other hand, was it not unfair on the fans of other clubs when Luton were winning two successive promotions three or four seasons ago- presumably at least partly on the back of illegal payments to agents, and spending way beyond their means? Even then, Mike Newell raised concerns about the way the club was being run, but I'm pretty sure their fans were just enjoying the ride and the champagne, and not caring much about how it was achieved. I know we're all wiser after the event, but I can't see what alternative the League have. A strictly financial penalty would simply leave the door open for further dodgy shenanigans in future, with clubs able to say "well it wasn't us, it was the previous board, Guv".

Saying that- and I don't know what the way around it is- 30 points really does screw them utterly, and would make any fan question why they bother. It's not like Leeds, who could still attract decent players to Elland Road despite their points deduction, purely because of the size of the club relative to the rest of League One. Thus they had a fighting chance (and made a pretty good fist of it).

Luton, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to recommend it to prospective players. Crap ground, (one assumes) little money for wages, an unpleasant town, and starting the season miles behind everyone. All their decent players have left or will leave, and who but the most desperate of footballers would want to sign for them?

I hope for the sake of their fans the remaining players can forge some kind of spirit out of a siege mentality, as it's going to be a long, painful slide into the Blue Square Premier.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Why was there not such disgust when Leeds were in the same boat?

The Football League must punish those that live beyond their means and borrow heavily. Whilst I do feel sorry for the fans and the current board that have to work their way through this mess, the fact is they over extended themselves on borrowed money.

Luton have failed to sort out their problems and this is the 3rd time they have time they have cocked up the CVA. Whilst it sounds harsh, why should they be given so many lives, when there are plenty of teams in the non-league that have a sensible business structure, but are unable to force their way into the football league.

It is important that the FL do not give clubs a carte blanche to rip off creditors and allow teams to throw caution to the wind when it comes to financial management.

I feel sorry for the fans and sorry for those businesses that have lost money with the Luton venture, but what else can be done? Heart says the FL are wrong in their punishment, but head says they need to do this.

The solution? Maybe....A wage cap and filter money down from the PL and their pot of gold.

How would we feel if Luton had pipped us to the last promotion spot into the Championship and then gone into administration during the summer?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Why was there not such disgust when Leeds were in the same boat?

The Football League must punish those that live beyond their means and borrow heavily. Whilst I do feel sorry for the fans and the current board that have to work their way through this mess, the fact is they over extended themselves on borrowed money.

Luton have failed to sort out their problems and this is the 3rd time they have time they have cocked up the CVA. Whilst it sounds harsh, why should they be given so many lives, when there are plenty of teams in the non-league that have a sensible business structure, but are unable to force their way into the football league.

It is important that the FL do not give clubs a carte blanche to rip off creditors and allow teams to throw caution to the wind when it comes to financial management.

I feel sorry for the fans and sorry for those businesses that have lost money with the Luton venture, but what else can be done? Heart says the FL are wrong in their punishment, but head says they need to do this.

The solution? Maybe....A wage cap and filter money down from the PL and their pot of gold.

How would we feel if Luton had pipped us to the last promotion spot into the Championship and then gone into administration during the summer?

Thank you

 

[British Bulldog]

Why was there not such disgust when Leeds were in the same boat?

The Football League must punish those that live beyond their means and borrow heavily. Whilst I do feel sorry for the fans and the current board that have to work their way through this mess, the fact is they over extended themselves on borrowed money.

Luton have failed to sort out their problems and this is the 3rd time they have time they have cocked up the CVA. Whilst it sounds harsh, why should they be given so many lives, when there are plenty of teams in the non-league that have a sensible business structure, but are unable to force their way into the football league.

It is important that the FL do not give clubs a carte blanche to rip off creditors and allow teams to throw caution to the wind when it comes to financial management.

I feel sorry for the fans and sorry for those businesses that have lost money with the Luton venture, but what else can be done? Heart says the FL are wrong in their punishment, but head says they need to do this.

The solution? Maybe....A wage cap and filter money down from the PL and their pot of gold.

How would we feel if Luton had pipped us to the last promotion spot into the Championship and then gone into administration during the summer?

I agree with what your saying there BoF.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Why was there not such disgust when Leeds were in the same boat?

Because the bad guy who deserved the penalty was still running the football club.

The Luton case is quite different.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Because the bad guy who deserved the penalty was still running the football club.

The Luton case is quite different.

But the club, and by default the fans, still enjoyed the fruits of their ill-considered spending, by winning promotions and signing better players than they might otherwise have been able to.

I understand why you say it, and it must be a pretty crap time to be a Luton fan, but like BoF says, if we'd missed out on promotion by one point to Luton in that period, because they'd bought in better quality players with money they didn't have, then I'd be pretty pissed off.

Football clubs are notorious for being badly run, but what incentive is there for teams like Walsall, Cheltenham- and us- to live within their means if others are just going to spend money they don't have in the hope that results will generate sufficient profit way down the line to cover up the mess?

 

[Gary Leeds]

But the club, and by default the fans, still enjoyed the fruits of their ill-considered spending, by winning promotions and signing better players than they might otherwise have been able to.

I understand why you say it, and it must be a pretty crap time to be a Luton fan, but like BoF says, if we'd missed out on promotion by one point to Luton in that period, because they'd bought in better quality players with money they didn't have, then I'd be pretty pissed off.

Football clubs are notorious for being badly run, but what incentive is there for teams like Walsall, Cheltenham- and us- to live within their means if others are just going to spend money they don't have in the hope that results will generate sufficient profit way down the line to cover up the mess?

So following this theory Man U, Liverpool and Chelsea should all be getting heafty point deductions for doing exactly that, borrowing money against basically their name or being given it by a benefactor, I for one cannot wait until one of those 3 dont qualify for the champions league and end up doing another Leeds United. They are all borrowing on the income they will get in years to come and again nothing is being done to stop it. Wage capping will never come in as it will only stop the English clubs from getting the players of sufficient quality to do well in Europe and thats all the FA care about, it would not even help the national squad as if any of the players that come through to replace the mercenaries from abroad do any good they will transfer abroad at the first sniff of wages 4 times they earn now.

And at the moment we are NOT living within our means, we are losing millions a year, how long will it be before the FA start deducting points for clubs who showed a loss on the balance sheet the previous year? Think about it, its the next logical step, stamp out the over spending before the club goes into administration. and if it comes in within the next 3 years then we are in the shit as I cannot see us turning a profit until at least the 2nd or even the 3rd year at Falmer.

And how about the 16 Premier League clubs who were proven to be paying agents back handers? Where were their 10 point deductions? Why is it always one rule for the smaller clubs and another for the large ones? I bet if Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool had not been one of the clubs then every club apart from them would have started on -10 the following season but they will not do a thing against the big 4

Gary

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Don't get me wrong, I doubt we're exactly flush, and are losing money all the time we're at Withdean, but presumably we have some kind of mechanism in place that means our creditors get paid, either now or in future, otherwise we'd already be facing administration, surely?

The top clubs' money comes largely from TV rights, that and between forty and seventy eight thousand fans paying to watch each week.

I gather United have huge debts, mortgages, whatever, but because of the TV money, and their standing as a club, there is no realistic prospect at the moment of anyone calling in those debts, therefore they are able to continue as they are, as can Chelsea, albeit for different reasons.

Luton- and Bournemouth, Leeds, Leicester, Swindon, Rotherham, every other club that's been in administration so far, in fact- aren't in that fortunate position, therefore it's up to them to put measures in place to (a) cut outgoings and (b) ensure there are means to survive when the creditors come calling.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

And how about the 16 Premier League clubs who were proven to be paying agents back handers? Where were their 10 point deductions? Why is it always one rule for the smaller clubs and another for the large ones? I bet if Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool had not been one of the clubs then every club apart from them would have started on -10 the following season but they will not do a thing against the big 4

Gary

Not sure on that point Gary but I guess that bungs are viewed differently to insolvency. If Chelsea or Liverpool went bust and ignored league rules on financial housekeeping in relation to payments beyond their means I expect they would get the gooner as well.

Oh..and the big four have got better Lawyers than Luton.

 

[Gary Leeds]

Not sure on that point Gary but I guess that bungs are viewed differently to insolvency. If Chelsea or Liverpool went bust and ignored league rules on financial housekeeping in relation to payments beyond their means I expect they would get the gooner as well.

Oh..and the big four have got better Lawyers than Luton.

10 points of Lutons 30 deductions are for bungs to agents, made by the previous management, at the very least these 10 should be given back due to the league not taking action on the PL, 20 points will still be hard to fight back from but not impossible as we well know.

Also to those saying how would us Brighton fans feel if Luton had pipped us to the last play off spot and then had all this happen, dont forget West Ham were found guilty over the Teves farce and that may well have cost us a money spinning tie in the next round of the cup a couple of seasons ago, what did the FA do about it? sweet FA as always

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

10 points of Lutons 30 deductions are for bungs to agents, made by the previous management, at the very least these 10 should be given back due to the league not taking action on the PL, 20 points will still be hard to fight back from but not impossible as we well know.

I don't think the Football League could take action against the PL, even if it wanted to. It's had no jurisdiction over the PL since the (then) Div 1 clubs forced the separation from the FL in the early 90's. Incidentally, wasn't "Control of our own affairs" one of the major reasons given by the Div 1 clubs at the time for leaving the Football League?

 

[RM-Taylor]

With Rotherham and Bournemouth likely to start the season with points deductions as well , League Division 2 will be a bit like the Premiership - we already know for certain who will be relegated

What about Crap Town, they've got to go down too