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Blues looking for level playing field when it comes to the EFL

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Supporters from all of our local clubs that I have spoken to regarding the possible banning of Manchester City from European football for two years, feel it will not happen. We all know to our cost at Birmingham City that such overspending and the punishment it carries is heartbreaking for the average supporter. No decent follower of football wants clubs to suffer and be threatened by points deductions and huge fines that could jeopardise their very existence.

After all, fewer football clubs means fewer games all round and this is not what being a follower of our favourite sport is all about. However, fairness and level playing fields are my strong point here.

Apart from Manchester City, there are a few further issues to ‘level playing fields’ and what the authorities will decide. This time last year as we know, our nine points deduction was delivered and we got on with it, hoping that we were not being singled out.

This current season, we hear of a few more Championship clubs that are sweating after falling foul of Financial Fair Play. Will such punishment be delivered in the same way as we received last season – I doubt it. This, like the Manchester City situation, is about clout.

My opinion I readily admit, but this month will reveal a fair bit about the whole positioning of those Championship clubs, in particular, that carry clout. At Blues we want fairness and we want to see it being carried out, not out of vengeance but to be reassured that bodies like the EFL in our case, do treat each and every club the same.

My findings when speaking to fans in general about a couple of Championship clubs currently under the threat of points deductions, is that similar measures that we endured last season will not materialise. Maybe these other clubs will have valid reasons for escapement and fair play, but should they be found guilty similar to ourselves, then fairness is all we ask.

Manchester City are huge and somewhat untouchable in the eyes of the many, whilst the relative minnows of the lower leagues are very touchable, which morally cannot be right. We hope when all deliberations are finalised that Blues, in particular, did not suffer unfairly last season and that the EFL did use us correctly in order to deal consistently with others.

We shall await the outcome during the next few weeks with interest.

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5 comments

  • Alan Watton (Bexhill Blue) says:

    Careful what you wish for. Being ‘fair’ in EFL’s eyes could cost us another 9 points!

  • Charles says:

    Most Bluenoses expect another mini points reduction in March. They charge us and they punish us. Question is whether they are correct in doing this. Yes would probably be the answer and therefore next season will see another charge. We just don’t generate enough income unless of course we sell our decent players. Not nice but that’s the reality.

  • Chris says:

    We’re talking about 2 completely different situations here, Man City have been banned from Europe not the EFL or the PL for that matter, i’m pretty sure the EFL or PL had nothing to do with that!!!, Blues broke ffp rules in the EFL end of, I personally couldn’t give a toss what happens to City, the ones I want to see punished that could seriously effect our season are Sheff Weds and Derby plus anyone else in this league. Villa should have been done last season but they have a very high profile supporter with more clout than a punch from Anthony Joshua and their problems will always be swept under the carpet, that for me was a crime bigger than anything Man City have done.

  • Mitchell Bray says:

    Great points Chris.

  • gary burbidge says:

    We broke the FFP rules and added in a dose of aggravation to it for good measure with the Pederson signing, hence the points scale. Probably not enough to satisfy the EFL!!
    The current charge is about BCFC not following a Business Plan laid out by the EFL to enforce the sale of our best assets in January 2019, which may, if we had followed, led to us being relegated. The decision to sell in the summer made good business sense then and now. My understanding of MCFC situation is that they broke FFP for UEFA and have been charged and punished – subject to appeal for that. The PL follows the same rules pretty much so expect some action from the PL to follow if the appeal is not successful. In terms of level playing fields we can only be concerned with clubs in our league and below as the governing body is the EFL. I expect that those under investigation will either be cleared of any wrong doing or be punished by fine and/or a lesser points reduction. The biggest thing that comes out of this is the disparity in divisions, the gulf in cash to the lower leagues compared to the PL and the fact that there appears to be no transparency to real fans. Clubs like Bury have been forced out of existence, maybe by bad management but with the lack of revenues and financial support across the industry. Football is a great spectacle at every level but I, like many feel it is on the brink of disaster. Just my opinion….

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