Everton’s season has been one fraught with off-pitch issues, often leading to distracted performances from the team.
Many of the playing squad might claim that they have expelled it from their minds, but to contend with unrelenting PSR drama as well as the subsequent appeals, and not to mention the takeover troubles too… It’s a real mess.
And not only has it thrown the Premier League’s reputation into disarray, but it has also left the match-going fan completely bewildered by all these administrative debates dominating football.
Fortunately, there are many experts on hand to unpick some of the wider issues.
Finance expert Stefan Borson assesses Everton’s PSR case
Speaking on talkSPORT yesterday afternoon, Simon Jordan and Jim White sought to delve into the various PSR cases ahead of this weekend’s ‘Points Deduction Derby’ between Everton and Nottingham Forest.
The appropriately named clash is set to have huge repercussions in the relegation battle, with a win for either side certain to boost their survival chances tenfold.
However, another thing that could help push them further towards safety is a success in their respective appeals, with both having argued against their latest PSR sanctions.
Well, enlisting the intelligence of finance expert Stefan Borson, he explained what we can expect from these pleas: ‘I think on both of them the worst-case is zero.
‘They’ve both got a case to run an appeal, an arguable case, i.e. no realistic risk of any further points deductions. So these are free hits for both clubs, so that’s easy.
‘I think it’s also easy on the other side in that we’re looking most likely at only a point on each one, unless something comes out from left field. And in fairness, after Everton one there was something from left field around this thing that we were discussing before on the duty of good faith.
‘We didn’t know from the outside that the Premier League had never even charged them with a breach of it, so we couldn’t know that when it went to appeal that was obviously going to be unwound because it should never have been a part of the independent commission’s adjudication. So unless there’s something that we don’t know about I think Everton are fighting for a point, and Nottingham Forest are fighting for a point.’
Could Everton be deducted more points?
This season, it is extremely unlikely that we will see further points deductions for Everton.
After all, as Borson says, these appeals are essentially free hits, and would likely only see things stay the same or get better. There is no downside to throwing something at the wall and seeing if it sticks.
However, next season could see this vicious cycle repeat all over again, with reports suggesting that they might well start the new term with a further setback.
As one article by The Guardian puts it: ‘Owing to a dispute between Everton and the Premier League over stadium interest payments, the case is unresolved and expected to drag into next season.’
This marks a frightening possibility that we are far from finished hearing about this PSR nonsense.