League meeting makes decisions on teams in administration
Last updated : 26 September 2003 By Dave Moore
When Leicester used receivership to wipe out huge debts before winning promotion to the Barclaycard Premiership, it was to have repercussions. Starting next season, clubs in administration will be deducted 10 points. At a League meeting, Chairman Sir Brian Mawhinney said, “This is necessary because the Football League is the guardian of competitiveness in our divisions and we can't have clubs who go into administration gaining an advantage. It is a fundamentally different approach and there was a healthy debate - but I pay tribute to the clubs for attaching that significance to it.”
Clubs will have the right to appeal to an independent body and the meeting also agreed to the introduction of parachute payments for clubs relegated into Divisions Two and Three. Clubs will also be expected to publish a list of spending on player agents every six months. This decision is long overdue and anything to improve the current mess is welcome. It’s time that clubs began to live within their means.
