Luton have been given a further 20 point deduction for failing to agree a way of coming out of administration, meaning they will start the League Two season on -30pts. Well done Football League, and I feel sorry for Luton, but now the clubs who voted to ratify Leeds' 15 point deduction are going to wallow in the mess they've made by doing so. This will eventually kill off the 3rd and 4th professional tiers of English football, given that more than 50% of clubs are one unforeseen problem away from administration themselves. Leeds, Leeds, Leeds featured an interview with a League One chairman who said that his club exists year on year by either producing an academy player to sell on, or going on a cup run. When asked what would happen if the academy didn't produce or they went out in the early rounds he shrugged his shoulders.....says it all.
That's crazy. Mansfield were relegated on 42 points last season, which means that Luton are going to have to win a minimum of 24 games - 72 points - to even have a hope of avoiding the drop to the Conference. This will either inspire them, or seal their doom.
Breaking the punishment down; 10 points for breaking rules regarding payments to agents (which happened in 2005-6 I think) 15 points for failing to agree a CVA with creditors and thus breaking league rules on insolvency. Don't quote me on this, but I think the 5 point extra on that was due to teh fact that they couldn't match the precedent Leeds set for the amount eventually offered to creditors ie 30% up front with another 20% if Leeds are promoted to the PL within 5 years. Luton offered 4% and have been forced to accept 16% by the league.
Whilst I have no problem with some punishments aimed at the club themselves, I can't help but feel sorry that the most culpable aren't getting punished at all. Thirty points is almost certainly going to condemn them to relegation unless they managed a normally promotion winning effort, a poor start and they might as well not bother. I'd like to see consistent policies and a evening out of the finances in the game, lets go back to the game for sports sake. I do feel sorry for Luton and their fans. They don't deserve it.
To be fair thats the one thing they are- consistently incompetant. According to the documents relating to the appeal by Leeds against the 15 point deduction last season, half of the football league are on the brink of financial collapse, that was admitted by the lawyer representing the Football League. This punishment must be changed. Luton are one of the very worst run clubs around though, three meltdowns and fiddling agents fees. What grates me is that those who messed it up aren't banned from football for life. The consortium that owns LTFC now are nothing to do with those who made a mess of things, yet it is they and the fans who suffer, same with Leeds (although it was the same people behind a new company who bought the club).
Im a non-league fan who appludes this decision, clubs who fiddle should be punished end of. The FA are gin swigging bafoons though who have created this monster of lower league clubs chasing the promished land (promotion at all costs, get to the Prem at all costs) The FA ***DECREASED*** the prize money for the early rounds of the FA Cup & doubled the winners pot to 2 million quid (as if the winners need it) because Man U complained, the same Man U who devalued this FA Cup to swan off to forigen lands for a fat cheque 1 off game, MUFC should have been banned for 10 yrs. Every club should cut their cloth accordingly, but the Fat Cat FA should spread the wealth across the board not bow down to Fergies ramblings and the big4s whims, arrrgghhhhh rant over.
Its a bit sad that they get 10 points for coming clean while those who continue to lie get away with pennies using the same excuse, but its a fair enough thing, even if the penalties on the former owners responsible were far too weak. As to the 20 points, its a bit absurd. Should have been 15 to match Leeds' penalties. The FA & FL needed to go and get talking to the taxman about solving their differences - allowing clubs to pull this stunt then get back in on the condition they take another points deduction should have been a temporary measure until regular CVA's could be agreed on again, not stick their heads in the sand and pretend that this is a viable long term option.
Thats not true for most of the Football League, they just want to survive from month to month, and if they compete in the League thats just as well. Even the best clubs are now only one or two financial errors away from going out of business taking a century of history with them. There is no doubt that some clubs are chasing that dream again, like Leeds, but there have been some huge mistruths quoted about Leeds: 1/ Leeds paid 1p for every £1 they owed: Actually its 49p, more than the average for a CVA, and will rise to over 70p if they reach the top division within 5 years, Luton are paying 16p 2/ That we fiddled the system: Ken Bates undoubtably put the club into administration when it became impossible for the club to avoid relegation, but there was no rule to stop clubs from doing this, and Boston United did exactly the same thing at the same time. 3/ That it is Leeds' fault that we couldn't agree a CVA; That isn't true either, the CVA was agreed, I was at the meeting, but HMRC appealed on the following grounds: 1: A deliberate effort to challenge a football league rule, that all footballing creditors must be paid in full. By appealing against a CVA they get a High Court hearing, and they know that the only way for a club to get out of administration is to agree a CVA, and avoid appeals. The Football League has invented a 15 point deduction for clubs that fail to agree a CVA, but they are punishing the clubs for their own obstinacy. HMRC always forms more than 40% of the debt owed through unpaid taxes, so they can appeal every CVA, and every club that goes into admin from now on will get a 10pt deduction for entering admin, and a 15pt deduction for failing to agree a CVA. HMRC have publically stated that it is their intention to push for a court hearing into the legality of Football Creditors getting 100% whereas the taxman gets less. The Football league buried their heads in the sand, then used the dislike of Leeds United to fiddle a 'tribunal' to vote for ratification of LUFC's punishment, with other clubs voting (turkeys voting for Christmas effectively), and justified sweeping the whole mess under the carpet by taking the easy route rather than fight HMRC in court. When it happened to Leeds they got away with it largely, Ken Bates and LUFC aren't popular, and never will be, so we didn't get much sympathy and no defence from the FL against allegations that Leeds had commited fraud, which is rubbish, or did anything contrary to any rule. Now the carpet has so much embarrassment and stubborness swept under it, it's mountainous in places, of the 92 clubs in the pro ladder over half are in financial trouble and there is a realistic chance that up to 40 may cease trading over the next season (that from the Football Leagues solicitor at the appeal hearing). And Lord Mawhinney, politician with no experience of football and a former failed government minister, now head of the Football League, dares to say in public that there 'is no financial crisis in the Football League'. Liar. This administration at the football league hasn't so much enhanced the Football League but raped it.
Dont get me started on Alty arrgghhh. We just beat the 3-4 (av it.) We had a great pisstake banner, take a look. You can view this photograph here: http://www.onlinepictureproof.com/grphotography/albums/sport/5924/guest/1d1b1bce8271ce6
Hell yes its true, wonder what bullshit surfaces this season when they dwell in a relegation place come may ?
