Time for the Football League to scrap points deductions for administration?

[Freeman's Wharfer]

In the latest installment of my football blog I've just written a piece on the points deductions that clubs get given for administration theses days, inspired by Pompey's plight recently.

Many times it's been (unfairly) levelled at LCFC that we're the reason such sanctions exist, but having seen the club go through the turmoil of administration I've always thought it unfair that the players, fans and staff at a club are left to be hit by the penalty for something over which they had minimal or no control.

http://www.theposthorngallop.blogspot.co.uk/

Having done a little research into admin etc. for the piece, I stumbled across an old thread on a Crystal Palace forum (from before they had been in admin) and they seemed to be wholeheartedly for the deduction with the exception of the original poster. Whether or not they'd maintain the same stance having been in admin I'm not so sure...

So debate open, time to drop the points penalty?

P.s. anyone who has been reading the blog or would be interested in reading more can follow @posthorngallop on Twitter. There's sure to be another piece on Leicester soon!

[ADK]

The way i see it, going into admin is a business concern and not a footbaling one and shouldn't transfer over to the pitch side of things. Also it often makes the financial problems at a club worse when that club drops a division due to points losses.

[Webbo]

Spending beyond your means to gain success is cheating and then when it all goes tits up your creditors who provided goods and services in good faith are gypped. Companies go to the wall, jobs are lost.

The points deductions are totally justified and I'll say the same if it ever happens to us again.

[ADK]

But it in no way punishes those responsible, only gives those trying to sort the mess out more of a problem.

[Ashley]

I was thinking about starting a topic on this yesterday, you must of read my mind!

I personally think the deduction should be taken away it is just punishing a club further whilst it's a law. Take Luton for an example how many seasons did it take them to drop from the Championship to non-league due to points deductions.

[Mark_w]

Think they should really do more to make sure the people in charge of football clubs aren't going to leave them in that position. I agree that the fans are unfairly punished and I don't think a point deduction is the fairest method of punishment although obviously there has to be one.

[Ashley]

Think they should really do more to make sure the people in charge of football clubs aren't going to leave them in that position. I agree that the fans are unfairly punished and I don't think a point deduction is the fairest method of punishment although obviously there has to be one.

Blacklist the people who run the clubs so they can't run a business or have any decisions towards a business' running? Points deduction is just very harsh if you ask me.

[Mark_w]

Blacklist the people who run the clubs so they can't run a business or have any decisions towards a business' running? Points deduction is just very harsh if you ask me.

I agree, I meant there has to be some punishment.

[Guest MattP]

There has to be punishments for clubs who spend beyond their means to try and achieve success.

[rico]

Blacklist the people who run the clubs so they can't run a business or have any decisions towards a business' running? Points deduction is just very harsh if you ask me.

But as in any other business they could just use a front man to run the club

[Corky]

Spending beyond your means to gain success is cheating and then when it all goes tits up your creditors who provided goods and services in good faith are gypped. Companies go to the wall, jobs are lost.

The points deductions are totally justified and I'll say the same if it ever happens to us again.

[Daggers]

• Run a proper, enforced 'fit and proper persons' test.
  
• Bar clubs from starting a season without proving they have the means to finish it.
  
• Enforce fiscal probity within clubs.
  
• Ban the use of 'loans' from owners entirely.
  
• Ditch the player transfer windows which artificially inflate prices.
  
• Keep the 10 point deduction.
  
• Abolish the protected payments to 'football' giving it equal status with other creditors and no more.
  

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Spending beyond your means to gain success is cheating and then when it all goes tits up your creditors who provided goods and services in good faith are gypped. Companies go to the wall, jobs are lost.

The points deductions are totally justified and I'll say the same if it ever happens to us again.

As the point is made in the article, the points deduction is clearly not stopping clubs going into administration. These sanctions were unquestionably brought in as a deterrent yet they are clearly not fulfilling that purpose.

Football clubs getting into financial difficulties, as we know, has implications on general life, real life if you like, outside of football. But a points deduction doesn't stop these unfortunate knock-ons happening. There is a link between a points deduction and relegation in that clubs that lose points often struggle to stay in that league. By deducting points time and again from clubs like Pompey and Luton and Rotherham before them, this only serves to send them into deeper financial difficulty if they are then relegated as a result of the deduction. Thus these impacts become greater and less recoverable.

Administration makes football clubs in financial trouble a more attractive proposition for potential buyers, it is not something that any club wants but it offers hope. Sending clubs spiralling down the football ladder with points deductions effectively stops clubs getting back on their feet.

Yes, there needs to be some punishment/regulation/sanction. Taking points is not the answer though.

[Daggers]

Adding a personal fine for all of the individual directors of a club might help too.

[Webbo]

As the point is made in the article, the points deduction is clearly not stopping clubs going into administration. These sanctions were unquestionably brought in as a deterrent yet they are clearly not fulfilling that purpose.

Football clubs getting into financial difficulties, as we know, has implications on general life, real life if you like, outside of football. But a points deduction doesn't stop these unfortunate knock-ons happening. There is a link between a points deduction and relegation in that clubs that lose points often struggle to stay in that league. By deducting points time and again from clubs like Pompey and Luton and Rotherham before them, this only serves to send them into deeper financial difficulty if they are then relegated as a result of the deduction. Thus these impacts become greater and less recoverable.

Administration makes football clubs in financial trouble a more attractive proposition for potential buyers, it is not something that any club wants but it offers hope. Sending clubs spiralling down the football ladder with points deductions effectively stops clubs getting back on their feet.

Yes, there needs to be some punishment/regulation/sanction. Taking points is not the answer though.

If they didn't spend money they didn't have they might have been relegated anyway, staying up could mean that an honest club is relegated in their place and then they'd be in financial trouble instead.

[ADK]

The answer clearly, is the financial fair play rules which will stop clubs from going into admin in the first place.

[Knightonian]

I totally agree and have often spoken on the subject.

A team goes into administration and gets a 10 point - 30 point deduction.

The chairmen and owners (who made the problem) can leave, the manager can leave, the players can leave. The only people who can't leave are the fans.

Ban the chairmen and owners for life, don't punish the fans for something that is a finacial issue, not a football one. The only people being punished with the current system are the fans. It's totally misguided justice that this is even allowed to happen.

[davieG]

Who runs the League and who runs the clubs, not surprising they voted in a punishment that has little effect on them, turkeys for Christmas. Don't expect it to change either.

In the past the vast majority of owners had a personal and passionate interest in their football club but most have been priced out by the knock on effect of the creation of the PL and it's financial greediness in association with Sky, with so many here today gone tomorrow owners I can't see a big change happening in spite of FFP they will find away around it to benefit themselves at the expense of the long term interest of the clubs.

[Father Ted]

I have to concur that the points deductions should be scrapped.

On another note though, Ive been thinking about the increasing player power in football and its correlation to the number of clubs that have fell into financial trouble and it all seems to have begun when the Bosman ruling came into power. This increased player wage demands as clubs were being held to hostage and shows parallels to the powers trade unions possess and the shit they cause.

Imo, the best way to begin solving the financial issues in football would be to scrap the Bosman ruling, clubs can demand fees for players out of contract, signing on fees and resultant wages drop, football unemployment drops too and agents decrease in power leading to a decreasing money spiral.

[Captain...]

The problem is administration allows you to "wipe the slate clean and start again", as has been mentioned I think Bates did it at Leeds, took them into administration and then bought them out of it as part of a consortium, admmittedly it was mainly Ridsdale that sent them into admin, but without any further punishment then administration is beneficial to the club and fvcks over all their creditors.

If anything 10 points is too soft, especially now with FFP, any club that ends up in administration now should be kicked out the league and have to start from scratch. More safe guards should be put in place to stop clubs being held to ransom by players on massive contracts and more control should be exercised over spending on new grounds etc.