The Premier League tried to “scapegoat” Everton over profit and sustainability but only managed to show they can’t regulate themselves, according to Andy Burnham.
The Toffees fan and Mayor of Greater Manchester reacted via Twitter on 18 March after finance expert Kieran Maguire admitted there appeared to be an “inconsistency” in the points deductions meted out to Everton and Nottingham Forest live on Sky Sports News.
Forest have been deducted four points for a breach 77% higher than the one at Goodison Park, which saw a 10-point penalty imposed, only reduced to six on appeal, and in the face of the apparent lack of uniformity Burnham has again called for the introduction of an independent regulator.
Burnham wrote in response to Maguire’s appearance: “Where on earth is the consistency in all this? The Premier League have ruined this season for many.
“They tried to scapegoat Everton to prove they could be trusted to regulate – but only succeeded in showing that they can’t.
“Independent regulator – now!”
Everton scapegoated as Nottingham Forest land lighter punishment?
The individual ins and outs of the Everton case and the Nottingham Forest case are complicated enough and playing the merits of each element off from both against each other is no quick task.
After two independent commission hearings, one appeal hearing, and a total of 162 pages of findings up to this point it is hard not to reach the suspicion that where there has been a tendency to be harsh it has fallen on Everton and where there has been a willingness to be charitable it has gone to Forest.
Despite the new dockside stadium being a huge part of the financial strain on the club it seems that the Toffees have been painted as villains who have been trying throughout to gain a competitive advantage on their rivals.
There is no such construction project involved at Forest, while they have signed a whopping 46 players since returning to the Premier League prior to last season [Daily Mail, 18 March], and yet they have comparatively been given a pat on the back for helping out the investigation and a reduced punishment.
At the City Ground their arguments for spending the way they did might be quite reasonable to plenty of Evertonians in isolation.
But when they have, perhaps understandably, pointed the finger at Goodison Park throughout their own process and, it appears, got off lightly in comparison it won’t leave many on Merseyside feeling comfortable with the situation.
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