Luton have moved out of the Premier League relegation zone after Nottingham Forest were handed a four-point deduction following a breach of the Premier League’s (PSR) profitability and sustainability rules.
The two club’s played out a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road yesterday with Luke Berry’s 89th minute strike ensuring a share of the spoils that kept Forest three points above the Hatters in 18th place overnight.
But after Forest’s hearing by an independent commission on March 7 and 8, the punishment has been announced which has seen Luton leapfrog the Reds by one point.
The Premier League rules state that clubs are only allowed to make a maximum loss of £105million across a rolling three-year period, or £35m each season. But Forest were only promoted last term via the Championship play-offs and that means for their last two seasons in the second tier losses are restricted to £13million per season. The £35million Forest were allowed to lose last term in the top-flight campaign, means they are only allowed to lose a total of £61million over the last three-year period.
In a statement, the Premier League said: ‘An independent Commission has applied an immediate four-point deduction to Nottingham Forest FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs) for the period ending Season 2022/23.
‘Nottingham Forest was referred to an independent Commission on 15 January, following an admission by the club that it had breached the relevant PSR threshold of £61 million by £34.5 million. The threshold was lower than £105 million as the club spent two seasons of the assessment period in the EFL Championship. The case was heard in accordance with new Premier League Rules, which provide an expedited timetable for PSR cases to be resolved in the same season the complaint is issued.
‘The independent Commission determined the sanction following a two-day hearing this month, at which the club had the opportunity to detail a range of mitigating factors. The Commission found that the club had demonstrated “exceptional cooperation” in its dealings with the Premier League throughout the process.’
Earlier in the season, Everton, who are facing further sanctions, were docked ten points for a PSR breach, but had the penalty reduced to six on appeal.
If Forest appeal, their case must be heard and determined by April 15, ahead of their clash at Goodison Park five days later. While the Premier League have pencilled in May 24 as a backstop date for any appeal which comes after the end of the season on May 19.
Asked after the draw with Forest yesterday, about whether the point was more significant due to the imminent ruling on the Reds, Luton boss Rob Edwards said: “I don’t want to talk hypothetically about what might be coming and what might not.
“I don’t think Forest are the only ones in this fight with us either. There’s a number of teams, so it was just an important point regardless of whatever.
“It doesn’t matter. The job would’ve looked more difficult without getting it, so it was just an important point.
“I don’t even feel comfortable talking about what may or may not happen. It’s not my football club. If it was my football club then I’d be happy to speak more about it as well, but it’s not and I can’t control that at all.”
But with the potential that this season’s relegation battle could be decided after the final game, Edwards added: “It is quite chaotic. It’s new for us all. I’m getting a lot of first times this year and new experiences that we’re having deal with so if things happen then I might be able to talk about them more, but at the moment, not yet. We’re sort of speculating a bit, aren’t we?”
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