Andy Burnham's letter to the Premier League

We need all the 10 points to be removed. Nothing else. It is the only just outcome so it must be done and we should not rest until it is.

The Premier League have torpedoed our season. The Everton players after the Palace game thought they could now play with more freedom. All the nerves that can stifle a performance will be back next week.

All part of the Premier League plan.

The Premier League should be in massive trouble for what they have done to Everton and football. And all the people and clubs behind such a disgusting act should now pay a massive price.

Let us hope that the Andy Burnham letter is only the start.

The whole thing would be laughable if it were not so serious in terms of Everton's actual existence, given, the fact, that clubs want to sue us for more money than we actually possess.

It will carry some weight, get read by those at the top in government and help our cause.

It needs to be reversed immediately.

Whatever happens, I do believe that it will be too late for Everton this season and we will have to achieve safety on our own merit.

Today was another major undeserved setback, but I hope that the team dig in and get the breaks we deserve. COYB

The Premier League decision was in fact a preconceived agenda, which was unjust and unfair to Everton. It goes without saying that Everton defended themselves poorly and Man City have had added fuel to their case against those that represent the Premier League and their authority to act.

On the evidence of today's result, Everton are going to need all the help that they can get. The Premier League is not going to be able to hide behind facelessness, as they hoped.

Hindsight is hard.

Well argued, Andy.

Hopefully he can help apply real pressure and media focus on this.

We had a quick chat about the match and the injustice of the points deductions.

He can clearly articulate it better than I.

Labour missed a trick.

I will say this though, watching just about every darn supporter in the ground raising their cards in protest, we have unity of support for the first time in a generation. It will make us stronger, better, no matter where we play our football.

However, the egos of those in charge at the Premier League won't allow any discussion. In my opinion, only an immediate call for an EGM by Premier League members to discuss Andy's points would have any chance of reversing this corrupt decision.

I have read various comments from a number of MPs regarding the disproportionate decision from the so-called independent commission.

As far as I remember, we have 15 MPs in Merseyside who are supposed to represent their constituents, who, without doubt represent a great number of Blues. Would it not be possible to get them to approach the Premier League and Government as a group, not individually?

I also believe there are a number of MPs outside the area who also believe this decision is wrong. Strength in numbers!! Contact your local MP asap, get them working for us!

I bet they don't send him the stock answer of where to find the report online!

‘Can you assure me that this is not the case and that there were no internal discussions – nor are there any internal documents – showing that Everton's case was discussed with cross reference to the Premier League's concerns about a statutory regulator?'

This means there most definitely was. Nice one Andy.

If it's not going to go our way, we need to know, so we can fully focus on the task in hand. We don't want a situation where we're in a relegation scrap during the last 8-10 games and still wondering what decision is going to be made.

Everton lacks support and influence at the highest level. We've been sidelined and diminished for decades, which is precisely why this has all happened.

Note the lack of coverage of the protests at Goodison this weekend. We've become old news in the horrible world of the Premier League, lacking the glamour and hype associated with Liverpool and the other phoney clubs.

Ah well, we go down with our dignity intact, I guess. Good effort, Andy.

I hope you get this commission affair sorted out for us, Andy. Thanks for your endeavour and best of luck with the result.

His letter articulates it well.

Labour missed a trick not appointing him instead of Corbyn. The City of Liverpool missed a trick in letting him become Mayor of Manchester.

It won't be brushed aside. The Premier League are now under pressure from credible politicians. They have, for far too long self-regulated. Marked their own homework.

Now they are being challenged. Not only from the streets around Goodison Park, but from supporters all over the land. From the very pundits they have sat in their studio. And now from politicians who can influence the Government.

This isn't going away and I suspect the are a few beads of sweat and ties being loosened near to Paddington.

I have copied the letter and sent it to my MP (Louise Haigh) to ask for her support particularly if the matter ever comes before the House. Although she is a Sheffield MP, she sits on numerous cross-party committees including one with oversight of corporate governance, an area where the points which Andy Burnham's makes re the running of the Premier League sits fairly and squarely.

Will it do any good? Who knows. But if all of us were to do the same, it might have the effect of raising the profile of our case much higher.

Thank you for contacting me regarding the ten point deduction handed out to Everton Football Club by the Premier League.

I have not signed Ian's EDM, with which I have some sympathy, because EDMs are primarily a device for Backbenchers to indicate their views. I have rejoined the Labour Frontbench as Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement.

I have written urgently to the Premier League for an explanation as to why they have imposed this penalty on Everton Football Club and to urge them to reconsider their decision.

I have since been contacted by many constituents who share the view that this decision is unjust as the Premier League has previously applied financial and not sporting sanctions for far more serious breaches.

The deduction unfairly affects supporters and risks financial impact to Everton's investment in Liverpool going forward, especially as Bramley Moore Dock has been chosen as Liverpool's Euro 28 host stadium.

As one of the longest standing clubs in the top-flight Everton have a proud history and a highly commendable commitment to Liverpool's most vulnerable people.

That's why I have asked the Premier League to review their decision and to consider other non-sporting sanctions. I will continue to push for this and will issue an update on their reply.

The Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP

Member of Parliament for Garston and Halewood

Watch these arguments now gaining traction in Everton's appeal.

A Man Utd fan, overhearing our conversation, also chimed in with his support, as did a couple of dyed-in-the-wool Gloucester RFC supporters, who normally take zero interest in football but feel EFC has been very hard done by.

There seems to be a groundswell of support growing. Let's hope this continues - meanwhile, full support for the playing and managerial staff to get us back up the table and out of danger. COYB!

We made it to stage two without getting kicked to the curb, yay. The citation of direct irresponsibility in the adoption and communication of a rather fluid sanctions policy will be impossible to defend honorably. The Premier League has a massive decision to make on how to respond.

There has been some discussion and coverage in the press which has highlighted the strategic importance of our new Stadium. This will once complete provide a focal point for the regeneration of this whole area.

To the best of my knowledge, this is a wholly privately funded project and deserves the support of both Local and National Governments. Time for us all to seek the support of those in power.

The ray of hope is, the Appeal Tribunal in the Wednesday case lowered the punishment from 12-point deduction to 6; largely on the basis that after the event, Wednesday had done their best to put things right.

The EFL argued that behaviour 'after the event' was irrelevant, but the Chair [Lord Dyson of the Supreme Court] said that, although such behaviour was not relevant to guilt, it was most certainly relevant to punishment.

Also, as I understand it, they would have had to have a majority vote in favour by all 20 Premier League clubs for this to become a rule. The Premier League cited the decision by the English Football League to adopt P&S sanctions but again the Premier League failed to incorporate such guidelines into its rules.

So for the Premier League to take clubs before a commission with no rules in place for anybody breaking the rules, then this case must be ruled null and void. It just shows the complete ineptitude of those running the Premier League.

I guess the real question is why our KC didn't make that the main point of his argument? We have to rely on the likes of Andy Burnham to explain why this decision should be overturned.

If not, he needs to flag it up and if they do I hope he allows TW to publish it. It would make interesting reading, to say the least.

This is what I have been trying to say all along with my gibberish.

We will win our appeal, the rules will be changed because there will now have to be a meeting of all the Premier League clubs to approve the process and sanctions, and we will therefore not have to put up with a Premier League kangaroo court.

We need a Henry Winter or one of his standing to take it nationally, especially the "independence" of the committee

I'm disappointed with the journos at our very own Echo. They don't seem to be delving into the meaty bits of this shower.

No problems with the outer layer of the situation in which we are all aware of, however, with their connections, you would have thought they'd be taking a lead on this. Why am I not surprised?

As mentioned earlier, strength in depth. Contact your MP or anyone in the media who may report on this shit.

If so, did not those rules say that the commission alone decides the punishment?

I think the appeal is worth it to get another threesome to make their own assessment on punishment. We might get a reduction if we argue the case effectively and there are ways of doing that.

In turn, given there are indeed no guidelines, which is certainly unsatisfactory, then it would surely be unlikely a new set of people would come up with the same punishment, given it is little more than a figure plucked out of thin air.

I think we have a better chance of achieving that if we drop all this corruption stuff. That will only get backs up and is not in our interests.

I would also like to mention the 3 man committee headed by a KC who had a long association with Leeds and an ex-West Ham finance director.

I would also like to ask the question as to how this committee is claimed to be independent.

That being so, he properly focuses on the absence of any clear set of guidelines that the member clubs have been made aware of as to the sort of punishment that could be imposed should they be found to have breached the rules about profitability and sustainability.

The points that he rightly raises on this matter should have been a part of Everton's case as presented to the commission.

Furthermore, this freedom to judge as they see fit without any sentencing guidelines, as it were, has opened the door in my view to set loose a period of legal warfare, club vs club, somewhat encouraged by the observations of the commission recorded in Lyndon's article. Again why was this sort of insight not presented to the commission by those representing the club?

Having read the press today, there is no doubt that, notwithstanding Everton's shortcomings as noted above, there is a groundswell of "questioning" as to the commission and how it came to the "10-point" conclusion. Let's hope it builds.

These considerations and facts must surely affect positively in Everton´s point of view to the handling of our appeal and reduce significantly, if not altogether our sanction, at least when considering our immensely unjust and harsh points deduction penalty.

Hopefully Everton´s representatives who make and present our appeal are aware of this letter. Burnham should also be in contact with Everton Football Club, if he already hasn´t been. Good the read what Mary Eagle has done, too. Supports everything what has lately already been done in Parliament by various MP´s.

And many Evertonians, who write here in ToffeeWeb, have also acted admirably in these couple of weeks by contacting with emails the Premier League and various MP´s, etc.

We must hope and believe, as Colin Chong assured us, that Everton´s appeal defends our case vehemently, including all these details and facts which have been lately presented.

I haven´t been inclined to think that the Premier League is purposefully corrupt, though its a good campaign word in our case and it was great to see the word paraded at Goodison on Sunday. But if our appeal doesn´t considerably mitigate, or even wipe out, our points sanction, then the Premier League, you could say in its insanity, shows total disrespect and dishonesty towards Everton, and I also must start to think that the Premier League after all and indeed is corrupt.

Our case is gathering pace and widespread support, I am starting to believe we may come out of the other side in a better place

During the half time interval yesterday, I was down on the concourse and was fuming, not with the performance of our efforts, although with better finishing we could, and probably should have been ahead, but with the performance of the on field officials. Two major incidents which I can remember, was the booking of Doucoure, who I think was booked for “Complaining” about the ball being kicked away by an opponent after the whistle had blown for a free kick. Is this not a booking offence anymore, or perhaps only when committed by us? The other was the scything challenge by Fernandes on Jack Harrison on the right hand touchline. The referee appeared to wave play on, due to us having an advantage, but which very quickly diminished, because there was no advantage, so why didn’t the ref go back and award us the free kick and book Fernandes? So as I say, I was fuming, and saying that the whole world is against us, and I even said that it wouldn’t be a bad thing if we did go down, because at least we’d have none of this VAR shite to contend with, and bloody useless referees.

Which leads me to my final point…………..would we all take the ten points deduction remaining, but no club having any case for compensation from us, or the ten point deduction vastly reduced, maybe even suspended, but other clubs can claim compensation?

We can, and will, get out and stay out of the bottom three, but any claims for excessive compensation would probably see us go into administration.

P.S….was only joking about the going down bit.

At the moment football stinks!!

A season in the championship might not be as bad as it sounds, away from a league that has become full of shite, imo.

It’s all about controversy in the big league, ask Dermot Gallagher, a man who gives an opinion each week, that simply doesn’t count.

He’s avoided getting embroiled in the emotional, disproportionate, unfair, he did/we did aspects of the case, and deals purely with their total lack of a protocol & sanctions policy agreed and voted-in with their 20 member clubs before embarking on their pursuit of our club, in their normal make it up as you go fashion.

Furthermore, he’s now brought the monarchy and government into the equation, by referencing the Kings Speech, and copying in the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, plus the Shadow Secretary of State. Meaning the Tories can’t ignore it, because if they do Labour will take up the mantle with a vengeance.

Add to this the likes of Mary Eagles being onboard and Martin Samuels & his media colleagues also being on the case, means the EPL are now well and truly under the microscope. Meaning they now have to treat us with respect, and there’s no more “make it up as you go”. Just using us as their chosen sacrificial lamb, as part of their political games, to be seen by the Government to be making an example of someone.

Good Man Andy👍

It’s stinks, and each day it seems the football world is acknowledging that it stinks.

Let’s hope Everton, can turn the cards on this trumped up book of charges and penalties.

It’s going to be interesting to to see which side of their double edged sword the EPL, and their cronies, fall on, but the EPLs govern cannot be allowed to be maintained, in it current format and representation, until it’s governed annually by a Parliament approved body.

UTFTs!

Without seeing the judgment/award -10 points for Everton feels harsh for a straightforward FFP breach to me. But reinforces that sanctions against City (if proven) and now Chelsea (if charged and admitted on the off-books payments) will be potentially relegation inducing.

In his assessment of Andy Burnham's letter to the Premier League he writes in a tweet:

What a load of nonsense, written by a fan masquerading as someone in *relevant* authority. He should save his letter for other clubs within Greater Manchester 👀.

It was within Everton's gift to argue these technical legal arguments at the Commission itself. There is no abuse of process in circumstances where the Commission specifically refused to follow whatever the PL's suggestions were and where the PL clarified an apparent “misunderstanding” (para 89) such that the PL's tariff was considered nothing more than a submission.

What on earth the PL was playing at introducing sanctions to its Board on 10 August 2023 but neither mentioning them to the clubs nor incorporating them in the rule book is a good question but an irrelevant one for the Independent Commission especially in circumstances where it specifically said it ignored them.

Given the stance of the IC there is clearly no prejudice whatsoever. The idea that once they had heard the PLs suggestions they could not ignore them is a hopeless argument – hence Everton never ran it.

Asking for an effective retrial rather than an appeal is also a totally hopeless argument.

So what's the point in the letter outside of guest piece in a fanzine?

As someone mentioned earlier, he carefully draws in disparate parties that the Premier League will not want breathing down their necks.

Let's face it, the Premier League are a load of amateurs in everything they do except preserving interests of the 'boy band' teams of the Big 6. I think that the antipathy that the Premier League have demonstrated to us will only be a foretaste of what is to come for others, unless we overcome now.

I think they have always shown greater fealty to those increasingly privileged clubs, but now their actions are becoming more transparent – it is as if they are becoming complacent, and this will ultimately be their undoing. Or, to put it another way, they think they are more 'fly' than they actually are.

I have read (or tried to read) Mike Gow's document and I get the impression that this would demolish those idiots on the IC panel, who seem to have treated our whole affair like a diverting formality, probably to get a nice little payout and some decent lunches to reach a pre-determined conclusion and impose a recommended sanction.

So, it is clear to me that the Premier League have no ability to self-regulate fairly, and our case should be heard in the appropriate court. Everton's future is too big a concern for the people of Merseyside, the supporters across the planet and their role in the business of the country to be determined by these self-serving amateurs.

Furthermore, this whole affair could see us out of business. How can the Premier League explain that their PSR rules are protecting clubs if that is a worst-case scenario? And have they had a quiet word with Nottm Forest yet?

I am an instinctive person, and I have felt since the very outset of this that there are agencies above and within the Premier League for whom Everton are an inconvenience, and an opportunity has been seen and taken. They had probably not banked on the response that they are going to get, and Andy's letter could play a pivotal role in that.

Please, Andy, you mustn't just stop with this letter. Get them on the ropes.

That might be so but, in terms of the letter, I tend to Barry 57's opinion, or that of the lawyer he references, on the quality and relevance of the content. If I were unfair, I'd describe it as windbagging.

If you want to look at how a more carefully crafted legal argument might look, read the Mike Gow thread and full original article.

Must admit I was tempted to post previously to point out that the Premier League gave the independent commission complete freedom to levy whatever penalty they see fit. That's what it says in the rules in the Handbook.

Yes, it seems really dumb for the Premier League to have 'interferred' with the independent process by including these new sanction guidelines in their submission as a new 'policy' — without it being ratified by 14 or more clubs. But is that enough to get us some leniency?

Only time will tell!!!

Also, the commission did specifically claim they had ignored any 'guidance' provided by the Premier League and indeed done what they saw fit. So that kinda deflates Andy Burnham's points, methinks.

The glaring weakness seems to be the commission's complete failure to explain any rational basis for the 10-point deduction. I'm impressed by Mike Gow's declared war on this point.

He is going to point out one by one each discrepancy in the judgement of the Independent Commission.

Already he has got the Premier League caught in a lie.

Hopefully he will move on to whether the Commission was actually independent.

The point I can't get my head around is being able to deduct points from a club mid-season. We are punished with 10 points but it will also now inevitably affect us in every game we play. Against Utd I thought it was clear the players were told not to be too aggressive at the start to avoid early trouble with the ref. The players are in a terrible position now. And then how can you suddenly change the picture again with a different points deduction on appeal. It is unfair on all the teams involved.

But deducting 10 points mid-season seemingly after a changed rule is absolutely unbelievable and surely someone at the Premier League will have the common sense to rectify this outrageous mistake. What other sport would do this?

There are so many discrepancies with the judgement a clever lawyer should make mincemeat of it.

Very well argued.

Thank you.

It may still not be referenced in the appeal but kept as an argument for a lawsuit against the Premier League in a real court.

As Mark Taylor says, the Premier League PRS rules state the commission has unlimited powers to punish, so they must justify their calculation and why it is so harsh compared to say, administration, which this penalty will actually push us closer to.

Short of getting most of the points back, I think we are down. Being even more pessimistic, we could easily fold within 5 years if we incur more points deductions and we are unable to cover the hundreds of millions that we have in debts.

No idea what we have done to anger the Premier League so much. Never caused trouble to have all clubs banned from Europe, never threatened to form a breakaway Super League. Always respectful during minutes silences etc.

We don't attack away teams' coaches. Always have been an excellent advert for the Premier Leaguewith a passionate fantastic fanbase. Yet they seem determined to destroy the club.

This is a really big issue, affecting many more issues beyond the world of football, and all our Political Leaders can help. So come on everybody, get them all involved.

If I can figure how to do it, I will post any reply I get from Margaret.

I think this is the first time I have read your proposal, Andy Burnham for Chairman. What a great idea, precisely what we have lacked, sensible strong leadership.

Sadly the idea is unlikely as he still must have lofty political ambitions, but when all this current mess is over, we must do our best to ensure whoever is to be the new custodians have some credibility and relevant experience.

After all, this is our club, and we cannot allow those in charge to have a free passage without proper scrutiny.

The downside is that that prick Simon Jordan is now trying to be controversial and put him down.

Cheap shots to simply cause interest in their show.