If you scan the major football news sites it is impossible to avoid the ongoing legal saga at Queens Park Rangers, that is overshadowing the fine achievement of gaining promotion to the Premier League.
Before I give my analysis/ramblings on the situation I think I should not that my views are based on my opinion of what is right rather than sound legal concepts or an understanding of the finer points of the rules around third party ownership.
I will not attempt to break down the case against Rangers or look to justify the club in their actions in the purchase of Alejandro Faurlin.
Instead I will look at the quandaryof what to do facing those in the halls of power, should QPR be found guilty ot the charges against them.
This year Queens Park Rangers have secured promotion as champions on merit with a mixture of flair and consistency and the possibility that they could be stripped of this due to a points deduction on a technicality seems criminal.
If QPR broke the rules then few will dispute that they should be punished, however with the transfer taking place last season any point deductions applied to this season seem misplaced.
Traditionally punishments are designed to correct behaviour and/or compensate the wronged party. With it difficult to directly identify a wronged party (aside from the FA) the question is whether the FA will seek to make an example of Neil Warnock’s side and whether denying them a place in the Premier League is reasonable?
Then again with the court case likely to be delayed the FA could know beforehand the number of points QPR have secured promotion by and allow them to dock sufficient points to claim a tough line without impacting the placings this season.
With one game to play Queens Park Rangers could seal promotion by between six and twelve points giving potential for quite a lot of leeway for the FA.
The only thing I can conclude at the moment is that we are in for a rollercoaster weekend with the potential for many twists and turns and there are few that would want to be making this decision, too harsh and you deny a dream, too lenient and the media will take aim at the FA.
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