The English Football League docked Championship side Reading six points after an FFP breach. The governing body issued the penalty after the club failed to obey certain budgetary restrictions. Reading faced warnings about the financial issue regarding EFL’s profitability and sustainability rules.
The Royals have been in trouble with the EFL for a few years now. They were also previously given a similar six-point deduction in 2021 for losing over $70 million between 2017 and 2021. The organization’s loss limit for clubs during this timeframe was around $48 million. New sanctions given to Reading essentially came down to the club not doing enough to reverse these financial problems.
Club accepts ruling, but claims to be on the right track
Reading has accepted the new points deduction. But, it did claim that they were making strides with their internal issues.
“In abiding by the EFL rules, the club have not spent a penny on transfer fees since the summer of 2020 and have not paid a loan fee to any club since the summer of 2019. Our squad has been entirely rebuilt from free transfers, free loanees and Academy graduates,” an official statement by the club read.
“Every single professional contract proposed has been scrutinized and ratified by the EFL before it has been offered and we have operated under a mutually-agreed capped wage bill imposed following our breach of the profit and sustainability regulations – our wage bill has been almost halved since the start of the 2019-20 season.”
FFP breach leaves Reading in precarious position
John Potterill-Tilney, director of the independent club financial reporting unit, applauded Reading’s cooperation during the difficult process. He also claimed that the decision will help the club’s plan going forward.
“This decision and sanction, as confirmed by the Club Financial Review Panel in a short time frame, within the relevant season, will now give the club clarity to plan for the period ahead, on and off the pitch,” stated Potterill-Tilney.
Along with their financial issues, the club has problems on the pitch as well. Reading now sit 20th in the Championship table, just one point from the relegation zone. The Royals have not won a match since February 25, a stretch of six games. They now only have seven fixtures remaining on the schedule to attempt to avoid relegation.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Colorsport
