Everton fan’s view: Premier League’s 10-point penalty simply doesn’t add up

Club admitted guilt with plenty of mitigation but the process lacked transparency as media leaks undermined integrity

The outpouring of disbelief from the club, from the supporter base and no doubt several other Premier League clubs facing similar problems to Everton’s is palpable. A sporting sanction of 10 points for a breach of profitability and sustainability rules. A breach, admitted by the club albeit with significant mitigating factors – the stadium build and the technical accounting treatment of interest costs, the unique market conditions created by Covid-19 at a time when the club was in its investment stage of development, and of course, the treatment of player X and its consequential economic impact.

Evertonians will freely admit that for much of Farhad Moshiri’s tenure, money had been plentiful but common sense, good strategy and execution much less so. His desire to build a team capable of competing at the higher levels of the Premier League and his commitment to a new stadium was never at odds with the expansionist policies beloved and rewarded so handsomely by the Premier League. In a sense, Moshiri’s ambition was the embodiment of the Premier League.

Paul Quinn is an Everton fan, writer and podcaster and a contributor to the Observer’s fans’ network. TheEsk.org; @TheEsk