Derby County will be fined £100,000 but STILL face a threat of relegation for breaking financial rules and the EFL will produce TWO fixture lists today – one with the Rams in the Championship and the other with them playing in League One next season
- Independent commission has sanctioned Derby County for breaching EFL accountancy rules
- EFL and Derby have a right of appeal and the league has left possibility of a retrospective points deduction open
- EFL says it will publish ‘interchangeable’ fixture lists this morning which allow for the possibility that Derby and Wycombe Wanderers could swap places
Derby County will be fined £100,000 for breaching EFL accountancy rules following a decision from an independent commission, but still face the threat of relegation if a retrospective points deduction is imposed.
In a late-night statement on Wednesday, the EFL revealed it has created ‘interchangeable’ fixture lists, which could see Derby playing in the Championship next season, or League One.
If the Rams, who narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of the season finishing fourth bottom, do go down, it would see Wycombe Wanderers, who finished third bottom, promoted back to the Championship.
Derby manager Wayne Rooney celebrated his side’s Championship survivallast season
The fixture lists will be released at 9am on Thursday and since both the EFL and Derby have the right to appeal the commission’s findings the possibility of a retrospective points deduction remains.
In a statement, the EFL said: ‘The club has also been ordered to file restated accounts for financial years ending 30 June 2016, 2017 and 2018 that meet the requirements of FRS102, together with updated Profit & Sustainability calculations if necessary.
‘Both Derby County and the EFL have the right to appeal that sanction decision.
‘That being the case, ahead of the publication of the 2021/22 season fixture lists on 24 June at 9am, the EFL can confirm that it has developed an interchangeable fixture list for Derby County and Wycombe Wanderers, while the disciplinary process is finalised.’
Wycombe would be restored to the Championship if Derby were hit with a points deduction
The announcement of disciplinary action, which came at 11.50pm on Wednesday, is the latest twist in a long running saga, which relates to how Derby value players in their accounts.
Derby were originally charged in January 2020 over allegedly breaching financial rules. Last August an independent disciplinary commission cleared the Rams of any wrongdoing but the EFL pressed forward with an appeal over a second charge, specific to amortisation.
An Independent league arbitration panel overturned the original decision and concluded the Rams had failed to meet standards on player amortisation.