Nottingham Forest should not get points deduction for ‘minor breach’ – ex-Premier League CEO
Former Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness has claimed Nottingham Forest should not face a points deduction for their “minor breach” of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) rules.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted he has “sympathy” with the Midlands club for trying to “safeguard their investment” and “secure their place” in the top tier.
Forest were charged with breaching PSR rules in January after their 2022-23 accounts were released – with the club allegedly exceeding their £61million allowable losses over three years up to the end of last season.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are set to hear the verdict of their trial before the end of the 2023-24 campaign with a potential points deduction on the cards if found guilty.
‘I have sympathy’ for Nottingham Forest over FFP breach, says expert
Everton have already been found guilty of a similar breach and handed an immediate 10-point deduction.
Forest signed no fewer than 30 players in the 2022-23 campaign following their promotion from the Championship.
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “From what I’ve read – I have no inside knowledge of the situation at Forest – it seems to come down to player spending.
“It’s such a minor breach. The players they’ve bought have hardly destabilised the whole Premier League.
“Forest are supposed to be competing in the Premier League against clubs like Man City. These rules are not built on common sense.
“When it comes to the practice of implementing the rules, we’re finding clubs like Forest are being penalised.
“With Forest, I have sympathy. All they’re trying to do is safeguard their investment and secure their place in the Premier League.
“They bought a lot of players, but they weren’t exactly egregious with their spending.
“All they did was have a fair shot at trying to stay in the Premier League.
“I don’t really see the need to give them a points deduction for that.”
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