Sheffield Wednesday points deduction cut in half

The Owls were punished over the sale and lease-back of Hillsborough to club owner Dejphon Chansiri. That in itself was a permitted way of avoiding running up more than the £39m losses permitted in the Championship over a three-year period, but it was the way it was done and the timing of the move which incurred the wrath of the authorities.

Wednesday included the profits from the sale of the ground in their 2017-18 financial results, despite them not being made until the following year.

Despite pressure for the matter to resolved last season when the club were fighting relegation, a verdict was delayed until the summer by the independent commission looking into the matter. The club were furious with the initial charge, describing it as “unlawful”, and when the verdict was announced, they immediately said they would appeal and although they have been unable to overturn the verdict, they have at least reduced the size of the punishment.

The news means that Wednesday are no longer bottom of the table, moving above Wycombe Wanderers and to within a point of safety in the Championship. Derby County and Nottingham Forest, either side of the safety line, were both on six points before Wednesday's games, but had a better goal difference.

Manager Garry Monk had set his team the target of clearing their deficit by the international break which starts next week. With one match of that timeframe to play, they were on minus one after Tuesday's victory over previously unbeaten Bournemouth.

"The independent panel has today rejected the club’s appeal related to matters surrounding the stadium sale and on consideration of the sanction; they did not agree with the club’s assertion that a points deduction should not have been imposed," read a Football League statement on Wednesday night. "However, they did opt to reduce the sporting punishment from 12 points to six, which will be effective immediately."

Had the initial 12-point deduction been applied last season, it would have sent Wednesday into League One, but a six-point deduction would not do that, perhaps justifying the Football League's decision not to impose the penalty straight away.

Chansiri, John Redgate and Katrien Meire – respectively finance director and chief executive at the time of the controversial sale – were handed individual charges over the matter, but these were later dropped.

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