Luton To Face 30-point Deduction

[marshbags]

BBC Sport, Page last updated at 17:11 GMT, Thursday, 10 July 2008 18:11 UK

Luton to face 30-point deduction

Luton will start next season on an unprecedented minus 30 points after a ruling by the Football League.

The Hatters had already been deducted 10 points by the Football Association after being found guilty of misconduct for paying agents via a third party.

And the company which will take over the club has now been told it must accept a further 20-point deduction in order to be allowed in the League.

The penalty came after Luton failed to satisfy the League's insolvency rules.

The combined 30-point deduction is the biggest in Football League history, giving Luton an extraordinarily difficult task in trying to avoid relegation for the third season in a row. Bookmakers have already made them 10-1 on favourites to drop down to the Blue Square Premier League.

But the club is appealing against the FA's 10-point deduction for financial irregularities in regard to its dealings with agents, with the case set to be heard next week.

The 20-point additional penalty related to the club's inability to agree a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) to exit administration, with the Football League pointing out that this is the third time in 10 years that Luton have been in such a position.

Once again a policy of honesty is not recognised at all by the footballing authorities who claim they want to clean up the game

LT2020 director Stephen Browne

The Football League board also imposed the condition that Luton Town 2020 (LT2020), the new holding company, must pay any unsecured creditors 16p in the pound and asked it to forego any right of appeal.

LT2020 director Stephen Browne said the club was still being punished for the mistakes of the previous regime in charge at Kenilworth Road.

"We have tried to do everything openly and honestly and we placed our faith in the footballing authorities," said Browne, whose consortium is still in talks with the administrator.

"Obviously the very clear message from both the FA and the Football League is that doing such a thing is a total waste of time.

"Once again the faithful supporters are left high and dry and once again a policy of honesty is not recognised at all by the footballing authorities who claim they want to clean up the game."

But Football League chairman Brian Mawhinney said the board had little option but to take a strong line with Luton.

"The board's primary responsibility is to protect the integrity of their competitions," said Mahwinney.

"This often means making difficult decisions which require balancing the interests of fans, the club's creditors and the other teams in the League.

"We will continue to take that responsibility very seriously."

Browne said that the consortium, fronted by BBC presenter Nick Owen, would not give up despite the points deduction representing a serious setback.

"We will continue the fight by sticking to our principles of openness and honesty," he said.

"People who should, in theory at least, be protecting supporters will not bring us down.

"It's not a laughing matter any more, but even so we will continue to ensure that Luton have a solid and sustainable future, despite what the Football League do to us."

Unquote

Apologies if it,s posted elsewhere.

marshbags

[Macclad]

I think Bournemouth and Rotherham face similar charges of not exiting administration in the correct manner.

Potentially they could be deducted up to 20 points as well so could be good news for the likes of Chester who are expected to struggle in League 2 this season.

[marshbags]

BBC Sport, updated at 21:30 GMT, Friday, 11 July 2008 22:30 UK

Owen devastated by Luton plight

These misdemeanours were carried out by people who are absolutely nothing to do with the club now

Luton Town chairman Nick Owen

Luton Town's prospective new chairman Nick Owen has told BBC London 94.9 that he is "devastated" by the severity of their points deduction.

The club will start the League Two season on minus 30 points after being hit by two separate penalties for various financial irregularities.

"We can't believe the tribunal can be so vindictive," said Owen, head of the consortium about to take over the club.

"What on earth are they thinking of, trying to destroy us like this?"

The Hatters, who have been relegated for two years in a row, had 10 points deducted last month by the Football Association for breaching regulations over agents' fees.

And Luton Town Football Club 2020 (LTFC2020), the company that will take over the club, has now been told by the Football League that they must accept a further 20-point deduction in order to be allowed to stay in the League.

The 20-point deduction came as a punishment to the club failing to agree a Company Voluntary Agreement with creditors after applying to come out of administration.

Owen said the combined effect of the points deduction was excessive and that it has left the club fighting for survival.

"I just do not understand," added the BBC TV presenter. "All right, give us some sort of sanction but 20 points, plus the 10 from the FA, it's just beyond belief. How they think we can survive that, I do not know."

606: DEBATE

Poor old Luton look certainties to be relegated not due to their on-field exploits but those off it!

NorthLincsMiller

The Hatters, who went into administration in November 2007, were deducted 10 points as a result (separate to their two latest penalties), eventually ending the season bottom of League One.

Owen said the penalties should have been imposed last season in order to avoid punishing the club's prospective new owners for offences committed under the previous regime.

"We knew we would get some sort of points deduction and we were hoping it might have been less than 15," he added.

"We were even hoping that, if it was 15, it might have been backdated. All this happened last season and we wanted to come out of administration then.

"The League said 'we want to sort out the Leeds situation first' so the fact it was delayed into the summer was not our fault.

"If it would have been sorted out last season, the extra 15 or 20 points would have been given to us on top of the 10 we'd already got when we went into administration, so it wouldn't have been so bad.

The team we're building will be strong in character and will rise to the challenge.

Luton Town manager Mick Harford

"We're very hopeful that we might get those (the FA agent penalty) points returned to us, so we may only on start minus 20. I say 'only' but that's bad enough - but it's better than minus 30.

"We feel we have a very strong case because these misdemeanours were carried out by people who are absolutely nothing to do with the club now."

One piece of welcome good news has at least come the club's way, Luton manager Mick Harford having committed his future to the Hatters despite their difficulties.

"I have always loved this club but, over recent months, I have realised how much more I will love it when LTFC2020 finally take ownership," said the former Hatters striker.

"I have a great deal of experience in the game but never before have I been so encouraged and enthusiastic about working in such a strong management team.

"It won't be easy by any means but the team we're building will be strong in character and will rise to the challenge.

"We have to remain resolute and confident we can retain our long history in the league and I will give that commitment to Luton Town Football Club and our fabulous supporters."

Unquote

I cannot help thinking that penalties of this magnitude would never be applied to the chosen few in the P.L. nor would they authorities get away with it should they do so.

Yes MC Bournemouth and Rotherham must be wondering about their prospects, if this is anything to go by.

marshbags

Edited July 13, 2008 by marshbags

[CCCP]

I think Bournemouth and Rotherham face similar charges of not exiting administration in the correct manner.

Potentially they could be deducted up to 20 points as well so could be good news for the likes of Chester who are expected to struggle in League 2 this season.

Rotherham United have got a few problems, but their main issue is with the Booth's stealworks company who they lease the ground off.

[marshbags]

I think Bournemouth and Rotherham face similar charges of not exiting administration in the correct manner.

Potentially they could be deducted up to 20 points as well so could be good news for the likes of Chester who are expected to struggle in League 2 this season.

Rotherham United have got a few problems, but their main issue is with the Booth's stealworks company who they lease the ground off.

BBC Sport, last updated at 14:48 GMT, Friday, 11 July 2008 15:48 UK

Millers await creditors' decision

Rotherham chief executive Paul Douglas says a decision from the creditors on whether to accept their Company Voluntary Arrangement is imminent.

It is understood a meeting with the creditors took place on Friday.

"I don't think it'll be any later than early next week when there's an announcement on whether a CVA has been possible," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

The Millers will start the season with a points penalty if the deal is subsequently rejected.

Meanwhile, Rotherham United have responded to a statement from the Football League which says that they have yet to submit a full application to enter the league and play at Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium next season.

Douglas said: "We weren't surprised by the content of the statement, but were by the timing of it.

"We didn't think it was particularly helpful. We were aware that certain items of documentation still needed to be put in."

Rotherham United also say the current situation will not affect pre-season friendlies.

The Football League statement also stated that Rotherham United would need to forfeit a bond of £750,000 to the Football League if they do not move back to the town of Rotherham in four years.

Douglas said: "Whether or not that money would need to be lodged before we move or whether it's something that would simply be a legally binding commitment by the club that it would be paid in the event that we were not back in four years has still to be negotiated."

Unquote

Regarding the move to Sheffields Don Valley Stadium, it has already been decided that the club will move there for next season ( approval wasn,t an issue when it was, some weeks ago, so i don,t know what the ref. to the football league is all about. )

It has been reported on in depth by the local Star Newspaper both before the move and after the decision was taken, which was not, I might add, done so lightly.

From the RUFC web site it,s also acknowledging the move :-

Ref url :- http://www.themillers.premiumtv.co.uk/page...1337920,00.html

They will not regret it, it,s a marvelous stadium with outstanding facilities, and not to far from Rotherham.

Also for additional information please look at the folllowing url :-

http://www.donvalleystadium.co.uk/pages/129/banqueting.html

marshbags

Edited July 13, 2008 by marshbags

[bendix]

Normally I would feel a great deal of sympathy (and empathy) for them, but given the Luton Chairman voted to impose the precedent-setting penalty on Leeds this time last year, and given their fans took great delight in taunting Leeds fans about it at the Luton v Leeds fixture last season, I shall remain quiet.

[chavy]

Normally I would feel a great deal of sympathy (and empathy) for them, but given the Luton Chairman voted to impose the precedent-setting penalty on Leeds this time last year, and given their fans took great delight in taunting Leeds fans about it at the Luton v Leeds fixture last season, I shall remain quiet.

Yes, I agree. What goes around comes around. I would imagine the majority of clubs outside the top flight are teetering on the brink of financial meltdown, most fans should be worrying about their own club rather than taking delight at the down fall of another.........unless it's Derby of coarse