EFL Championship: Sheffield Wednesday to begin 2020-21 season with 12-point deficit

English football’s second-tier club Sheffield Wednesday will begin the 2020-21 Championship season with a 12-point deficit over their peers. The club have been sanctioned for breaching profit and sustainability rules, English Football League (EFL) announced. Wednesday, one of the oldest clubs in English football, were charged with misconduct by EFL in November 2019 after the club sold the Hillsborough Stadium to their Thai owner Dejphon Chansiri in an effort to ensure they did not breach spending rules. A hearing last month found Wednesday guilty of having included profits from the sale in the club’s financial statements for the period ending July 2018. “Sheffield Wednesday will receive a 12 point deduction for breaching the League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules for the three-season reporting period ending with season 2017-18,” the EFL said in a statement. “The sporting sanction will take effect in season 2020-21.” EFL went on to add that the club were not guilty of “deliberately concealing information” on the filings from the league. Wednesday, in a statement, said they acknowledged the decision of the independent disciplinary commission and were “extremely disappointed” by the points deduction. “The club will await the written reasons for the sanction and upon receipt will digest and consider the full detail with its legal advisers before making any further comment,” Wednesday said in a statement. Since the deduction applies next season, Sheffield Wednesday retain their 16th place in the Championship. Had the decision been applicable for 2019-20, The Owls would have dropped to the League One – having finished eight points above the relegation zone. Charlton Athletic, who finished third from bottom, and were relegated to the third division, questioned the decision to punish Wednesday next season. The London based club have threatened a legal challenge. “We fail to understand why the deduction will take place next season rather than the current season, which seems to be irrational, and are writing to the EFL to get an explanation of the justification,” Charlton said in a statement.