An independent disciplinary commission has ruled that Southend United will be given a suspended three point penalty after breaking EFL regulations. Furthermore, the Blues will be forced to pay a fine of £7,500.
Independent Commission Decides Southend United Punishment
Two EFL Charges
The club were referred to an independent disciplinary commission for paying some players late back in December 2019 and February this year.
The commission also considered a further charge that the EFL brought against them. Southend fielded an ineligible player in their February clash against Lincoln City, thought to be young defender Miles Mitchell-Nelson.
The Shrimpers won’t actually lose the points unless they are found guilty of breaking another EFL regulation between now and six months into next season.
A statement on the club’s website read: “The club accepted the charges and submitted arguments in mitigation to explain the specific circumstances which led to the breaches occurring.
“The disciplinary commission accepted these arguments and in reaching its decision noted, in particular, the club’s previously “unblemished” disciplinary record.”
Southend are also responsible for paying the legal costs incurred by the case.
A Relief for Southend United
This will come as quite welcome news for United, who feared they could be given an immediate points deduction. This would have plunged them into further relegation danger, taking them 19 points adrift of safety with only 11 games remaining if the season does ever resume.
Manager Sol Campbell will also be glad that the prospect of starting next season on a negative points tally has been eliminated – unless the Shrimpers breach another regulation.
Currently, Southend sit second from bottom in League One. They’ve only picked up 19 points from 35 games. That puts them 16 points behind AFC Wimbledon, who occupy 20th place. Unsurprisingly, the club will suffer relegation to League Two if the clubs vote to decide the final standings on any points-per-game model.
The EFL have insisted that promotion and relegation won’t be scrapped, even if the season can’t be finished.
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