Grimsby chief in support of appeal

GRIMSBY Town chairman Philip Day was among several club officials to voice their concern over the decision to deduct Macclesfield two points last month and believes the EFL are right to appeal.

Mr Day says he and many other League Two chairmen think the committee came to the wrong decision and that it should be appealed – giving Stevenage a last-gasp hope of a reprieve.

“My stance is very similar to a lot of League Two clubs,” he said. “It is not a question of do we want Stevenage or do we want Macclesfield to be relegated.

“It is more a case of whether the decision of the tribunal was the right one.

“It was a strange decision, it really was. For a club in financial peril, to say to them we won’t deduct a lot of points but we will fine them £20,000 – it just seems an illogical approach, and adding to their financial burden.

“At one of our previous meetings, the overwhelming view of League Two clubs was that it should be an automatic three points for a first offence, second offence - six points, and so on. So if clubs do not pay their players, they will know they will incur that penalty.

“Hopefully that would encourage clubs to make sure they pay everybody on time.”