Talk of appeal ruling in EFL dispute with Derby but no confirmation

THERE is still no official confirmation, despite reports claiming Derby County are set to lose their dispute with the EFL.

Reports circulated from lunchtime yesterday saying the outcome of the EFL’s appeal has been decided in their favour.

They charged Derby in January last year over allegedly breaching financial rules but in August an independent disciplinary commission cleared the Rams of any wrongdoing.

The following month, September 2020, the EFL announced it would appeal against the dismissal of a second charge over how the Rams measured the value of players over the length of a contract.

The appeal is specific to the club’s policy on “amortisation of intangible assets”, an EFL statement explained at the time.

Derby responded in September by issuing a statement that said they were “surprised and disappointed” to hear the EFL had decided to appeal and that they would “vigorously resist the appeal.”

The appeal hearing was held in March by an independent disciplinary commission.

If Derby have lost then any punishment could range from a fine to a points deduction, although it appears unlikely any sanction would be imposed until next season.

This season does not end officially until the Championship play-off final has been played. The EFL has declined to comment on the matter all along, saying only that it is ongoing. Nor have Derby commented.

Wycombe Wanderers, who finished one place Rob Couhig below the Rams and were

relegated to League One, are monitoring the situation and have not ruled out legal action themselves.

“I don’t know that the season is over yet,” Chairboys owner Rob Couhig told The Mirror.

“To me, we have accumulated all the points we can and now we will see what happens. People tell me that Derby County has some issues out there. I don’t know whether we’re ready to go to lawyers yet”