EX-CEO backs Reds in PSR breach fight

FORMER Everton chief executive Keith Wyness believes Nottingham Forest should not face a points deduction.

In January, Forest were charged with an alleged breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR). They were joined by Everton, who have appealed the charge after already being docked 10 points for a single PSR breach earlier this season.

Upon their return to the top flight, Forest signed a total of 30 players last season and sold Brennan Johnson to Tottenham Hotspur the following summer to help balance their finances.

However, Wyness, who previously worked as CEO at Everton and Aston Villa, believes the possibility of docked points would be too harsh a punishment for Forest.

“From what I’ve read - I have no inside knowledge of the situation at Forest - it seems to come down to player spending. It’s such a minor breach. The players they’ve bought have hardly destabilised the whole Premier League,” Wyness told Football Insider.

“Forest are supposed to be competing in the Premier League against clubs like Man City. These rules are not built on common sense. When it comes to the practice of implementing the rules, we’re finding clubs like Forest are being penalised.

“With Forest, I have sympathy. All they’re trying to do is safeguard their investment and secure their place in the Premier League,” he added. “They bought a lot of players, but they weren’t exactly egregious with their spending.

“All they did was have a fair shot at trying to stay in the Premier League. I don’t really see the need to give them a points deduction for that.”

Premier League clubs are allowed to make a maximum loss of £105 million across a rolling threeyear period, or £35m each season. For recently promoted teams, including Forest, that is reduced to £61m in losses: £13m for their previous two seasons in the Championship, plus £35m last season. The extent to which the club have breached the limit is not yet known.

A recent revision to the rules means that the process will be concluded and any potential punishments applied to Forest within the same season. Following the charge in January, a hearing by an independent commission must be concluded by April 8.