News day story
Hope for Sheffield Wednesday fans in wake of EFL bombshell
Sheffield Wednesday fans should take credit from the fact other clubs weren’t punished for the sale of their stadium as they await the EFL’s sentence, a football finance expert has claimed.
It was announced last week that the owls had been charged with breaches of the football leagues profit and sustainability rules leaving many fans asking questions.
But Dan Plumley Sheffield Hallam University lecturer said the club could take faith from the lack of punishment handed to Derby County and Reading FC.
He said: “The Derby sale went through for £81 million, there’s definitely something there to say if Wednesday sold theirs for £60 million then you’ll have to look at Derby’s sale for £81 million.
“The Reading one was around £27 million so that’s no being looked at as closely.”
The EFL released a statement late last Thursday stating that Wednesday had been charged in relation to the Club’s 2017/18 Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) submission.
Mr Plumley said : “In simple terms they’ve basically sold their stadium Hillsborough back to owner who has then leased it back to the club so he’s sold the stadium to generate a profit in the accounts.
“This makes the accounts look better than they would be otherwise, and enables them to comply with financial fair play which is not illegal.
“The Football League are looking at the time of the sale and when it was put in the accounts and whether or not the value which is around £60 million price tag is a true value of the stadium.”
There is not a set punishment for the offence Wednesday have been charged with however there are a few possible outcomes depending what the football league decide.
The finance expert said: “The worst-case scenario would be fine and points deduction the best case is slap on the wrist and small fine.
“Expulsion from the league is possible however it probably won’t go that far.”
The EFL has not announced when it will hand the owls the punishment.
Mr Plumley said: “It will most likely be months rather than weeks, take Birmingham for an example, that took around 7-8 months for a decision to be made it was raised in July and wasn’t unlit April when they got the points deduction.
“Wednesday have said they will challenge so this won’t be resolved in weeks you’re probably talking months and much closer to the end of the season.”
Fan opinion on VAR
Sheffield United fans have been left fuming after VAR caused controversy again in their defeat to Newcastle United.
VAR was the main talking point again as Jonjo Shelvey scored a goal mid-way through the second half which was initially flagged for offside, however was later given by the team at Stockley park.
Blades fans took to twitter to voice their opinion about the decision last night.
@blades_mad said “Absolutely shafted by the officials and VAR. Lino flags for offside. Defence stop. Goal stands. Biggest VAR joke of the entire season.”
The 2-0 loss to Newcastle wasn’t the only time VAR has had an effect on United’s games in the Premier League the season.
Chris Wilder’s side had a goal harshly disallowed when they visited Tottenham Hotspur stadium earlier in the season after John Lundstrams toe was judged to be offside.
Blades fan Luke Shepherd “I think it’s had a negative effect, the technology, the way that they use it is all wrong. Things like giving offsides for being half an inch off is ruining the game, the passion is getting sucked out of it.”
Referees have been criticised for not using their pitch-side monitor this season, with no referee using them yet.
Mr shepherd said “Yes definitely I’ve not seen one do it yet in the premier league and if the ref went to the monitor it would clear things up a lot quicker, and a lot less drama.”
The blades travel to Norwich on Sunday with a chance to bounce back from their defeat in midweek.
They currently sit ninth in the premier league but a win could see them go as high as sixth.
Jordon Rhodes Feature
The main image from Sheffield Wednesdays 4-0 win at Nottingham forrest was Jordon Rhodes clutching the matchball after he netted a first half hat-rick.
However it was what was written on the matchball that told the full story.
Etched onto the ball was ‘back from the dead’ – akin to the striker’s first goal’s in over 300 days.
The once prolific striker was signed by Carlos Carvalhal in January 2017 for a club record fee however has not hit the heights that were expected of him.
Later that season the owls suffered heartbreak in the Championship play-offs, going out on penalty’s in the semi final to Huddersfield Town where Rhodes refused to step up from 12 yards.
He found himself competing with a host of other strikers at the time including Sam Winall, Steven Fletcher and Fernando Forristieri to name a few.
Rhodes had only scored eight in over 50 appearances for the owls before being shipped out on loan to promotion winners Norwich last season.
The 29 year old had been frozen out of Wednesdays squad up until their midweek fixture against Derby County where he was handed his first start where he impressed.
Owls boss Garry Monk then named him in his starting 11 at the City Ground on Saturday – and he certainly repaid the faith shown by his boss.
The former blackburn man netted the perfect hat-trick in just 37 minutes including an acrobatic overhead kick.
It was some return for a striker who hasn’t hit the back of the net for Wednesday in 20 months.
Only time will tell if Rhodes can maintain his rich vain of form and return to his former self.
The first chance to show that will be at home to Bristol city on Sunday, the first match of a busy festive schedule.
Wednesday also face a boxing day trip to stoke before returning to Hillsborough to face Cardiff City and Hull city on New Years day.
Ben Stokes feature
After a nightmare world T20 final in 2016 and being stripped of vice captaincy after a late night drunken brawl in 2017, Ben Stoke must’ve felt like the whole world had fallen down on him.
However fast forward to 2019 and he is a world cup winner, ashes hero and the sports personality of the year, the England all rounders rise back up has been nothing short of miraculous.
The England star was hit for 4 sixes in the final over of the T20 world cup final which seemed impossible to loose leaving him close to tears.
Stokes was arrested in September 2017 when he got into a bust up outside a Bristol nightclub and later charged under suspicion of affray, although was found not guilty almost a year later.
His career began to get back on track when he and his teammates won the world cup for his country in a dramatic final against New Zealand which he played a huge part in.
Attentions then turned to the ashes where he went from strength to strength almost single handedly keeping the series alive at Headingly racking up 135 runs to win the test.
To top his 2019 he won the BBC sports personality of the year fighting off sports stars such as Raheem Sterling and Lewis Hamilton.
The New Zealand born cricketer made his England debut in 2011 and has since broke numerous records.
He was given and stripped of vice captaincy in 2017 before being handed it back for the latest ashes series.
Next up England have a test series against South Africa to contest which begins on boxing day.
liams blog 