dtp, on Jul 16 2008, 01:10 PM, said:
First of all I have to say I feel sorry for the supporters of Luton - I've enjoyed a little banter with them over the years and fully appreciated their response to the vintage Glyn Hurst goal.
However, the buck has to stop somewhere - I think a 15 points, not 20, would have been in line with previous punishments but I don't know the full circumstances.
Again though, look what happened at Rotherham (again I feel for their supporters) - the lot that took them out of admin the last but one time led them back into admin rather quickly again - why? Because they didn't handle the finances cautiously enough. They spent when other clubs prudently didn't. Their spending gave them an advantage in playing terms over those clubs that handled their budgets better - isn't that unfair competition? So equally it would be unfair to allow such clubs to do this willy nilly by not punishing them.
I don't disagree that something has to be done to ensure a level playing field. In that case a deduction should apply to the season in which the advantage is percieved to have been gained. At the moment we are looking at a severe deduction being imposed before a ball has been kicked. I also can see that there are some situations that deserve a punishment whatever other circumstances occur. However, the FLs position has continued to harden with the number and severity of penaties rising and yet clubs are still getting into difficulties and earning deductions and fines.
This tells me that the FL have thir heads in the sand and refuse to acknowledge that the current approach is failing and needs an urgent review. In particular they might ask why people who are undoubtedly unfit to run a football club are still apparently taking control of the clubs under the FLs influence with such ease. That requires judgements to be made and action to be taken before the event not afterwards.
In the case of Luton it wouldn't be unreasonable to say that the deductions meted out mean the club will be relegated. If that is the FLs intention then they should stand up and be counted and relegate Luton. If not then they should review the deductions and ensure that they are reasonable in relation to what I always assumed was their intent - that is, to ensure Luton gain no advantage from their misdemeanours.