Championship clubs will today meet at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground in a bid to force the EFL to increase the transparency over the Profitability and Sustainability statements provided by clubs.
Middlesbrough owner Steve Gibson is leading calls for an investigation by the EFL into the financial accounts of Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Forest’s arch-rivals, Derby County.
Interim EFL chairwoman Debbie Jevans is expected to be caught up in the middle of the warfare between clubs on either side of the debate, with many believed to be siding with the Boro chief.
Villa, the Owls and Derby have come close to breaking FFP rules after spending big in attempting to try and win promotion to the Premier League.
It was reported by the Telegraph earlier this month that Gibson believes the trio “are attempting to bypass the new profitability and sustainability rules by unfair means”.
Eyes were raised recently when Derby posted a profit in their latest accounts, thanks to owner Mel Morris buying Pride Park stadium and leasing it back to the club enabling a much-needed cash injection.
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Sheffield Wednesday have delayed releasing their figures for 2017/18 until next month, and Gibson wants a change to the rules.
In order for a change in regulation 75 percent (18/24) of the second tier’s clubs must agree.
With Villa, Wednesday and Derby set to oppose them, it will be interesting to see who could join them in battling against Gibson’s plans at the City Ground, which the Telegraph suggest ‘could trigger an inter-club war’.
This season has been a historic one, as far as FFP is concerned, after Birmingham City were deducted nine points for breaching the financial rules after losing more than the approved £39m over three years.
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That EFL decision drew a line in the sand – a benchmark for all other clubs to be wary of.
With that in mind, a number of clubs who spent big in the summer, such as Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion, could be mindful of which mast they nail their colours to, should they, in Albion's case, fail to earn promotion through the play-offs.
