Wanderers or County ?
With teams hurriedly getting their teams in place ready for the new season, the fixtures published, kit launches going on up and down the country and pre-season fixtures being announced and the hope that fans will have unrestricted access to games it all looks good for the season ahead when it all kicks off at the end of July…..fingers crossed, well you would think so wouldn’t you, but that’s not the case as the makeup of the Championship and League 1 are still undecided and it is possible that a crazy scenario will take place not before a ball is kicked in anger but two or three weeks into the season.
Derby County are still very much embroiled in a fight with the EFL that could still see them relegated into League 1 and Wycombe Wanderers who were actually relegated then reprieved. You would hope that the EFL would get this sorted out before the league fixtures get underway on August 7th, but with appeals not due on any decisions made until August 18th, we have the crazy scenario that Wycombe and Derby could start life in one division, play a few games and then a few weeks later find themselves in another division.
Derby are accused of exceeding the spend limit of £39m which could mean a 3 point penalty for breaking Financial Fair Play Rules, that would then mean that despite Derby saving themselves on the last day of the season by 1 point from Wycombe Wanderers, the Bucks side could leapfrog them, and Derby would be condemned to life in League 1 and see Wycombe back in the Championship.
County were originally fined £100,000 for breaching accounting rules by an Independent panel with many claiming the punishment did not match the crime and the Wycombe owner Rob Couhig ramping up the accusations this week saying that Derby County were “ systematic cheats”.
Last week the EFL produced two fixture lists with alternatives for Derby and Wycombe which is in itself a messy scenario, but what lays ahead could just be plain crazy. Derby have been summoned to produce accounts for the last 3 years, and if found guilty or not guilty this one is set to rumble on as whatever the decision both teams will no doubt be appealing any decision that does not favour their club….this could get Messi.
