West Brom 'hope' raised as concerning points deduction news emerges | OneFootball

FLW’s West Brom fan pundit has offered his reaction to Albion breaching P&S rules.

West Brom’s relegation fears have intensified once again after a concerning off-the-field development.

While results last weekend didn’t go Albion’s way and reduced their gap to the dropzone to just two points, the Baggies have now been hit with a financial breach.

The Telegraph’s John Percy revealed in an exclusive that Albion have been charged with an alleged breach of P&S rules, relating to the 2024-25 season.

The journalist also expressed a points deduction is likely for the Baggies, but while it will be minor, there is deep concern that it could be implemented this season and have a massive say in their survival bid.

Naturally, the Black Country outfit are doing all they can to push a potential deduction into next season, with West Brom having untimely chaos swirl around the club just when they were in such a positive vein of form.

It’s not what interim boss James Morrison would have wanted to discover, particularly when Albion remain deep in relegation trouble even without the threat of a points deduction.

Morrison’s men have gone seven games unbeaten in the Championship following a goalless draw with Millwall last Friday evening, with upcoming games against Preston North End and Watford seen as crucial to securing their second tier future.

But now there is doubt over whether positive results in those two games will even be enough to survive, and if this news will spiral negativity through to the playing squad and see results take an unwanted turn.

With this in mind, FLW’s West Brom fan pundit has commented on the latest development surrounding the Baggies.

West Brom ‘hope’ outlined following points deduction fears

Speaking to Football League World, West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess has admitted it is “very frustrating” to see Albion hit with a breach of P&S rules, particularly after the club had reportedly been placed in an EFL-imposed business plan to avoid this situation.

He also believes that Albion’s only “hope” is that a points deduction is applied at the start of next season, with all three teams potentially relegated due to points deductions this term not doing any favours to the EFL’s credibility.

Callum told FLW: “What we’ve got to hope for now is that a points deduction doesn’t get applied until next season.

“It’s very frustrating after Albion have supposedly worked tightly alongside the set plan the EFL imposed on us to try and avoid this scenario, just for a season later when the season’s reaching its conclusion, to be told that actually you didn’t match our criteria, and we’re going to threaten you with a points deduction, so it’s all very frustrating.

“Fingers crossed that if the points deduction, as it looks like it might happen, does get imposed on us, that it doesn’t get imposed on us until next season, which will be the best-case scenario with how tight the relegation scrap is already, without any more points deductions being involved.

“If there’s quite a few points, then it’ll be three teams relegated because of points deductions, and I don’t think that reflects well on the EFL.”

Points deduction this season could end up being catastrophic for West Brom

This unravelling development is just the latest instalment in what has been such a topsy-turvy season for West Brom, who may well have thought their relegation fears were behind them.

But those resurfaced after last weekend’s results, which saw Oxford United and Portsmouth both take maximum points to reduce the gap to the dotted line to just two points.

And now, the threat of a deduction could see Albion placed back into the bottom three during the final run-in, just when the club needs positivity to help drag themselves out of this worrying situation.

The only hope West Brom have is that a points deduction is applied next season, as if it is done this term, it could knock everyone’s confidence and put a real cloud over the club ahead of some vitally important games to come.

The timing is probably the worst it could have possibly been, with all connected to The Hawthorns desperately hoping that this breach doesn’t help condemn the club to League One football next term.