West Brom points deduction 'anger' raised as politician takes EFL action | OneFootball

The Baggies were deducted two points by the EFL.

For a short while, things were getting a bit hairy at The Hawthorns with a potential points deduction threatening to relegate West Brom from the Championship.

Despite a stellar run of form under caretaker boss James Morrison, the Baggies were lingering above the relegation zone with several sides around them finding form at just the right time.

In the end, West Brom were only deducted two points by the EFL for a breach of financial rules, and the club have subsequently secured their safety with a game to spare.

While the Black Country club can now look forward to the summer and rebuild ahead of a crucial campaign, a key local figure has hit out at the football governing body for what it has done.

West Brom MP wants answers from the EFL

Some might say it has been a season to forget for West Brom supporters, but given the drama that has ensued at the back end of the campaign, it is unlikely they will forget it in a hurry.

A manager sacking, points deduction and the real threat of relegation have been the ingredients in a tumultuous term, but it is the punishment from the EFL that has angered those in and around the football club the most.

Now, local MP Sarah Coombes, the Labour MP for West Bromwich, has shared her damning letter to the EFL on social media.

"Few things have united my constituents like the anger felt over the West Bromwich Albion points deduction," she wrote above an image of the letter on her X account. “Thousands of West Bromwich Albion fans have expressed their dismay and anger at this decision. I am seeking an answer on their behalf. “Please could you, without delay, set out in writing why the decision was made to deduct two points from the club?” Coombes does not stop there, though, and asks further questions: “Please could you set out why the EFL sees the club’s donations to its charitable arm as a punishable offence? “Please could you explain why the decision why this investigation and decision have come so late in the season?” She then highlights the size of the breach: “It is reported the financial breach is less than £2million, the smallest ever breach of P&S rules across the EFL Championship and the Premier League. It is genuinely astounding to me and many fans that such a punishment should be applied to a discrepancy this small. “West Bromwich Albion has a proud history of fighting injustice, and I join them in their anger at this decision and the way it has been communicated.”

Could West Brom appeal the points deduction?

The Baggies were clearly angered by the EFL's decision to dock them points, having stated that they had complied with financial rules, but they do have the option to appeal. If they were to appeal, they would have two weeks from the date of the deduction, on 24 April, but the appeal would not be heard for another 28 days. Of course, now that West Brom have clinched survival, any appeal would be risky, given that the points deduction could be increased and result in relegation. That then leaves the Black Country Club in a moral predicament because, given their reaction to the deduction, they would surely want to make an appeal, but is it worth the risk? The Baggies have a four-point cushion over Oxford United heading into the final day of the season, meaning that at the close of play, it could just be a one-point gap, which could be crucial if the club were to appeal.

Why an appeal may be the right move for the Baggies

While many just want to move on from the points deduction and focus on football, there is a valid reason for West Brom to pursue an appeal against the EFL. When a club has appealed against a points deduction, they rarely have further points docked, and usually, deductions are either upheld or reduced. The key point is that the Baggies believe they have complied with financial rules, and if they are certain that they have done so, then the footballing body must be held to account.

Should West Brom appeal their points deduction? Let us know in the comments!

Not only would that unite the area, but it would send a strong message and also help clubs moving forward who find themselves in the same predicament. Away from the deductions, West Brom have some key decisions ahead of them, in particular, their head coach moving forward, which players they want to continue on the journey and how they will improve on such a dismal campaign.