The EFL has taken a different approach to its fixture announcements this year, by developing two different calendars due to the uncertainty still surrounding Derby County’s Championship future.
Derby will be fined £100,000 by an independent disciplinary commission for accounting irregularities, though the threat of relegation still looms.
An appeals process could mean the East Midlands club face a retrospective points deduction, which in turn may mean relegation to League One.
With that scenario still a possibility, the EFL has announced an “interchangeable fixture list”. The initial schedule features Derby in the Championship and Wycombe Wanderers in League One – “pending any appeals relating to this decision”.
Wycombe finished the Championship season third from bottom.
Derby’s club website stated: “Please note that these fixtures are subject to change and at this stage the fixture list is regarded as a DRAFT.”
Derby handed fine and request for revised accounts
Also in their statement on the club website, Derby shared further details from the Disciplinary Commission’s findings:
“1. It declared the Club’s accounts for years ended 30 June 2016, 30 June 2017 and 30 June 2018 did not comply with the requirements of the Championship Profitability and Sustainability Rules (‘the P&S Rules’).
“2. It ordered the Club submit revised accounts for those years by 18 August 2021 using a policy for the amortisation of player registrations which complies both with the requirements of FRS 102 and with the P&S Rules.
“3. It issued the Club with a reprimand, along with a fine of £100,000.”
The club also wrote that they would dispute any potential points deduction: “The Club disputes that a points’ deduction at any time is appropriate, and disputes that it is lawful for the EFL to seek to impose one retrospectively, altering the final league placings after the season has already finished.”
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