Nottingham Forest points penalty upheld in Premier League survival blow

Nottingham Forest’s four-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) has been upheld following an unsuccessful appeal, leaving the club facing the threat of relegation this season.

Forest admitted breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules by £34.5m over a three-year period, but argued the independent commission had not taken into consideration the “unique circumstances of the club and its mitigation” to stay under the limit.

An independent appeal board has dismissed the club’s protest, however, which leaves Nuno Espiro Santo’s side three points clear of Luton Town and the relegation zone with two games of the season remaining.

Forest boosted their hopes of staying up with a 3-1 win over already relegated Sheffield United on Saturday and have fixtures against Chelsea and Burnley, who are 19th and trail Forest by five points, still to play.

PSR regulations allow clubs maximum losses of £105m over a three-year assessmen, but that is reduced by £22m per season for any seasons within the period spent in the Championship.

Forest were “extremely disappointed” with the commission’s original decision and said PSR rules threatened to “undermine the integrity and competitiveness of the Premier League”.

The club argued it took measures to avoid breaching the rules, such as selling forward Brennan Johnson to Tottenham.

But the appeal board rejected Forest’s case, stating: “The club argued that the independent commission committed an error in not treating its sale of a high-profile player shortly after the assessment period as a mitigating factor, and that it committed a further error in electing not to suspend some or all of the points deduction it imposed.

“Each of these grounds was rejected by the appeal board, which found the independent commission was entitled to immediately impose the sanction it did. The four-point deduction will therefore remain in place.”

Everton saw their 10-point penalty reduced to six points following an appeal earlier this season, while the independent commission will also hear the club’s appeal of a separate two-point penalty for breaching PSR rules.