The five biggest points deductions in Championship history as Sheffield Wednesday fears continue
Sheffield Wednesday could be facing a hefty points deduction as their financial concerns under the ownership of Dejphon Chansiri continue to linger.
Sheffield Wednesday’s disheartening summer saw a number of players leave for pastures new, while existing members of staff went three months without being paid due to controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri’s shortfalls.
Chansiri wants over £100million from a prospective buyer to sell the club, but neither a takeover nor sale has taken place as yet, and second-tier side Wednesday were recently placed under two further embargoes relating to more unpaid wages to players and staff.
Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett has reported that the Owls are now facing a points deduction for Chansiri’s repeated failure to pay his players and staff on time, while the Yorkshire Post have reported that their previous 12-point deduction in 2020, which was reduced to six on appeal, is likely to be considered if the EFL take action.
As Wednesday face continued uncertainty over their future as a club, Football Insider have used these latest reports to take a look at the five biggest points deductions received in Championship history in the past.
5. Reading – 6 points (2022-23)
Reading‘s troubles under former owner Dai Yongge saw them deducted six points on three separate occasions, with this being the last time in the Championship, as they were also sanctioned in 2021 for exceeding the permitted £39m financial loss limit across a three-year cycle.
Their April 2023 penalty saw them deducted six points for breaching the terms of an agreed business plan for a previous profit and sustainability rule breach, leaving them 20th in the Championship with 40 points.
Paul Ince’s side failed to win again in the final seven games of the campaign, and they were relegated from the second-tier in 22nd place with 44 points.
4. Sheffield Wednesday – 6 points (2020-21)
As aforementioned, Sheffield Wednesday have seen it all before regarding financial issues and points deductions.
Their July 2020 sanction was related to a breach of spending rules two years earlier in 2018, and it was reduced from 12 to a six point deduction in November 2020 after they were able to prove that the sale of Hillsborough was included in their 2017-18 accounts.
Wednesday had begun the 2020-21 campaign on -12 points, and even the six taken off was unable to help them survive as they were eventually relegated in 24th with 41 points, just three from safety.
3. Birmingham City – 9 points (2018-19)
Birmingham City were deducted nine points by the EFL in March 2019 for breaching PSR rules, as they lost around £48.8m between 2015 and 2018, which was nearly £10m more than the accepted adjusted losses of £39m over a three-year period.
They had been in the play-off picture up to that point, but dropped from 13th to 18th in the Championship, just five points above the relegation zone with eight games to play.
Garry Monk eventually guided his team to a 17th-placed finish, with Blues the only team on this list that managed to avoid the drop after being penalised.
2. Wigan Athletic – 12 points (2019-20)
Wigan Athletic‘s situation was like no other on this list, as they actually finished safely in mid-table in the second-tier prior to being deducted 12 points from their final tally in August 2020.
The EFL imposed their sanction in July towards the end of the Covid-19-affected campaign after they went into administration when their owners admitted they were unable to support the club financially.
It was a desperately unfortunate situation that ended up with them being relegated in 23rd spot, just two points from safety.
1. Derby County – 21 points (2021-22)
The unwanted distinction of being awarded the biggest combined points deduction in Championship history belongs to Derby County, who were hit with a 12 point sanction in September 2021 and then another nine point sanction two months later.
Administration was the cause of their first deduction, while they were forced to accept historical financial breaches under former owner Mel Morris for the second in November 2021.
Wayne Rooney was infamously the man in charge at Pride Park while they struggled off the pitch, and despite a valiant effort, his side were relegated at the end of the campaign in 23rd place with 34 points, seven from safety.