Morecambe FC has received a three-point deduction to be suspended until 30 June 2024 after admitting a breach of EFL Regulations for failing to pay its player wages on or around 28 March 2023.
The Club’s ultimate beneficial owner will also be required to deposit an amount equal to 125% of the forecast monthly wage bill - for all staff across the football club - in a designated Club account, which may be called upon by the Club should there be any future delays in processing wage payments.
The suspended sanction will take effect if the payment is not made by the owners of the Club to the Club Deposit Account as per the terms of with the Agreed Decision or there is any failure to pay its players on time until 30 June 2024.
The sanction was imposed in accordance with the terms of an ‘Agreed Decision’ which has formally been ratified by an Independent Disciplinary Commission Chair as per the requirements of EFL Regulations.
Morecambe FC will also pay the associated costs of ratification of the Agreed Decision.
The Agreed Decision can be found here.
Reading Football Club has today received a one-point deduction with a further three points suspended after an Independent Disciplinary Commission determined that the Club had breached EFL Regulations.
The breaches related to the Club having failed to pay its players’ wages on time and in full on or around 31 October 2022, 30 November 2022, and 28 April 2023.
Reading’s 2023/24 League One points tally will be adjusted immediately whilst Owner Dai Yongge has also been fined £10,000 and ordered to deposit an amount equal to 125% of the Club’s forecast monthly wage bill in a designated Club account, in an attempt to avoid further breaches.
If the 125% deposit is not paid within 28 days of the Independent Disciplinary Commission’s decision or there is any further failure to pay players’ salaries up until 30 June 2024, then the suspended points sanction will be activated.
The EFL remains extremely frustrated at the consistent failures of the Club’s ownership to meet its ongoing obligations under EFL Regulations, the consequences of which are having a negative impact for all those associated with Reading, particularly its staff members, supporters, and local community.
Whilst we acknowledge the independence of the commission and the sanction imposed, this outcome does fall some way short of the League’s existing sanctioning guidelines. The EFL will now undertake a full review of the decision issued, taking into consideration the recent previous sanctions imposed on the Club and their subsequent impact.
The Independent Disciplinary Commission’s Written Reasons can be viewed here.
Published Thursday, 03 August 2023.
