Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has accused the Premier League of engaging in an “abuse of process” regarding the 10-point penalty imposed on Everton last week.
Burnham, a season-ticket-holder for Everton, expressed his concerns on the day fans protested before the team’s match against Manchester United at Goodison Park.
In an open letter addressed to the Premier League, which he characterized as a “formal complaint,” Burnham argued that the absence of a sanctions policy before initiating the process and the subsequent introduction of one during the process amounted to an “abuse of process.”
Burnham’s letter likened the situation to a government providing new sentencing guidelines to a judge in the middle of a trial, suggesting it was an inappropriate attempt to influence due process. He asserted that introducing new rules late in a process could be considered regulatory malpractice.
While acknowledging that Everton has a case to answer for exceeding permitted losses, Burnham proposed that the only fair course of action would be to declare the panel’s ruling null and void. He expressed skepticism about an appeal, believing it would result in a similarly arbitrary judgment.
The Premier League, however, contests most of the allegations made by Burnham, asserting that he misunderstands the processes involved.
Amid the controversy, a significant group of Everton supporters gathered for a pre-match protest, marching towards the stadium with banners condemning corruption. Banners inside the stadium echoed these sentiments, and fans displayed pink cards with the word ‘Corrupt’ and the Premier League logo, distributed by the fans’ group The1878s.
The matchday stand was met with boos, and chants of “Premier League, corrupt as f***” echoed through the stadium. Everton manager Sean Dyche has also expressed shock at the perceived disproportionate penalty, and fans previously protested outside the Premier League’s offices in Paddington, West London.