Luton penalty appeal fails

10-point deduction and £50,000 fine to stand

Last updated: 15th July 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Luton penalty appeal fails

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Luton Town have failed in their appeal to have their 30-point deduction reduced.

The League Two club contested the Football Association's decision to impose a 10-point deduction for financial irregularities in their dealings with agents.

However, a three-man FA panel has rejected their claims, meaning the 10-point penalty and £50,000 fine for irregular payments to agents will stand.

Luton were hit with the latest 20-point sanction after applying to come out of administration without a CVA (Company Voluntary Arrangement).

A statement from the FA read: "It is highly unfortunate for Luton Town FC and their loyal fans that shortly after the FA Regulatory Commission reached its decision, the Football League quite separately imposed a 20 point deduction for entirely different actions by Luton Town FC.

Immensely disappointed

"The Football Association Appeal Board takes the view that the Football League's decision to deduct 20 points was entirely a matter for the Football League.

"The FA Regulatory Commission's responsibility was to decide the appropriate punishment for Luton Town's admitted breaches of The FA's own rules and regulations.

"The deduction of 10 points was a heavy sanction, as it was intended to be, but was not excessive as a reflection of the seriousness of the breaches and the need to deter such conduct within football clubs."

Luton Town 2020 managing director Gary Sweet said on Sky Sports News: "We are immensely disappointed.

"We have got to go back now and consult with our investors and see what action we have got to take."

Comments (44)

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Marc Stevens (Liverpool fan) says...

Being born and living in Luton I can see at first hand how this is taking its toll on the Town. I maybe a life long Liverpool fan but I have gone to watch Luton play more times than I have seen Liverpool. Cn you imagine a Prem Lge club having to start with that type of deduction, never happen. Wasn't it just a short time ago Luton hit the headlines saying how much corruption there is Football in this country, Oh! how right they were. The FA & FL are the most corrupt of all and I'm sure this was all to do with one of the smaller clubs speaking out and the "merchant bankers" in suits not liking it one bit. I will go along to support the town this season hoping all fans across the divisions show there support (BANNERS IN THE STANDS) to LUTON TOWN!!

Posted 13:03 18th July 2008

Matthew Lowe (Leeds United fan) says...

This just proves how useless the Football League are how can one club loose 15 points and then the following season another club loose 20 for doing the same thing ??? its time for the Ex Professional players to step up to the plate and get involved in running the Leagues, at least they will have an understanding of the game unlike the idiots who are currently RUINING our game, hopefully some of the bigger clubs will take pity on luton an loan them some stars of the future at no cost. Good luck Luton.

Posted 20:58 17th July 2008

Tony Green (luton fan) (Luton Town fan) says...

Can I just say to the Leeds fans posting on here. Will you please remember that it was the "former" board that voted for a yes to you getting deducted points. I don't seem to remember any of the Luton Town "fans" being able to vote? Yes there were some fans who were in favour and some against as well, which was probably the same at every club through the land. Would have been interesting to see how your "board" would have voted if the shoe was on the other foot?

Posted 15:48 17th July 2008

Matt Tinsley (Leeds United fan) says...

personally, i think the FA have done this to take away the limelight from the whole leeds situation. they are stupid, small minded people who have no footballing idea what so ever. trying to get rid of the small clubs (the ones who actually produce english youngsters unlike the bigger team-arsenal, liverpool *cough cough*). but oh well i guess they know what their doing...aferall being the manager of the english national team and not being able to speak english is surely going to end in success...

Posted 07:09 17th July 2008

John Arnold (Luton Town fan) says...

How is punishing our club with a 30 point deduction fair when the people who committed all these offences get away with it. People have been surrporting this club for lifetimes and the FA/Football League have taken it upon themselves to throw the future of LTFC into doubt. If deductions like this are the only answer the FA has got then it doesnt bode well for a lot of clubs. Issues like this should be sorted before they get out of hand, to say the penalty will be an example for other clubs is ridiculous because the people that got us into this mess had no intention of allowing LTFC to benefit from there scheming deals they only saw the money and left before they were punished, taking most of it with them! so who's to say it wont happen again!

Posted 19:31 16th July 2008

Steve Barks (Portsmouth fan) says...

Not only have Luton got to claw back 30 points, they also have to get the 50 points that were needed to avoid relegation from div 2 in last few seasons. 80 points needed, then they might just avoid relegation - WHAT A JOKE THE FA ARE. Good luck Luton!

Posted 15:09 16th July 2008

Ishaan Sharma (Luton Town fan) says...

Might as well pack it in now. The FA doesnt care, they are useless people. Lets do what Liverpool did and start Luton Town AFC. Might work great! Hope the FA get what they deserve

Posted 09:52 16th July 2008

Kev Saint (Liverpool fan) says...

When Leeds were docked 15 points I thought that was harsh but good on them they rose to this awesome challenge and came close to getting into the next league. I hope Luton do the same. This will show the FA that no matter what they throw at football teams there will and should always be pride. they should do it for the fans, go out there every game and give it there all like there playing there last game. I'll keep an eye on Luton next season. there not playing against other teams, There playing against the FA. go on Luton

Posted 09:35 16th July 2008

Yiannaki Yianni (Nottingham Forest fan) says...

My only question is why -20 & not -15 as per Leeds. The only good thing to come out of this is Leeds fans can't say any more only they get punished. You break the rules which you know about, surley you'll be hit. Shame the fans lose out. All the best to Luton in surviving the drop (unless another appeal is made & is sucsessful) and should you do, let's hope 2009-10 we'll see you back in the 1st Division. As for Leeds, if you thought the 1st was tough, the 2nd is tougher...

Posted 09:05 16th July 2008

Peter Hallam (West Ham United fan) says...

I can't understand what the Football League are aiming to achieve here? Punishing the fans and potential new owners and making Luton a very unattractive purchase. I really hope Luton can turn this around can put one up the Football League who are trying to remove them from League 2. I just want to add that all the fools above that are citing West Ham as cheating Sheff Utd into relegation to please shut up. Sheff Utd were relegated because they were the 3rd worst team that season, it was in their own hands and they blew it. The fact the Tevez affair was only about 3rd Party influence within the contract and not about if he was eligable to play as he always was......! Its also a bit like Luton where the new owners found out the "influence" and reported it straight away to the Premier League. However, it seems the Premier League have more common sense than the Football League as they didn't want to punish the fans for an administrative error. Hence the fine (biggest in Football History). P.S Sheff Utd you broke the same rule with the Steve Kabba transfer to Watford, so shut up.

Posted 07:27 16th July 2008

Dave Hunter (Chelsea fan) says...

It is an awful situation and one which will end in the demise of a once great club. I accept that rules are rules but when new owners are coming in to try and get some stability and right the old wrongs, they deserve support. We are talking about grass roots football when we talk about Luton nowadays and they have given rise to many a famous name and player - Kerry Dixon from my team Chelsea, Roy Wegerle, Jon Hartson and probably many more. Its not as if they overstretched themselves with player salaries or ground expansion, more to do with the dodgy dealings of a corrupt owner and herein lies the problem - should we not be thinking more about who we let in to run clubs and how they are allowed to run them? Even as a Chelsea fan who has benefitted from Abramovich, it would have been good to see a more detailed criteria that they need to adhere to before taking ownership; same as frank Sinatra at Man City and Ridsdale wherever he goes! I feel sorry for Luton, the club, the new owners, the players and especially the fans.

Posted 05:54 16th July 2008

Robin Bland (Luton Town fan) says...

So the punishment, as the FA statement says, is a serious breach of rules and is a deterent and warning to other football clubs. The message really says, if you are a director of a football club you can do what you want without telling the rest of the board because if you get caught and are forced to resign you will only be fined a paltry sum but the club and fans will be left to pick up the pieces. Some deterent and encouragement to be honest!

Posted 05:29 16th July 2008

Kevan O'hare (Celtic fan) says...

Can Stuart Gerring let me know how Leeds cheated when they were in the Championship? As far as I am aware they went into administration and were docked 10 points as per league rules. They they came out of administration and were docked a further 15 points. Every club in the uk would have gone into administration given Leeds circumstances. I find it disappointing that the FA have punnished Luton so severly but as Mark Hullah states, what goes around comes around and many more clubs will unfortunatley face this penalty. I wonder how many chairmen wish they could turn the clock back and not have voted to bring this in in the first place

Posted 05:12 16th July 2008

Steve Collis (Rotherham United fan) says...

Years ago Port Vale were relegated from div 4 for financial irregularities, Peterborough I think may also have been relegated from div. 3. In the same season for the same offence M.U. in div. 1 were fined. I am afraid the bias always has been there and I for one can not see any change around the corner. Good luck Luton

Posted 05:10 16th July 2008

Trevor Allen (Watford fan) says...

As a Watford fan (I love to hate Luton) however I find the punishment imposed on them as a complete joke and not a very funny one! If the FA concentrated on running the game and maintaining some form of sanity within its structure maybe clubs would not be looking for illegal ways to attract decent players in an attempt to win promotion or sustain Premiership status! Football is no longer the working mans game, it belongs to corporate business, TV and advertising agencies. In the best interests of clubs and its supporters do the right thing and put a stop to all this madness! Look after the lower teams or run the risk of having a one league competition. I never thought I would see the day where I would be supporting Luton Town..... But in terms of this issue I am right behind you, good luck on your journey back from the dead, you will need all the support you can get.

Posted 04:41 16th July 2008

Chris Stanley (Bury fan) says...

This is virtually a death sentence for Luton Town as far as league football goes. Already in a bad enough position as it was, they now start the new season with -30, meaning promotion form has to be shown to even have a chance of escaping relegation. The FA and FL have shown, yet again, that they pander to the big boys, and make only the small clubs pay, even when they own up to mistakes made (unlike premier clubs). This is something we experienced when we were thrown out of the FA Cup despite owning up to an error, but that is nothing compared to the ridiculous punishment given to Luton. To the Leeds fans busy saying 'what goes around comes around' get off your high horses. Its at times like this that all clubs and supporters should stand together. I was appalled at the Leeds punishment in just the same way as I am now. Any Leeds fans with any worth whatsoever would look at this situation and say 'okay, we suffered and we didnt get backed, but lets be big enough to back the next club its happened to and try to make sure it doesnt happen again' by coming on here to gloat, you show yourselves to be small people and very petty minded. And remember boys, as you say yourselves, what goes around, comes around. You might end up needing support from other fans again one day. Good luck to all at Luton in their fight against the deduction and their coming fight against relegation, I sincerely hope you pull it off. (hopefully not at our expense!) My best wishes to you all.

Posted 02:16 16th July 2008

Oli Thorpe (Sheffield United fan) says...

I feel that the 20 point deduction is to far for starters if leeds only got 15 then lutons should be the same shouldn't be one rule for one and another for a different side absolutely appauling from the f.a luton aren't exactly a big club and u would like to think that the f.a should try and help the lower league clubs instead of just looking aftr the premiership and the big four and also the big four should help out and give sum money to the struggeling sides they get enough a year and waste it on foreign players who they never play maybe they would get sum british talent coming from these lower league clubs who we never hear about maybe ure big clubs should pay sum interest in not so gd sides instead of goin for the big names i also feel that this is appauling and clubs should only be able to av a maximum of 5 foreign players on the filed at one time. thanks for takein ure time to read this hope luton stay strong and fight through it and on last words up the blades

Posted 00:47 16th July 2008

Michael Niven (West Bromwich Albion fan) says...

A very sad ruling, and one which clarifies the situation in England. The authorities running football in your country do not care about the players and the fans. They do not care about football. Why should the couragous and valient young men who want to play for Luton bother to turn up? Why should they just not sit on the half-way line for ninety minutes and watch the (opposition) rack up 90 goals without reply? Football administrators of England, listen to me. You are punishing the wrong people. You are punishing the hard-working, valiant players, and the loyal, enthusiastic supporters, for errors of businessmen who have moved on, who were never real supporters, and who have got away with their wrongdoing scott free. Football administrators of England, you are weak, perverted sadists. Remove this disgusting sanction now, and resign all of you. You do not care about football. Football is about players and fans, not about you!

Posted 23:13 15th July 2008

Paul La viola (Luton Town fan) says...

No point in even kicking a football. May as well just shut the gates at the ground go into liquidation and just start completely afresh with a new ground and club name for next season. Football League run by city bankers if I'm not very much mistaken.

Posted 22:47 15th July 2008

Lee Ansell (Luton Town fan) says...

The latest points deduction is an absolute disgrace to my club that is genuinely trying to turn things around. Mick and the boys, wishing you all the very best for the forthcoming season, we can survive and what better would it be to rub it in the face of the FA!! We have a great set of fans, we have heart, we have spirit, we have determination. We will stand strong and fight to the bitter end. We are Luton Town, and we will get through this ordeal.

Posted 22:13 15th July 2008
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