The Everton Fan Advisory Board (FAB) is urging all football authorities to urgently review sanctioning criteria following what it calls the “hugely disproportionate penalties” imposed on Everton and Chelsea, which have been made public in recent weeks.
Call for transparency and consistency
The independent body, established in 2022 and elected by fans' votes, is calling on both the Premier League and the Football Association to publish a detailed explanation defining the sanctioning criteria applied in both cases, clarify how proportionality is assessed across different categories of financial misconduct, and explain the selection, instruction, and oversight of “independent” panels. The FAB also wants direct engagement with supporter groups to rebuild trust and transparency.
FAB statement on inconsistency
The FAB said: “These recent disciplinary outcomes raise serious concerns about consistency, proportionality, and the integrity of the regulatory framework in place in English football, as demonstrated by both the Premier League and the Football Association.
“Whilst all those fans we represent acknowledge that the cases involving Chelsea and Everton are not comparable in terms of the natures of the offences, this does not undermine the key issue of clear and obvious inconsistency in the outcome and the punishments imposed on both clubs.
Comparative sanctions detailed
Chelsea have been fined £10 million and handed a suspended two-window registration ban for 74 breaches relating to undisclosed payments to agents and third parties between 2009 and 2022, totalling £47 million. These breaches occurred over a thirteen-year period and involved extensive failures in financial reporting.
By comparison, Everton have faced some of the most severe sporting sanctions in Premier League history for comparatively minor Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR) breaches: a 10-point deduction, later reduced to 6 points, for the 2021–22 PSR cycle; a 2-point deduction for the 2022–23 PSR cycle, relating to a confirmed £16.6m overspend; and a compensation order exceeding £35 million, potentially rising to £40 million with interest, payable to Burnley FC. All were imposed by the same three-man independent panel.
Impact on Everton
“These sanctions have materially damaged Everton’s league position, financial stability, and competitive integrity. Meanwhile, Chelsea—whose breaches were larger in scale, longer in duration, and involved concealed payments—received no points deduction and no immediate sporting penalty.”
FAB co-chairs Joanne Davies and Fawad Munir added: “Everton supporters deserve fairness, transparency, and respect. The Premier League and the Football Association must explain how these decisions can be considered proportionate or equitable.
“On the available information, the disparity between the sanctions imposed on Everton and those imposed on Chelsea requires a clear and credible explanation. We call on the Premier League and the FA to provide a clear rationale for its actions, demonstrate consistency in its regulatory approach, and address the growing perception that Everton and its supporters have been subject to disproportionate treatment.”
