Sheffield United will face a points deduction for their next season in the EFL when relegated from Premier League

11 April 2024, 14:37 | Updated: 11 April 2024, 19:41

Sheffield United will face a points deduction for their next season back in the EFL.

An independent commission has handed the Blades a two-point deduction at the start of the next season that they are in the Championship, with a further two points suspended after the club defaulted on payments to other clubs during their promotion season in 2022/23.

An EFL statement said: "The sanction relates to the 2022/23 season, when the club defaulted on a number of payments to other clubs. The suspended points deduction will be activated if the club defaults on any payment due to another club under a transfer or compensation agreement for more than five business days from the due date for payment."

The EFL also added the defaults which led to the sanction were cumulatively in excess of 550 days.

The club also agreed to pay the EFL's costs of £310,455.

A Sheffield United statement said: "Sheffield United notes today's statement from the EFL with regards to breaches by the club of regulations 52.2.3 and 52.2.4 in the 2022/23 season.

"It has been agreed that the Blades will commence the next season in which the club is subject to the EFL's jurisdiction with a two-point deduction. The club's position in the proceedings was that the relevant sums relied on by the EFL had been paid in full, on several occasions only days after they were initially due, or renegotiated with new future payment dates adhered to before the club was notified of the referral.

"The club has co-operated with the EFL to reach a negotiated settlement on the issues in question.

"While disappointed to have the deduction imposed upon the return to the EFL and highlighting that awaiting overdue monies from several other clubs affected Sheffield United's financial situation, the club took the view that it was better to reach an agreement which minimised the risks of a higher deduction or further transfer embargoes being imposed, and being distracted by lengthy and costly legal proceedings.

"The club is now in a position to close this matter and concentrate on the future."

• Live Premier League table | Watch free Premier League highlights
• Stream Sky Sports on NOW | Get Sky Sports

Wilder: Blades still swinging and punching in survival bid

Sheffield United are currently bottom of the Premier League, nine points off safety, and boss Chris Wilder says he is enjoying seeing his side "swinging and punching" as they bid to extend their Premier League status.

The Blades were bottom of the table when Wilder returned for his second spell as boss in December and remain there with seven games remaining. But after a string of demoralising defeats in March, particularly at home, they have lost only one of their last four matches and the mood has lifted before Saturday's game at Brentford.

Wilder said: "There's still a lot of football to be played this season and we're fighting, we're swinging, we're punching.

"We're having a go, which I like and I enjoy, and there's still a lot of points to play for.

"As I keep saying, the club won't die, whatever happens this season. We'd all love it to end up the way we want it to end up, but we have to recognise that might not happen.

"We have to be ready for whatever comes next season and we will be."

'We are getting into a rhythm'

The Blades became the first English Football League club to concede five goals in four consecutive home games when losing 6-0 to Arsenal in March.

Draws against Bournemouth and Fulham followed and, after a battling display in a 3-1 defeat at Liverpool, Wilder's side struck a morale-boosting stoppage-time equaliser last Sunday against Chelsea at Bramall Lane.

Wilder said: "I'd have liked to have seen it a little bit earlier and be more consistent with it, but we are getting into a bit of a rhythm, a bit of a pattern.

"In all four games the supporters, I like to think, have liked what they've seen as well. We have to marry that up in terms of trying to get big results, I suppose that's the most difficult aspect of it really."

(c) Sky Sports 2024: Sheffield United will face a points deduction for their next season in the EFL when relegated from Premier League