Sweet declares Luton's summer transfer business could be affected by 'misaligned' appeals process

Luton CEO Gary Sweet has hit out at the ‘misaligned' appeals process for the points deductions handed out to both Everton and Nottingham Forest as something that could leave the Hatters at a disadvantage when looking to start their transfer business in the upcoming summer window.

The Toffees were deducted two points this week for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules, while Forest were hit with a four point penalty back in March for the same offence. Both sides have confirmed they are going to fight the penalties though, which means the cases might not be concluded until May 25, some six days after the top flight campaign has finished.

With Luton firmly entrenched in the battle to stay up, it could be that following their last day clash at home to Fulham, Rob Edwards’ team aren’t sure just what division they will end up playing their football next term, as Everton have already seen a 10-point deduction reduced to six on appeal recently. Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio, Sweet believes that being in a state of limbo could have an impact on players choosing to move to Kenilworth Road while not knowing if they will be playing top flight or Championship football.

He said: “It's just a misaligned process. The process of the appeal is fine, is right, the league fixture calendar is fine, but they're just not aligned, they need to be aligned. That appeal process should have ended the day before we face Fulham, because for us it means quite a bit. That first week of the transfer window, when we're finished, when we know what league we’re in next season, we won’t know.

"So we'll be at a five day, six day disadvantage in doing that business as we won't know ultimately what league we're in, perhaps, potentially. Our job now is to accumulate as many points that keeps us clear of that, that's what we’ve got to do. The decision makes that a little bit more difficult, but we're confident of doing that.”

Asked whether Luton have plans already in place themselves to challenge the decision in the courts if they find they are sent down by any points handed back on appeal to either of their rivals, Sweet added: “I don’t think so, we'll have a look at that. We might in public be quiet on this, but in the background we do make our voices heard and I think for the good of football, for the good of the game going forward.

"It's the duty of the Premier League and the EFL and the FA and everybody involved, to look at this situation and think, right, how do we bring in tariffs that are automatic and can’t be appealed on as many occasions as possible going forward. So it's my job to affect what happens, or have part of a say of what happens. We are a shareholder in the Premier League currently, let's have a say in that, let's make our voices heard in that and let's make sure that going forward, then certainly things like automatic tariffs should be a part of that.”

During his pre-match Manchester City press conference, Town chief Rob Edwards was also questioned about the fact that his side’s destiny might not be known until after the final ball has been kicked, as he said: “I don’t get why there’s different points for the same thing, I don’t know, I don’t fully understand it all, my job is to manage the team and try to get a result at the weekend, so that’s what I’ll try and do. It’s strange that it could go beyond the final game of the season, with the appeals process, that’s the difficult bit.

"But our challenge and what we’re trying to do is remove ourselves from that and to do that we’ve got to win games. It looks like it will do, unless it’s all tied up beforehand, so we’ve got to strap in and be ready for that. I’m not banking on it going beyond those five days at the end of the season, but if we’re still involved in that, the final decision, then that’s what we’re going to do, we’ll have to wait. It’s not ideal, it’s pretty bizarre, but it’s been made pretty clear that’s the way it can go.”

Meanwhile, whatever division Luton find themselves in next term, Edwards confirmed there would be changes among the playing personnel for the new campaign ahead, as he added: “Regardless of whether we go down or stay up, there’s always change, we’ll always have to look to try and improve and move forward. We’ll look to always try to keep a core of people here that we feel are going to help us, regardless of what league it is, but they’ll be changes next year, that’s inevitable, that’s just football.”