Everton said in a statement, “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the Premier League’s commission’s ruling.”
“The club believes that the commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction.
“The club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the club’s case will be heard by an appeal board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course.
“Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process.
“The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings.
“Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted.
“The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
“Everton cannot comment on this matter any further until the appeal process has concluded.”
Meanwhile, Everton supporters issued a joint statement on Friday evening, saying, “The punishment handed down today by an independent commission is disappointing, to say the least.” While we recognise the importance of regulations and standards, this punishment merely punishes the fans, players, and management team.
“It’s no secret that our club has been run incompetently at the top for several years now. The fans took it upon themselves to push for change and force the removal of an underperforming board that broke your rules. The people who broke your rules are not the ones suffering.”
