Cheating is cheating, whether it’s bribing a referee, diving to win a penalty or, in Everton’s case, spending money you haven’t got.
Under the kamikaze stewardship of owner Farhad Moshiri, below, Everton racked up mind-boggling losses of £124.5m in the three seasons to 2022-23, £19.5m over the limit permitted by profit and sustainability rules (P&SR).
Describing a “serious breach that requires a significant penalty”, an independent commission docked the Toffees ten points, an unprecedented sanction in the Premier League era. Wholly unjust, cried Everton, but sympathy is in short supply....