Andy Burnham is ‘now’more concerned’ by the Everton case after a ‘highly problematic’ Premier League reply.

 

The mayor of Greater Manchester termed league chair Alison Brittain’s response “highly problematic” in his most recent letter, which he shared on Twitter on December 2.

 

Burnham has previously criticized the “flawed” procedure, arguing that the regulations had been created on the spot.

“I have responded to the letter I received from the Premier League,” Burnham stated. In fact, I am now even more worried about how Everton’s case is being handled.

He called it “extremely problematic” and brought up “serious issues” in his letter to Brittain, pointing out that there seemed to be discrepancies between her response to him and the independent commission’s own assertions about the Premier League’s proposed fines, which were presented just before the October hearing.

Burnham concludes the letter by asking whether the Premier League board minutes from August 10 and Richard Masters’ witness statement to the commission will be made public. He suggests that the Premier League’s intended “formula” would be problematic, whether it was meant to be used only in Everton’s case or in others going forward.

It remains to be seen if Burnham’s engagement benefits Everton in any concrete way or if it compels the authorities to make the situation clear for all other teams moving ahead.

Answers are undoubtedly required regarding the Premier League clubs’ rejection in 2020 of a similar sanctions policy to the EFL, but it appears the league tried quietly to ram something very similar through when Everton’s hearing was about to happen.