benjii

He might not have been 9 days ago!

Is that a fact?

Why are Newcastle always allowed to get away with loads of yellow card fouls without getting cards? Seems to happen every time I watch them.

They've gifted 2 of the 3 goals. Really shit. Jammy Spurs.

Wonder where Bowen will end up. Probably not going to be of interest to one of the really big boys. Could be a great signing for an upper mid table team.

I'd bloody hope not. They're a decent parochial firm but we would surely instruct a big-hitter with sports disputes expertise.

15 posts in 14 years, with the majority in the last week or so.... interesting!

The more I think about it, the apparent instant emergence of a whistleblower with links to Middlesbrough is quite odd. Wouldn't surprise me if he somehow induced our chap to be there. "Yeah, mate, it's open land. People stand there and watch all the time. They aren't bothered. You can park at the golf club and walk round. Let's catch up for a beer after."

Bit harsh on the Skates considering Boro's major honours consists of one League Cup.

And sponsors. EFL would have to refund some money or provide an alternative opportunity of similar value.

Yeah, it's mental that it's even being discussed.

I was being hyperbolic for the footy.

Some two-bit law firm looking for clicks.

0-0 draw with 10 red cards.

I think a category error that is being proliferated is the idea that "expulsion from the play-offs" is a possible sanction. The play-offs are part of the league so what are you going to do if you set that precedent and then someone does the same thing during the regular season? Kick them out of the league? That's not proportionate, and I don't think anyone is suggesting that we should be expelled from the EFL. So, if they want to impose a sporting sanction it has to be either: - points deduction - forfeit a match - transfer embargo etc. (unlikely to apply as this is nothing to do with transfers / financial dealings) So, if they decide on a points deduction it is either suspended for next season (or some other future season) or apllied retrospectively and big enough that we would have finished below Hull for it to be relevant. That seems unlikely. But if that was applied, the logical thing would be for Wrexham to be promoted and have a crack at the play-offs, not for Boro to be put through. No time for that, and we would appeal, delaying things further. I suppose they could just cancel the final and say Hull are promoted but I expect the other play-off clubs would not like that. If they decide we should forfeit the first leg - say 3-0 - then that makes a mockery of the second leg, which would obviously have been a completely different match. We would appeal, things would be delayed further and it would also mean they have to go back and reverse other results, if the offence is found elsewhere, which again messes up the league table and potentially causes all sorts of knock-on issues. So, in summary, I think we'll either get: - exonerated, if there is some bombshell lack of liability we don't know about Or - a fine, and/or a suspended/future (depending on promotion or not) points deduction of something like 3 or 6. Whilst the panel is independent, they need to think about the proportionality and practical enforceability of any sanction, and they need to think about the broader context and framework in which the competitions operate in order to do that.