Blades lose appeal

[Crybaby Bunting]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/6252310.stm

Sheffield United's bid to regain their Premiership status appears to be over after their bid to see West Ham docked points was dismissed. An arbitration panel upheld the Premier League's decision not to dock the Hammers points over the signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

Sheffield United launched an appeal after they went down on the last day of the season and West Ham stayed up.

West Ham had earlier been fined £5.5m for their handling of the duo's deals.

A statement on Sheffield United's website said: "We are obviously very disappointed by this conclusion.

"In particular, in circumstances where the tribunal recognised that the outcome of the decision turned out to be 'unfortunate in the extreme', and that Sheffield United have done nothing wrong to merit this outcome."

The Hammers were found guilty on 27 April of acting improperly and withholding vital documentation over the duo's ownership.

When Tevez and Mascherano were registered as players, West Ham failed to disclose that they had entered into an agreement with third-party companies.

The Blades had wanted the panel to order a new disciplinary commission to deal with the London club.

The tribunal had sympathy for Sheffield United's grievances ... but it was impossible to find that the decision to fine West Ham was irrational or perverse."

Ruling from arbitration panel Sheffield United also lost another claim - made jointly with Fulham - that the Premier League should have forced West Ham to de-register Tevez.

A statement from the arbitration panel read: "The tribunal have found in favour of the FA Premier League on both issues and dismissed the claims of Sheffield United FC and Fulham FC."

The three-man panel, headed by retired High Court judge Sir Philip Otton, did not have the power to change West Ham's punishment but could have ordered a new independent commission to judge the case.

The ruling from the arbitration panel said Sheffield United would not normally have been allowed to dispute another club's punishment but that there were "exceptional circumstances" because of their relegation, which affected their membership of the Premier League.

The tribunal said they had "sympathy" with the Blades, while West Ham had been "deliberately deceitful" and yet remained in the Premier League.

But they said they could not rule that the independent commission's decision had been wrong to fine West Ham in the first place.

606: DEBATE At least Sheffield United can now move on

IB

The panel's ruling stated: "The tribunal had much sympathy for Sheffield United's grievances.

"However, the tribunal had to apply the principles of judicial review and determine whether the decision was irrational or perverse.

"This is a very strict test and is very difficult to satisfy.

"It concluded that it was impossible for this tribunal to find that the decision was irrational or perverse."

The performances of Tevez in particular helped the Hammers string together an excellent run of results late in the season which moved them clear of the relegation zone.

Mascherano made less of an impact and moved to Liverpool during the January transfer window.

I would like to reiterate that Carlos Tevez is a registered West Ham United player

West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson

West Ham were still in danger of losing their Premiership status on the final day of the Premier League season depending on results, but Wigan's win at Sheffield United ensured it was the Blades who were condemned to relegation.

"We are happy that this matter is finally closed and all parties can now move on," said Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson.

"The arbitration panel's decision is very clear and reflects what we have believed all along.

"West Ham United have been preparing for next season in the Premier League since the final whistle at Old Trafford in May and we will continue to do so.

"I would like to reiterate that Carlos Tevez is a registered West Ham United player with a playing contract that still has three years remaining on it, and that situation remains unchanged."

The decision of Sheffield United's appeal makes it all but certain that the Blades will be playing in the Championship next season.

In relation to Sheffield United's and Fulham's claim that the Premier League should have immediately terminated Tevez's registration, the tribunal ruled they had acted reasonably in allowing the Argentina striker to play in the last three games of the season.

A Premier League statement added: "The panel confirmed that throughout this complex and unprecedented case the Premier League followed the process laid out in our rules and behaved reasonably at all times.

"The panel also understood that this was a difficult situation, exacerbated by the fact that decisions were being made against the backdrop of the climax to the 2006-07 season."

Edited July 3, 2007 by The General

[fineintent]

Hooray.

Now fuck off and get on with it.

[Turbo Yannis]

I like Sheffield United but fuck sake, get over it.

Is it because of Carlos Tevez that Wigan beat them on the last day of the season?

I know there's more to it than that but it just bloody annoys me.

[britneyspearsisgod]

I'm glad it was thrown out. Should West Ham have been dealt a harder punishment? Probably. But the fact is, Sheffield United were cheats throughout the season, whined whenever anything didn't go their way and proved to be a crap team to play. They had the chance to do something about the situation, but failed. Sorry Sheffield - you lost.

[destroyed]

lol Sheffield West Ham got their punishment and had to battle back from possible relagation the hard way. Sheffield Utd are sore losers really.

[GA!]

West Ham should have gotten the docked points instead of the £5.5 million really, but at the end of the day Tevez single-handedly saved West Ham while Sheffield United were too busy losing to every non-Watford team and going "we'll be fine in the end, you'll see".

[Summers]

West Ham should be down, but meh.

[therockbox]

We're as bad as Italy.

[Matt]

Good to hear, West Ham shouldn't have been docked points in my view, and they deserved to stay up for their efforts in the last half of the year.

[therockbox]

Efforts of a player that shouldn't have been playing in the first place.

[Matt]

Efforts of a player that shouldn't have been playing in the first place.

"I would like to reiterate that Carlos Tevez is a registered West Ham United player with a playing contract that still has three years remaining on it, and that situation remains unchanged."

And I can't find it in The General's quote, but on Sky Sports news, they had a guy who was reading from the report who said Tevez' registration could not have been overturned and him being allowed to play was the right decision.

But I'm not going into another 5 page long Tevez debate.

[therockbox]

His registration was only legal because WEST HAM WITHELD DOCUMENTS THAT WOULD HAVE STOPPED HIM FROM BEING LEGALLY REGISTERED.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Well because of the FA's delay it's impossible for anything to happen until next season and therefore it's pointless protesting more, which makes me think they already had the verdict weeks ago <_

[Matt]

Like I said, I'm not getting into a debate about it, but you're looking at it from an ethical view (which I do agree with and should've happened) however I'm looking at it from the legal (for want of the better word) perspective, he was registered, therefore he can play, despite the fact he shouldn't have been allowed to register in the first place. And dodgy transfers (which is essentially the problem) don't - in the rulebook, whether they should've in this case is a different matter, you can't make up rules to suit a particular case - warrant points deductions, if they did, a number of clubs would've had points docked.

But yeah, no Tevez debate, I'm not getting dragged into it again when it is just going to go in circles.

[IAceI]

And here we go again on the whole debate for the 4th time at a large scale and God knows how many other times in general.

I really couldn't care less and am just looking forward to the new season, of course Sheffield United staying up would have helped us, because Sheffield United are 10 times worse than West Ham, but oh well.

[therockbox]

Like I said, I'm not getting into a debate about it, but you're looking at it from an ethical view (which I do agree with and should've happened) however I'm looking at it from the legal (for want of the better word) perspective, he was registered, therefore he can play, despite the fact he shouldn't have been allowed to register in the first place. And dodgy transfers (which is essentially the problem) don't - in the rulebook, whether they should've in this case is a different matter, you can't make up rules to suit a particular case - warrant points deductions, if they did, a number of clubs would've had points docked.

But yeah, no Tevez debate, I'm not getting dragged into it again when it is just going to go in circles.

[britneyspearsisgod]

As far as I care, if it winds up Warnock, send the bastards down

[fineintent]

I'm happy because a team who actually play football have stayed in the Premiership. In a dream world, both Wigan and Sheffield United would have gone down.

[Big Red Fury]

I'm happy because a team who actually play football have stayed in the Premiership. In a dream world, both Wigan and Sheffield United would have gone down.

Edited July 4, 2007 by Big Red Fury

[IAceI]

Yes. Because Sheffield and Wigan fucking suck.