Boondock Saints

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/8014811.stm

I was doing a little surfing, looking further into the administration issue, and I can't find where the FA have pulled this stunt before. I would think there'd be a deadline where, prior to X date the deduction occurs this season, and after X date the points are deducted the next season. The timing and nature of this seems grossly unfair for a team smack in the middle of a relegation fight. But then again, they hosed Luton as well, so it appears to be a trend.

Also interesting, I'm showing that no team has gone into administration while in the First Div/Prem. Also, that all of the teams that have gone into administration had been relegated within 36 mos prior. For those of you with some history following the league, are the top flight teams "protected" to an extent or is administration simply a byproduct of teams not adapting financially to relegation?

 

I don't know about Prem teams being protected, but I would expect there is a higher likelihood of financial stability at a club in the top tier of football. Either because they have been around longer, are more established, or any number of reasons.

These rulings are interesting, at first glance I feel for these teams that are being punished since you feel like their performance on the pitch should determine league position not their financial abilities. But then I read that and think how ridiculous it sounds, especially when you compare the struggle soon to face Fulham. Teams cannot expect to reach the top with low budgets. If a team is experiencing financial struggles then it makes sense to push them down as their are dramatically different levels of expenses between leagues and what if they stay up? What happens if they have to close up shop in the middle of a season?

Basically, I would think that they wouldn't provide special treatments to any team, but how crazy would it be if half way through the season Manchester City just canceled all their games? Not exactly good for the league.... so maybe they do get "protected" a little.

 

Didn't they change some rules after what happened with Leeds? IIRC, they went into administration a day before the end of the season, since they knew they were relegated regardless of point deductions. Of course, they were deducted another 15 points the next season anyway 8)