Everton supporters hold emergency meeting over 10 point deduction for breaching Premier League rules

Everton fans have held a special emergency meeting as the biggest punishment for financial rule breaking in Premier League history continues to hang over the club.

Everton was deducted 10 points by an independent commission after being found to have breached Premier League financial rules.

Fans angered by the punishment have now raised more than £40,000 to pay for protest banners to be displayed at Goodison Park for the match against Manchester United on Sunday 26 November.

The club's supporters groups came together for the meeting at the Winslow Hotel near the stadium on Wednesday evening, 22 November, to show solidarity in opposition to points deduction.

Fans say they are shocked at the severity of the punishment, which has seen Everton drop from 14th down to second from bottom in the Premier League table.

Paul McMonnies from the Everyton Fan Advisory Board said: "The last few days have seen us all united together and that's what tonight is about - bringing the fans together and getting through this.

"We've had problems, but it's important to look forward and look at the ten points, that's the main aim, getting that reduced."

Katie Carter from group Everton 1878 said fans had raised over £40,000 for banners and placards for the game against United on Saturday.

Katie said: "We don't see that the crime is worthy of the punishment received."

In a statement issued by Everton on Friday 17 November, the club said it was "shocked and disappointed" by the sanction.

"The club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction," the Toffees statement read.

"The club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League.

"The appeal process will now commence and the club's case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League's rules in due course.

"Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process.

"The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings.

"Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted.

"The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules."

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