August 13 – Macclesfield Town have been relegated from League 2 after the English Football League (EFL) won an appeal against a points deduction that in turn triggered a further points penalty. As a result of the ruling, Stevenage will retain their League Two status.
In June, an independent arbitration panel handed the Silkmen a two-point penalty and a £20,000 fine for breaches of regulations relating to non-payment of wages, but the EFL appealed. That appeal has now been upheld, meaning that they finish three points below their rivals Stevenage, having been deducted 17 points in total over the course of the 2019-20 season, across three disciplinary cases, all for non-payment of players.
An EFL statement said: “An independent arbitration panel has upheld the EFL’s appeal in respect of the outcome of an independent disciplinary commission who in June 2020 had considered misconduct charges brought against Macclesfield Town.
“The charges related to failing to pay a number of players on the applicable payment dates due in March 2020, failing to act with utmost good faith in respect of matters with the EFL and for breaching an order, requirement, direction or instruction of the league.
“The arbitration panel confirmed that the two-point suspended sporting sanction activated on 19 June 2020 from previous proceedings will stand and in addition the four-point deduction, originally suspended in the latest proceedings and only to be activated in the event of a further breach of regulation 63.7 during season 2020-21, will be activated immediately and applied to the 2019-20 table.
“Today’s outcome leaves Macclesfield Town in 24th position in the table on 19 points with a points per game (PPG) total of 23.62, resulting in the club’s relegation into the National League.”
The new EFL season will kick off in the weekend of September 12-13. Stevenage will be looking to improve on their meagre record of three wins in 36 games in the 2019-20 whereas Macclesfield will have to get used to life back in the National League.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1714056556labto1714056556ofdlr1714056556owedi1714056556sni@o1714056556fni1714056556