Derby County ready to accept another points deduction – all but confirmation of the outage

Derby County stewards will be reluctant to accept a big points deduction that will almost throw the club into the first division.

After weeks of talks with the football league, Derby is close to agreeing on another 9-point deduction and an additional three-point suspension, for historic financial violations under former owner Mel Morris.

This last penalty will increase their total amount of penalty points to -21, which will put Derby at minus three points and leave them at the bottom of the table, and dropping out of the championship seems inevitable.

The proposed business plan, which includes spending, transfer and loss limits, will be finalized and, once agreed, will be officially announced.

The trustees of Derby, Quantum and the EFL declined to comment, although the EFL said matters were ongoing.

Wayne Rooney, the Derby coach, will now face the big task of raising his team by deducting a second point, which is likely to have a strong impact on his hopes of avoiding relegation.

Derby have already scored for Deduction of 12 points after entering the administration in September, and Quantume ‘s proposed appeal was adjourned earlier this week. That appeal is now dismissed in its entirety.

Quantuma also intended to challenge the threat of further points for violating EFL’s rules on profitability and sustainability, but they are now close to reaching an “agreed decision” and confirmation is expected in the coming days.

It is understood that Quantum was decided after receiving legal advice: they now believe that the best solution for a possible sale is to adopt a fine to close and provide certainty to all interested parties.

Derby is discussing a possible takeover with at least three separate consortia, and the long-running saga with the EFL, which initially began in January 2020, has proven to be a disturbing backdrop.

Rooney inspired lively responses from his players at the start of the season, when the club’s management was confirmed, but Derby has won just once in the last nine games.

With the deduction of other points, they will be 14 points behind second-placed Barnsley and 18 behind Peterborough, who are just before the relegation zone.

The derby returns to the championship action on Sunday with a home game against league leader Bournemouth.