Nottingham Forest sent 'raw deal' FFP message as D-day looms

Nottingham Forest’s City Ground

Nottingham Forest have been given a “raw deal” over Financial Fair Play, says football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

It is understood the Reds will be told this week the date for their independent commission hearing after being charged by the Premier League for breaching its profit and sustainability rules. It is expected to take place within the first fortnight of March.

The Premier League rules state clubs are only allowed to make a maximum loss of £105 million across a rolling three-year period, or £35m each season. For promoted teams that is reduced, meaning Forest have been restricted to losses of £61m for the last three campaigns – £13m for the two seasons in the Championship prior to promotion, plus £35m last season.

“In my view Forest have got a fairly raw deal in respect of Financial Fair Play,” Maguire told i. “They were promoted with a squad that cost £12m up against billion-pound-costing squads. They only have a £61m allowable loss for FFP purposes compared to £105m for the established clubs of the Premier League.

“But having said that it does look as though they’ve exceeded the limits. They were pretty close to them in the EFL. They signed an awful lot of players for big fees, and others on smaller fees but with big wages.

“So certainly when I did my sums – I called them out a couple of weeks before the announcement was made as being very high risk – and it’s come as no surprise.”

Forest were charged by the Premier League back in January. The club issued a statement in the wake of the charge, which read: “Nottingham Forest acknowledges the statement from the Premier League confirming that the club has today been charged with a breach of the league’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The club intends to continue to cooperate fully with the Premier League on this matter and are confident of a speedy and fair resolution.”

According to the rules, following charges being levelled, a hearing by an independent commission has to be concluded by April 8.

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