Everton will still face a profit and sustainability hearing, which might result in more punishment, according to Simon Stone.
The BBC journalist claimed on Twitter on 8 April, following the revelation that the club had another two points deducted, that the written reasons specify that there is still a disagreement with the Premier League over expenditures associated with the new stadium.
That could still see Everton hit by another additional sanction as the same panel which sat for the recently-concluded commission hearing will decide on the matter at an unspecified point in the future.
Stone quoted from the official decision: “There remains a dispute between the Premier League and the club as to the status of certain costs that the club says are associated with its stadium construction.
“This issue, and the question of whether any additional sanction should be applied, will be resolved by the same Commission at a later date.”
Lawyer Stefan Borson stated on Twitter that the current two-point sentence refers to the admitted infraction, with another hearing still pending.
Everton stadium cost dispute could see more points deducted
It appears that Everton will always have another possible blow waiting for them somewhere down the line, with each negative event being simply the most recent and never the last.
An appeal is already pending over this two-point sentence, and the future appears to be filled with additional hearings and debates.
Why the panel was unable to rule on the stadium costs issue, which has remained unresolved since the original violation, is unclear, but it appears to be kicking the can down the road.
Given the time constraints, it is unlikely that any extra sanctions will be imposed this season, with even the Everton and Nottingham Forest appeals potentially leaving the Premier League standings unsettled beyond the last day.
So, in theory, Sean Dyche and his players should now know what they’re up against in the present relegation battle, with the expectation that an appeal will result in a point being reversed.
But they will also be aware that there is still more bad news hanging over their heads after that, and given the reported fury from other clubs over the delayed nature of the Toffees’ original sanction (10 reduced to six on appeal), which meant the punishment was applied this season rather than during the previous relegation battle, extending this issue further appears bound to cause even more unrest in that regard.