Nottingham Forest have lodged an appeal against a four-point deduction for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules.
The sanction was applied earlier this month after an independent commission found Forest had overspent by £34.5million over a three-year period, breaching their £61m threshold.
That would have resulted in a six-point deduction - three for the breach itself and a further three for the size of it - but that was reduced due to Forest’s “early plea” and “cooperation”.
However, the club have now lodged an appeal, having had seven days from the confirmation of the sanction to do so.
Forest said in a statement: “Nottingham Forest can confirm that it has today lodged an appeal against the four point sanction imposed by the Commission in relation to the Club’s breach of the Premier League’s Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR).
“The club will not be making any further statement at this time.”
It is believed that the Premier League view May 24 as a date by which any any appeals process should be concluded, though that comes five days after the final day of the season.
In response to the four-point sanction, Forest emphasised the need for the charges to be fully resolved before the end of the campaign.
The club said they were “extremely disappointed” at the deduction, while claiming the the commission’s decision “raises issues of concern for all aspirant clubs”. Forest argued that “the Premier League gave no consideration at all to the unique circumstances” of the situation, believing that newly promoted teams without parachute payments were at a disadvantage that might it “extremely difficult, if not impossible” to compete.
Forest sit in the relegation zone after the deduction, dropping them below Luton with nine games of the Premier League season to go.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are a point off the Hatters in 17th and four points behind Everton, who have a game in hand. Brentford, currently 15th in the table, after five points clear of the bottom three.
The club have signed more than 40 players since their return to the Premier League, with 22 of those arriving in the summer of 2022 after they secured a return to the top-flight.
