[Archived] Don't know where to put this

[dave birch]

This is what one fan decided to do:

Yep, it's Theno, and love him or hate him, he's not averse to doing things.

 

He wouldn't post it on here himself, but it's worth a wider audience:

 

"Now I might be pissing in the wind and this is somewhat complex but please bear with me.

Enraged by the events at St Andrews last weekend I wrote the following to a senior official (no need for names) at BRFC asking for the club’s stance on the matter.
I received this response.
“Dear Gordon
Many thanks for your e-mail the content of which is duly noted. Please be advised that I have been in contact with representatives of the Owners of Blackburn Rovers Football Club regarding events at Birmingham City on Saturday and shall be contacting The EFL to make our concerns known. In the meantime we shall have to along with others who could as a consequence of what happened at St Andrew’s be effected in the final shake-up await for the competitions governing body to determine if any sanctions / action should be taken. We shall as a club along with our supporters have to see what develops during the coming days as we prepare for our vitally important game at Griffin Park.
I thank you for contacting me at the club.
Kind regards.......................”

Moving on I then telephoned the EFL in Preston to enquire about their opinion on the situation. It appears unfortunately that their main concern and priority at the moment is the forthcoming fixture Blackpool v Leyton Orient as they fear a flashpoint situation developing (dodgy owners again). For those interested they will make a statement on this at 6.00 pm today apparently
I was informed that they had had ‘a few’ calls regarding events surrounding the Birmingham v Huddersfield match and was encouraged to email them with my concerns. I was given the distinct impression that the more the merrier approach works best!

I emailed the following ......
======================================

“Dear Sir or Madam

I refer to Huddersfield Town fielding a seriously weakened team v Birmingham City on 29/04/17. Such actions are covered to an extent in EDF Rules and Regulations, Section 5 rule 24, 24.1 and 25.

24 Requirement to Play Full Strength Sides in League Matches

24.1 Each Club shall play its full strength in all Matches played under the auspices of The League unless some satisfactory reason is given. In the event of the explanation not being deemed satisfactory the Board shall refer the matter to a Disciplinary Commission which has the power to impose such penalties as it shall think fit.

25 Misconduct in Pre-Arranging the Result of Matches
Read more at http://www.efl.com/global/section5.aspx#FR0O8CRQoJjdF418.99

I feel you really need to investigate both Clubs as Birmingham City's Manager Harry Redknapp and Huddersfield Town appear to be in collusion judging by Redknapp's pre-match comments reported in the national press and media on Friday 28/4/17 in which he (Redknapp) suggested Huddersfield Town would be 'crazy' to field a full strength team. Re: Rule 24 and 24.1 Huddersfield subsequently made 10 changes from their previous mid-week match line up and lost the game and forfeited the points. I would suggest that by doing so they were attempting to manipulate both their league position and their play off opponents. It may be worth remembering at this point that the form team in the Championship are Fulham and that the aggregate score over the two league matches played against Huddersfield Town is 9-1 in Fulham's favour!
Birmingham City Manager Redknapp is no doubt desperate for his lucrative appointment to continue next season BUT in his position he surely must be aware of the EFL Rules and his enticement for Huddersfield to literally drive a coach and horses through them is reprehensible. This is not the first questionable or controversial incident in his managerial career and it’s probably fair to say that very few will be surprised by his actions.
Re: Rule 25. Joey Barton has recently been severely punished for betting incidents which if undeterred amongst professional players could lead to accusations of match fixing, however if this incident does not constitute an attempt at match fixing then why not? Might be wise to check on ‘Rosie’ Redknapp's betting slips too!

The consequences of this unsavoury incident and blatant flaunting of the EFL rules and regulations are obviously very damaging to the reputation of the EFL and could carry sever long term financial implications for rival clubs at both ends of the Division, those involved in the play offs for sure but particularly for Nottingham Forest FC and Blackburn Rovers FC who now may well be relegated to Division 1 as a consequence of this infringement.

I have no idea of the financial standing for either club nor the implications for relegation so I feel that the only reasonable punishment for both Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City is severe censure and a penalty of significant points deduction to deter others following suit in the future.
Thank you for your attention and I await your response with much interest”

============================


So I would urge everyone who can and who cares to write anything from a single sentence to a large volume and protest at the odious situation by emailing the EFL here. enquiries@efl.com
I also intend to stir the pot by writing to a number of national daily newspapers. They just love any excuse to chop down large swathes of scandanavian forests don't they? Anybody willing to do likewise just cut and paste your posts here including email addresses to which you sent them in order for others to do likewise. "

 

[Al]

I've decided to suspend my posting boycott on this forum to ask, please, for as many fans as possible to email EFL to this effect. We are all Rovers supporters and it is time to put our differences aside to try to come to the aid of our club. There is no need for conflict between BRFCS and Roversfans.com. The two forums can run without rivalry or competition. Let's get together on this, PLEASE!

As a gesture I have decided to forget that I was insulted to get a weeks ban on here for a trivial post and will return to posting as normal.

Cheers, Al.

[den]

Noble and just effort Theno, but it seems the EFL have already ruled out points deduction.

"It should be noted, however, that the result of Saturday's game will stand in all circumstances and any potential action would be taken against Huddersfield Town directly."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39786607

[AllRoverAsia]

Just now, den said:

Noble and just effort Theno, but it seems the EFL have already ruled out points deduction.

"It should be noted, however, that the result of Saturday's game will stand in all circumstances and any potential action would be taken against Huddersfield Town directly."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39786607

A decision made by the EFL prior to getting any response from Huddersfield and prior to the situation, maybe, being referred to their own disciplinary proceedures in accordance with their own rules.

Inspiring leadership from the 'I'm Alrights' running that Pantomime in Preston.

Oh and 'Arry has already been found not guilty of anything in this debacle. He's still a mouthy London spiv.

[Al]

Decisions can sometimes be overruled if there is enough fuss made in the press and other media. Please send those emails!

[McClarky]

I think the whole thing is ridiculous. How can the EFL dictate who a manager picks for s certain game and who is to say that the team he selects isn't the best 1 for the game in question.  Squad rotation in s part and parcel of the modern game and it's outrageous if they start punishing clubs for changing their side while the bigger clubs in the PL do this week in week out.  If the rule says you have to play your strongest team they should change it rather than persecuting clubs for using their squad.

[Batman.]

Huddersfield can do as they please. I would expect us to look after ourselves were we in the same situation. Your fate is in your own hands over 46 games.

This screams of pathetic desperation.

[K-Hod]

I suppose a broader point would be- what is the actual point of this rule, if it is never to be enforced anyway?

It is also in direct conflict with being allowed a 25 man squad, but then having to play a strongest XI. The whole thing absolutely stinks.

[K-Hod]

7 minutes ago, Al said:

I've decided to suspend my posting boycott on this forum to ask, please, for as many fans as possible to email EFL to this effect. We are all Rovers supporters and it is time to put our differences aside to try to come to the aid of our club. There is no need for conflict between BRFCS and Roversfans.com. The two forums can run without rivalry or competition. Let's get together on this, PLEASE!

As a gesture I have decided to forget that I was insulted to get a weeks ban on here for a trivial post and will return to posting as normal.

Cheers, Al.

Good to hear. There's absolutely no reason the two boards can't exist side by side. Just so long as there is no reporting of the 'he/she said this' between forums, which is frankly embarrassing (and happened on here plenty as well!).

[Batman.]

Just now, K-Hod said:

I suppose a broader point would be- what is the actual point of this rule, if it is never to be enforced anyway?

It is also in direct conflict with being allowed a 25 man squad, but then having to play a strongest XI. The whole thing absolutely stinks.

Exactly. Perhaps it could apply to youth players outside of the 25? Mourihno is talking about playing his under 23's on the last day of the season...

[Dunnfc]

The clubs legal representation are reviewing this with the view to an official complaint.

im in the Huddersfield can do what they want camp simply because we've allowed this situation to affect us through our own ineptness at guaranteeing results were our destiny was in our own hands, namely Preston and Barnsley recently.

of course the lack of integrity to the game has been shown but we need to look after ourselves and 3 points at Brentford is mandatory.

[RV Blue]

I think the main points here are; firstly, it seems blatantly obvious to me that Huddersfield were trying to manipulate their league position in order to avoid a certain opponent in the playoffs; and secondly that Birmingham's manager told Huddersfield's manager to break the EFL's (clearly stated) rules. Both clubs should be punished. It is quite frankly laughable that some of our fans are on Wagner's side in this.

[NinjaTattoo]

Just now, Batman. said:

Huddersfield can do as they please. I would expect us to look after ourselves were we in the same situation. Your fate is in your own hands over 46 games.

This screams of pathetic desperation.

+1

[NinjaTattoo]

Just now, Dunnfc said:

The clubs legal representation are reviewing this with the view to an official complaint.

im in the Huddersfield can do what they want camp simply because we've allowed this situation to affect us through our own ineptness at guaranteeing results were our destiny was in our own hands, namely Preston and Barnsley recently.

of course the lack of integrity to the game has been shown but we need to look after ourselves and 3 points at Brentford is mandatory.

+2 100% agree

[McClarky]

Even if they did anything, which they shouldn't, they would punish Huddersfueld not zBirmingham.  No chance of a replay then.  This is probably a throwback to the days before the huge squads everyone has now and needs to be changed as it's unenforceable. Who decides what a strongest side looks like anyway? Rovers under GB should have been fined for playing Brown while Gestede sat on the bench.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Batman. said:

Huddersfield can do as they please. I would expect us to look after ourselves were we in the same situation. Your fate is in your own hands over 46 games.

This screams of pathetic desperation.

They have, but they can't. There are rules, That's the point.

It's hardly pathetic desperation. There will be even greater 'screams' from  'Arry and Warburton if Brentford play their 2nd string and we win. And they'd be right. It's the same principle. 

[McClarky]

Just now, RV Blue said:

I think the main points here are; firstly, it seems blatantly obvious to me that Huddersfield were trying to manipulate their league position in order to avoid a certain opponent in the playoffs; and secondly that Birmingham's manager told Huddersfield's manager to break the EFL's (clearly stated) rules. Both clubs should be punished. It is quite frankly laughable that some of our fans are on Wagner's side in this.

Eh? Who told who to do what?

[Batman.]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

They have, but they can't. There are rules, That's the point.

It's hardly pathetic desperation. There will be even greater 'screams' from  'Arry and Warburton if Brentford play their 2nd string and we win. And they'd be right. It's the same principle. 

They've named a 25 man squad, and named 11 players from that 25 man squad. I'm not sure what they are obliged to do? 

If there were a rule saying that you can only make x amount of changes to your lineup from the previous game, then fine. Otherwise, I can't see a lot wrong?

[RV Blue]

Just now, McClarky said:

Eh? Who told who to do what?

Redknapp told Wagner to rest his better players, thus telling him to not play a full strength team (which is against the EFL's rules).

[Batman.]

Just now, RV Blue said:

Redknapp told Wagner to rest his better players, thus telling him to not play a full strength team (which is against the EFL's rules).

He didn't though. He said he thought "he would be mad to play a full team."

It's an opinion, and we'd be chuckling if it were our manager. I understand the frustration, but it's game management I'm afraid. You have to accept come the end of the season, if you put yourself in a comprising situation, such things can happen.

[RV Blue]

Just now, Batman. said:

He didn't though. He said he thought "he would be mad to play a full team."

It's an opinion, and we'd be chuckling if it were our manager. I understand the frustration, but it's game management I'm afraid. You have to accept come the end of the season, if you put yourself in a comprising situation, such things can happen.

Redknapp coerced an opposition manager to break the EFL's rules, simple as.

[Batman.]

Just now, RV Blue said:

Redknapp coerced an opposition manager to break the EFL's rules, simple as.

"Simple as?"

Really? How?

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Batman. said:

They've named a 25 man squad, and named 11 players from that 25 man squad. I'm not sure what they are obliged to do? 

If there were a rule saying that you can only make x amount of changes to your lineup from the previous game, then fine. Otherwise, I can't see a lot wrong?

It couldn't be any clearer:-

24 Requirement to Play Full Strength Sides in League Matches

24.1 Each Club shall play its full strength in all Matches played under the auspices of The League unless some satisfactory reason is given. In the event of the explanation not being deemed satisfactory the Board shall refer the matter to a Disciplinary Commission which has the power to impose such penalties as it shall think fit.

The EFL will have now written to Huddersfield to seek an explanation, as described above. The EFL know rules have been broken. Unfortunately they'll dish out a small fine and then a precedent will be set so that teams will be happy to do it in the future without fear of adequate penalties being imposed. The integrity of the game is now compromised.

[McClarky]

Told him? Coerced? Don't be silly. He might have suggested it in an interview but you can't coerce someone to do something without any authority or control.  Huddersfield did nothing wrong and Redknapp certainly didn't either.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, McClarky said:

Huddersfield did nothing wrong

24 Requirement to Play Full Strength Sides in League Matches

24.1 Each Club shall play its full strength in all Matches played under the auspices of The League unless some satisfactory reason is given. In the event of the explanation not being deemed satisfactory the Board shall refer the matter to a Disciplinary Commission which has the power to impose such penalties as it shall think fit.