Everton have been forced to endure an excruciating wait of late, with no explanation as to why or when their appeal might be drawn to a conclusion.
The Premier League, and its independent commission, remain unmoved by the needs of the sides seeking to learn their fate in order to plan out the rest of their season. Despite it being a matter of urgency to them, it quite clearly is not to those in positions of power.
And that is a worrying trend.
After all, the verdict is one which could have monumental repercussions in the grand scheme of the Toffees’ history, with a positive outcome likely to offer the necessary boost needed to avoid the drop, or a negative one condemning them to another tightly-run and frankly miserable run-in.
Andy Burnham has sought to increase the pressure on those making that decision…
What Andy Burnham has said about the Premier League
As someone who has been a vocal supporter of Everton throughout their battle with the Premier League, the Mayor of Greater Manchester marks a fine political ally to boast, especially when he has been so passionate about the cause.
A boyhood Evertonian, the Toffees could not have hoped for a more enthusiastic representative to fight their corner in the media.
After all, not only has he held the Premier League to account, but the broadcasters who uphold their poor judgement too.
His latest statement is issued directly to the division, as he takes to X to claim: ‘How can the @premierleague justify what they are doing to Everton Football Club? Another week is slipping by and we still don’t know what is happening. They are killing us.’
Everton have been treated terribly
Whilst the ten-point deduction alone would be cause for mass protest, given it remains the harshest deduction in Premier League history, it is actually the conduct that has followed which has arguably drawn more scrutiny.
After all, despite being the overriding institution with which the buck stops, they have been shockingly amateurish in their enforcement and defence of their verdict.
The rules were quite clearly made up on the spot, and as such various holes have appeared in their argument, found by the everyday fan.
God knows how many more such an expert like KC Laurence Rabinowitz will have conjured.
Fans will hope enough to at least recoup some of their points, as recent performances suggest Sean Dyche’s men will struggle to claim many more on the pitch.
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