Sheffield United expect to avoid EFL points deduction, insists chief executive Stephen Bettis

Sheffield United do not expect to receive an English Football League points deduction despite an ongoing EFL investigation into the liquidation of the company used to buy the club, according to chief executive Stephen Bettis — although he conceded that fines or a sanction remain "on the table" and that the owners would "fight hard" any punishment.

Bettis spent an hour answering supporters' questions in the BBC Radio Sheffield studio on Tuesday night, with the potential deduction top of the agenda after the EFL launched an investigation when the company behind the Blades' takeover was placed into liquidation by the High Court in August.

Sheffield United chief executive Stephen Bettis

Why the EFL is investigating

COH Sports Bidco Limited (CSBL) agreed to purchase the Championship club for just over £100m in December 2024, but about £35m is still owed on the deal. A winding-up petition was filed in July against CSBL by United World, the club's former owners, with insolvency events able to trigger a 12-point penalty under EFL rules.

Bettis: "The club certainly didn't go into insolvency"

The Blades chief executive argued the sanction should not apply because the company that faced the winding-up order had already left the Sheffield United group by the time legal action was taken.

"The EFL are investigating the process and what has happened," Bettis said. "The 12-point deduction only relates to if the club or a company within the group goes into insolvency. The advice our owners have got from their lawyers is that the club certainly didn't go into insolvency — we're funded, we're paying all our bills on time."

He added: "The company that no longer is in the group has now had a winding up order against it. The position of our owners is that the winding up petition happened after that entity was no longer within the Sheffield United group. While it was within the group it never had a winding up order, it didn't become insolvent — their belief is that that stops the 12-point deduction happening."

BBC Sport contacted the EFL for comment and was told "matters still remain ongoing".

Risk of fine or deduction remains

Despite his confidence, Bettis admitted there is still a risk of potential fines or points deductions.

"The EFL are still investigating that and there is still the risk of that from their perspective," he said. "I think if any decision is made to go down that path obviously the owners will fight that quite hard."

Though not a direct comparison, Southampton were docked 10 points by the EFL in 2009 after their parent company went into administration, with the football club at the time claiming there was no financial link between the two. Bettis sought to distance United's case from that precedent.

"It wasn't a parent company for Sheffield United when it happened, that's quite an important difference," he said.

The chief executive also suggested the length of the investigation was telling in itself: "The EFL have been aware of this for four months, if it was clear cut we'd have been charged already, in my opinion. It's clearly not clear cut and it continues to go on. The owners have cooperated fully with the EFL investigation. They are now deliberating internally and we're waiting for their response."

Asked by BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton whether that means the club are not expecting a points deduction, Bettis replied: "From the advice the lawyers for our owners were given — that is what we've been told. I'm not going to sit here and categorically say we're not at risk, until the verdict is given I'm not going to make myself look an idiot. There's still that risk, whether it's a fine, a points deduction, all of those are on the table still and until they are not we have to be open and understand that's the situation."

Discussions continue over outstanding £35m payment

Bettis told Football Heaven that "discussions continue" between the Blades' owners and former owner Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud over a payment of nearly £35m which the new owners feel should be reduced.

"The existing owners have issues with the previous owner, they are continuing to discuss and potentially feel the sum of money outstanding should be a lesser sum. Those discussions continue," he said.

"I don't believe for one minute the new owners are trying to not pay Prince Abdullah the monies outstanding, but think the sum needs to be adjusted."

Ownership tests cleared for Ryan, no issue for Rosen

Bettis also offered reassurance on the club's ownership structure, revealing that director Timothy Ryan has passed the fit and proper owner test with both the EFL and the Independent Football Regulator, and that he had been told the prospect of co-chair Steven Rosen facing disqualification by the EFL was "not an issue".

The EFL's investigation remains ongoing, with the club — and its supporters — now waiting to learn whether the governing body's deliberations end in no action, a fine, or the 12-point penalty the owners remain determined to resist.

Sheffield United CEO says club expect to avoid points deduction

Sheffield United's chief executive has said the club do not expect to receive an English Football League points deduction and that the owners would "fight hard" if any such sanction is imposed.

The EFL launched an investigation after the company used to buy the club was placed into liquidation by the High Court in August.

COH Sports Bidco Limited (CSBL) agreed to purchase the Championship club for just over £100m in December 2024 but about £35m is still owed on the deal.

A winding-up petition was filed in July against CSBL by United World — the club's former owners — with insolvency events able to trigger a 12-point penalty under EFL rules.

Blades chief executive officer Stephen Bettis spent an hour in the BBC Radio Sheffield studio on Tuesday night, with the potential points deduction top of the agenda.

"The EFL are investigating the process and what has happened," Bettis said.

"The 12-point deduction only relates to if the club or a company within the group goes into insolvency. The advice our owners have got from their lawyers is that the club certainly didn't go into insolvency — we're funded, we're paying all our bills on time."

"The company that no longer is in the group has now had a winding up order against it."

"The position of our owners is that the winding up petition happened after that entity was no longer within the Sheffield United group. While it was within the group it never had a winding up order, it didn't become insolvent — their belief is that that stops the 12-point deduction happening."

BBC Sport has contacted the EFL for comment.

Bettis conceded there remains a risk of potential fines or points deductions, adding: "The EFL are still investigating that and there is still the risk of that from their perspective."

"I think if any decision is made to go down that path obviously the owners will fight that quite hard."

BBC Sport reached out to the EFL for comment and were told "matters still remain ongoing".

Though not a direct comparison, in 2009 Southampton were docked 10 points by the EFL after their parent company went into administration and the football club claimed there was not a financial link between the two.

Bettis added: "It wasn't a parent company for Sheffield United when it happened, that's quite an important difference."

"The EFL have been aware of this for four months, if it was clear cut we'd have been charged already, in my opinion. It's clearly not clear cut and it continues to go on."

"The owners have cooperated fully with the EFL investigation. They are now deliberating internally and we're waiting for their response."

Asked by BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton if that means the club are not expecting a points deduction, Bettis said: "From the advice the lawyers for our owners were given — that is what we've been told."

"I'm not going to sit here and categorically say we're not at risk, until the verdict is given I'm not going to make myself look an idiot."

"There's still that risk, whether it's a fine, a points deduction, all of those are on the table still and until they are not we have to be open and understand that's the situation."

Discussions continue over outstanding payment

Bettis told Football Heaven that "discussions continue" between the Blades owners and former owner Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud over a payment of nearly £35m which they feel should be reduced.

"The existing owners have issues with the previous owner, they are continuing to discuss and potentially feel the sum of money outstanding should be a lesser sum. Those discussions continue," he said.

"I don't believe for one minute the new owners are trying to not pay Prince Abdullah the monies outstanding, but think the sum needs to be adjusted."

Bettis also said director Timothy Ryan has passed the fit and proper owner test with both the EFL and Independent Football Regulator and said he had been told the prospect of co-chair Steven Rosen facing disqualification by the EFL was "not an issue".

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Related topics: Sheffield United, EFL, Championship.

Published 8 June 2023.

Stephen Bettis speaking on BBC Radio Sheffield