Nottingham Forest’s appeal against their four-point penalty for breaching Premier League player spending regulations was not only turned down by an independent panel but also seemed to include a slight against the club. Despite presenting their case before a three-person tribunal, the Reds failed to regain any points.

Forest argued that the sale of Brennan Johnson on deadline day last summer, which occurred two months after the relevant fiscal year under scrutiny, should have been considered a mitigating factor. They believed the commission erred in not suspending part or all of the points deduction. However, the appeal hearing rejected both arguments.

The panel further stated that they unanimously agreed the commission was justified in imposing the four-point deduction and refusing to suspend it. The Reds exceeded their permitted maximum spending by £34.5 million over a rolling three-year period, surpassing the £61 million limit.

Following the appeal decision, Reds fans expressed their opinions. Some, like commenter Red Dog 1968, expressed fatigue with the situation and urged moving on, acknowledging the unfairness but recognizing the limited options for recourse. Others, such as El perro rojo and Designoutloud, highlighted the contrasting treatment between Forest’s swift penalty and ongoing investigations into wealthier clubs like Manchester City.

Melgarion criticized the disparity in financial allowances between mega-rich clubs and newly promoted ones, viewing it as fundamentally unfair. ChrissyD and Arnoldtricky focused on the practical implications, with ChrissyD expressing relief that the deduction remained at four points and Arnoldtricky expressing confidence in the team’s ability to stay competitive despite the setback.

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