Football League close sanctions loophole

The Football League are to change their own rules regarding entering administration after Leeds and Boston exploited a loophole in the current regulations.

In order to prevent a 10-point deduction next season, both clubs purposely entered administration before the end of the current campaign in the knowledge they were already all-but relegated.

Their action drew criticism from several quarters and led the League to introduce a cut-off date for clubs to enter into the hands of administrators.

If clubs fail to meet the deadline, the date of which has yet to be agreed, then the points deduction will apply from the start of the following season.

Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney said: “The League board have made the right decision.

“The original intention of ’Sporting Sanctions’ was that clubs should suffer a penalty by going into administration, as a spur to better financial management.

“None of our clubs have done anything wrong but we need to take steps to make these sanctions meaningful.”