Points deduction plunges Forest into relegation battle

Nottingham Forest has been deducted four points for overspending, dropping the team into the Premier League relegation zone with nine games remaining in the season.

The club was found to have breached the league profitability and sustainability regulations, which typically allow clubs to lose a maximum of $204 million AUD over a three-year period or face sanctions.

Forest's assessment period ended in 2022-23 and therefore included two seasons when the club was in the second-tier Championship, before they made an unprecedented 21 off-season signings at a cost of $244 million following promotion to the top flight.

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The team managed by Nuno Espirito Santo fell from 17th to 18th — one of the three relegation places in the league — and onto 21 points.

Luton Town, who sit on 22 points, climbed out of the relegation zone as a result.

"Got to take it on the chin and just keep moving forward,” Forest's Matt Turner said.

“Points deduction aside, we've been our own worst enemies in a lot of ways this entire season ... we have all of it in our control.

"The games that we have coming up are teams in and around us, and if we can control those games and get some wins, then hopefully the point deduction shouldn’t matter.”

The sanction was issued by a three-person independent commission following a hearing this month, with Forest to confirm whether they will appeal the points penalty.