Now that Saints’ ten point deduction will not directly affect any other club our chances of a successful appeal are vastly improved, as it becomes strictly a matter of law and not an issue that will have a knock-on effect on the future of any other Championship club.

Though the Football League may well be right in acknowledging that Saints’ holding company was set up partially to create a loophole to prevent things like this from happening, the law appears to be on our side. And administrator Mark Fry has expressed his confidence that not only will an appeal be launched, but it will also be successful.

“It is extremely disappointing that the Football League has concluded that there should be a ten point deduction on the Club. As we have stated before, we feel that no rule has been breached by Southampton FC, and we intend to appeal that decision. Fans should not consider the case to be closed just yet,” Fry wrote to supporters in Saturday’s matchday programme.

Speaking through the club’s official site, his initial reaction to the news was: “We remain firmly of the view that the rules do not apply. That means the Football League have now stretched the rules to meet the circumstances and that is inappropriate.”

One local barrister has told Southampton FansOnline that the legal case is quite clear and Saints have a very good chance of winning, which supports Fry’s ideas:

“The football league is a members organisation and the rules are laid down by themselves. In any such body of that nature you run the risk that if there’s any grey area then they can interpret as they see fit, which leads down to the appeals process.

“You then need to fit into the appeals criteria and act under their rules. The directors of the club are in consultation with the lawyers who are acting as we speak and it is expected that an appeal will be launched.”

Having been relegated by right, there’s now no doubt that Saints will start next season in League One, but with no other clubs’ future dependent on the outcome of this appeal, we can expect it to last quite some time. And potentially end with Saints starting off with a clean slate after all.

The only danger is that the Football League could penalise us even more should we fail to convince the courts.

Is it worth the risk?

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