Charlton Athletic legal challenge against Sheffield Wednesday penalty gets rivals' support

Sheffield Wednesday beat Charlton in both their Championship meetings in the 2019-20 season

Charlton have the support of at least eight rival clubs as they consider legally challenging an independent panel's decision not to relegate Sheffield Wednesday.

Wednesday have had a 12-point deduction imposed on them for next season for historical breaches of spending rules.

If punished in 2019-20, Wednesday would have been relegated and Charlton spared from the drop to League One.

Charlton have contacted the English Football League about the situation.

The Addicks expressed their disappointment in talks, although the decision to impose the points penalty on Wednesday was taken by an independent disciplinary panel.

Charlton, whose ownership situation is being scrutinised by the EFL, said they would write to the league to ask for an explanation why the points penalty would not immediately be applied.

BBC Sport has been told by a club source that Charlton contacted clubs to gauge support and received "eight or nine" messages in response, lending their backing.

Charlton Athletic Supporters' Trust (CAST) echoed a club statement in saying the handing of Wednesday's penalty was "unjust and illogical" after the Yorkshire club were first charged in November 2019 and the hearing conducted in June.

Relegation from the Championship has been complicated this season by financial issues surrounding clubs.

As well as the Wednesday situation, Wigan Athletic are appealing against their own 12-point deduction for going into administration - a punishment triggered by EFL rules relating to insolvency events, which left them in the relegation zone alongside Charlton.