EFL: Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday both escape points deductions

Derby County avoided relegation to League One following a 3-3 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on the last day

Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday will start next season on the same points mark as all their rivals after receiving suspended points deductions.

Assuming they comply with EFL rules on the payment of their players, both will escape any immediate points penalties.

Championship side Derby have accepted a suspended three-point penalty, to be implemented only if the club fail to pay their players before 30 June 2022.

Relegated League One Wednesday accepted a suspended six-point deduction.

This will only come into effect if the club do not pay in full the arrears owed to the players on or before 5 July 2021 and/or they fail to pay their players before 30 June 2022.

It is understood that these arrears have now been paid.

If Wednesday pay their players up until 31 December 2021, the sanction will be reduced to a suspended three-point deduction.

Both cases refer to last season's Championship, in which Wednesday began the season under a 12-point deduction, later halved to six, before being relegated by three points, while Wayne Rooney's Derby stayed up on the final day thanks to nearest rivals Rotherham shipping a late equaliser at Cardiff.

An EFL statement said: "In December 2020, Derby County failed to pay their players as per the terms of the agreements between the club and its players and were charged with misconduct under the EFL regulations.

"In the months of March 2021, April 2021, May 2021 and June 2021, Sheffield Wednesday failed to pay their players as per the terms of the agreements between the club and its players and were charged with misconduct under the EFL."

Derby have endured a turbulent few weeks, having been hit with a £100,000 fine last month for breaching rules relating to financial fair play.

There was also uncertainty over which league the Rams would be playing in next season after the EFL announced an "interchangeable fixture list". But the EFL decided not to implement the decision to deduct points.

The club are also in the midst of a potential takeover as current owner Mel Morris looks to sell, having seen two potential deals fall through in the past few months.

Sheffield Wednesday begin the 2021-22 season on Sunday 1 August with an EFL Cup tie against local rivals Huddersfield Town.

Derby also start the new campaign at home to Huddersfield in the Championship a week later on 7 August, when Wednesday begin their League One campaign at Charlton.