Nottingham Forest have been left reeling by a four-point deduction for beaching profit and sustainability rules that plunges them into the relegation zone.
The sanction sees Forest drop into 18th place, a point below Luton Town, who are currently safe as the table stands.
Forest have responded to the verdict with an incredible statement via the club's website that outlines several concerns and even questions how promoted sides can be expected to compete while still complying with the rules.
Although Premier League clubs are allowed to lose £105 million over a three-year period, Forest’s permitted losses were limited to £61 million because they spent two of those years in the Championship.
The statement reads, "Nottingham Forest is extremely disappointed with the decision of the Commission to impose a sanction on the Club of four points, to be applied with immediate effect.
"Notwithstanding our disappointment, we thank the Commission for agreeing to deal with this matter on an expedited basis. The Club considers it to be essential for the integrity of the league to have charges resolved in the season in which they are issued.
"We were extremely dismayed by the tone and content of the Premier League’s submissions before the Commission.
"After months of engagement with the Premier League, and exceptional cooperation throughout, this was unexpected and has harmed the trust and confidence we had in the Premier League."
The verdict has taken Forest by surprise and the club feels that the mitigating circumstances behind its rule breach weren't given proper consideration.
Upon their long-awaited return to the top division in 2022, they spent heavily to strengthen their squad, signing 32 players last season.
That huge outlay caused Forest to exceed their permitted losses after they waited until the end of the transfer window to sell Brennan Johnson to Tottenham Hotspur for a higher fee, thereby missing the 30 June PSR deadline.
As a result, Forest feel they have been unfairly punished for acting in a way that enabled them to maximise their profit on Johnson.
The statement highlighted this aspect of the case as a cause for wider concern that has potential repercussions throughout the football pyramid.
"In circumstances where this approach is followed by future PSR commissions, it would make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for newly promoted clubs without parachute payments to compete, thus undermining the integrity and competitiveness of the Premier League.
"The Commission's decision raises issues of concern for all aspirant clubs. The player transfer market is a highly specialised trading environment that cannot be compared to the sale of normal products and services.
"There will be occasions when a player transfer cannot be completed in the first half of a transfer window and can only be completed at the end of that window. This should not be a reason for the condemnation of a club. For this not to be recognised by the Commission or the Premier League should be a matter of extreme concern for all fans of our national game."
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