Planet Swans ArchivesLeeds are still trying to gain back the fifteen points that they had deducted at the start of the season. At present if they were successful they would leapfrog the bulk of the division and move into second place – 8 points behind us having played one game more.
The hearing is an arbitration hearing – something offered by the football league last week – and accepted by Leeds. Many supporters across league one are adamant that no point penalty should be overturned and if any decision was made at such a late stage in the season then it would surely be met with widespread derision. The questions will undoubtedly follow whether Leeds would have started the season in the same vein of form had they not had the big deduction and you are effectively deciding the fate of many other clubs too late in the season for them to be able to overcome it.
The Leeds paper says "Nothing has been said publicly on when that will be, but the Yorkshire Post has learned the hearing will take place in the week commencing April 14.
"The three-man panel who will hear the case will consist of a neutral Court of Appeal judge plus one representative apiece nominated by Leeds and the League."
Common sense though must surely remain and the punishment remain intact otherwise it could be a long season of court battles and mud slinging especially for those who would miss out if the deduction were overturned.
Thankfully for us we should be unaffected by anything with the big lead that we currently have.
