[Phang]

Originally Posted by lokken

Surely if you haven't got the right paperwork, you can't be eligible to play.

But if the paperwork was right, he could have been. There is a difference between this and fielding a fifth domestic loan signing or whatever which is unavoidably a breach of the rules.

The point is that some of the circumstances are actually related to things that are irrelevant such as West Ham's fanbase and status.

Yeah, this was a stupid thing to mention in the press release. With that said, neither of the things you mention were actually what was said rather than iirc something to the effect of 'it would be unfair to punish the players and fans for something utterly beyond their control or knowledge' - still shite, but different shite with different and less alarming precedent.

West Ham deceived the league in a way that if things were properly disclosed, would have led to Tevez and Mascherano's ineligibility

Not really true. The ruling was not clear at the time of the signings and was only clarified when the fine was given out - if there had been full disclosure at the time (last day of the season), from everything I've been told the most likely scenario is - as happened recently - West Ham would be asked to have the relevant clauses removed once the Premier League reached a decision, but with no retroactive penalty.

No doubt that on football alone, Sheff United deserved to be relegated, as since they've lost Hulse to injury, they simply haven't been able to cope. However to say they added nothing to the prem is a bit harsh, I thought some of their home matches were fantastic blood and thunder stuff.

So were some of Wigan's. Both were appalling to watch though because it was sloppy route one stuff - technical and defensive (Bolton, Chelsea, Spurs from time to time) is okay, hoof and hope doesn't deserve respect.