A good piece this but I really wish you wouldn't use the word CHEAT in your comments. Cheating involves gaining an unfair advantage over your opponents and I don't think this applies to West Ham on the field of play. True Tevez was outstanding for them in the last ten games of the season, but it can equally be argued that the dual transfer cost West Ham dear in the first two thirds of the season. And look at the stats Tevez didn't even score until April! And all this with the undeniable fact that both players were legally reistered to play for West Ham. The third party ownership is the question. This sits very unhappily with the present loan system which allows for holding clubs to dictate when and where their players might perform. The whole question needs an urgent review. Overall I think we are in agreement that the PL have handled the whole thing very badly. But West Ham cheats? I don't think so.

Okay, maybe I could have used different words and from what I understand it's not even anyone that is at the club currently, it was the old board.

The fact that the premier league let off west ham with a fine points to one thing in my view, they never expected them to stay up. Their form up until panels verdict was pathetic, but instead of dwelling on the decision, like the rest of the clubs that weren't safe at the time they concentrated on the football and dragged themselves out of the pit.
Lets not forget here also, the rule infringed was the 3rd party contract rule and not the registration of the players themselves as they have always been registered with the club. Thus no precedent had been set as to what the punishment should be, a points deduction or a fine, as there had never been like this before.
Add to this the fact that the panel was approved by the rest of the Premier League clubs and what have you got, they can't really blame anyone but themselves for not concentrating on the job in hand i.e. winning games regardless of the panels decision.

who's the cheats the players or the board, the players will get stick next season from all the grounds they visit,is that fair.if the premier league had acted at the right time all this mess could have been avoided, and we could have stayed up anyway !

If you look at the statement from the PL today, you will see that 3rd party ownership isn't the issue - indeed, Joorabchian still owns Mascherano. It was the clause in the contract allowing him to sell the players if and when he wanted - detrimental to West Ham in fact. So the registration of the players was never an issue - just the clause. So why a points deduction appears to be assumed as the only viable punishment, I don't know. And why the press have wholeheartedly gone along with the whims of Wigan and Sheff Utd (notice how quiet it's gone at Harrods and in the smog) can only be for 2 reasons; 1) intentionally misreporting to either make a story and keep it going to sell papers or a vendetta - both of which are believable. 2) they're crap at their job and it has been 'lazy' journalism at best - also believable.

As far the lying aspect which kept this clause hidden, then there is obvious guilt. However, the problem is that it is difficult to punish the current chairman for the actions of a previous one. What it does do is leave a door open for Sheff Utd to sue Brown and Aldridge. They seem reluctant to do this, rather to chase the points issue from the club. All of which leads me to believe that this is all down to them trying desperately to save their skins, rather than seek any 'justice'

I don't get this whole "both players were legally reistered to play for West Ham" thing, as long as their contract was invalid then they were not elligable to play for the team! Sure after the tribunal West Ham 'fixed' the contract (sic) however Tevez and Mascherano still played in numerous games that they shouldn't have played in. Meaning potentially west ham got points that they didn't deserve.
I know it's harsh on the Fans and the players (and to a degree the new owners) but the only punishment that fit's the crime is a points deduction! end of story, however the PL have bottled it and given a meaningless fine which just says, sign players illegally, hide the truth and just pay the little fine when it comes around.
Ultimatelly the only way West Ham could have signed that quality of player was by those means, there is no Legal way that they could have done it so they have gained an unfair advantage by breaking the rules.

Some good and fair comments here, but I too disagree with using the word 'cheat'. The breach of rule 18 and the potential for impropriety from the owner putting influence on the player if he had a transfer in mind was the issue. The panel made it very clear that there was no evidence of this happening - it was just that a possibility. I've read rule 18 and I think they've given it a very wide interpretation here, but the old board thought there was a problem and hid that from the PL - that was their biggest sin.

In any event, the offending terms were considered by the panel to be unenforceable in English law as they amounted to a restraint of trade for Tevez.

I think a points deduction, especially so late in the season, would have been unfair and would have been a decision to relegate rather than simple points disadvantage. The comparison that some have drawn with 3 points to Boro and relegation years ago isn't a good one, as they had half a season to play before they eventually went down.

There will be abuse from other fans when WH travel away next season and it will be unfounded. But that's football for you, and it may well pull them together, as is often the case.

As a whufc supporter thought I may let you into a few facts rather than the press induced tripe you are spilling. The facts are these

1. The players registrations have always been valid so there was never a question that they were ineligible to play either in the fa cup or the premiership.

Source of lie Press and later people who believe it or have something to gain by pepetuating the lie eg McCabe, Whelan etc

2. West ham gained an advantage by fielding illegal players.

The players were not illegal, the contract between MSI and WHU created between the leaving chairman Terrence Brown whom most whu fans hated and Kia Joorabchian, allowed Joorabchian to move the players at little or no cost to himself during the transfer window and with no argument from WHUFC thus technically giving him the ability to affect WHUFC and the Premiership as we and possibly the league would be losing a player.

3. A points deduction should have been awarded.

This is highly debatable but the QC officiating the case was quite clear on why he did not choose a points deduction. West Ham had to play 5 of the top 7 teams in their last 7 games aswell as Wigan and Sheffield Utd. To award a points deduction would have effectively relegated WHU and as such could also have affected the Title, Champions League, Uefa Cup and Relegation places.

4. Terence Brown withheld details of the contract from the premier league, as soon as Eggert Magnusson took over he was above board and opened the contracts to them. A points deduction would have been harsh on him when all he has done is co-operate about information withheld from him also prior to the deal in which he bought the club.

I can't say whether it was right or not as I am biased but can at least illuminate a few of the misconceptions that are being spouted by a press who has revelled in all the misfortunes we have suffered this year and now that we have performed a miracle wants to stick the knife in our back once more...

Should've had twenty points deducted - bloody cheats!
[url]www.claretandbluewedding.com[/url]

As a whufc supporter thought I may let you into a few facts rather than the press induced tripe you are spilling. The facts are these

1. The players registrations have always been valid so there was never a question that they were ineligible to play either in the fa cup or the premiership.

Source of lie Press and later people who believe it or have something to gain by pepetuating the lie eg McCabe, Whelan etc

2. West ham gained an advantage by fielding illegal players.

The players were not illegal, the contract between MSI and WHU created between the leaving chairman Terrence Brown whom most whu fans hated and Kia Joorabchian, allowed Joorabchian to move the players at little or no cost to himself during the transfer window and with no argument from WHUFC thus technically giving him the ability to affect WHUFC and the Premiership as we and possibly the league would be losing a player.

3. A points deduction should have been awarded.

This is highly debatable but the QC officiating the case was quite clear on why he did not choose a points deduction. West Ham had to play 5 of the top 7 teams in their last 7 games aswell as Wigan and Sheffield Utd. To award a points deduction would have effectively relegated WHU and as such could also have affected the Title, Champions League, Uefa Cup and Relegation places.

4. Terence Brown withheld details of the contract from the premier league, as soon as Eggert Magnusson took over he was above board and opened the contracts to them. A points deduction would have been harsh on him when all he has done is co-operate about information withheld from him also prior to the deal in which he bought the club.

I can't say whether it was right or not as I am biased but can at least illuminate a few of the misconceptions that are being spouted by a press who has revelled in all the misfortunes we have suffered this year and now that we have performed a miracle wants to stick the knife in our back once more...

The reason why west ham didn't get deducted points is firstly they are a london team! secondly the fa wipe their arse for them because of the world cup! thirdly the FA are just incompetent jerks! and finally they are CORRUPT!!!! look at the shit stadium they built, its all about money, money, money!!! the whole system is probably the most corrupt governing body in the whole world of football. A few seasons ago villa finnished 6th - qualfied for europe, but for some reason the fa decided to change the rules that year and let Millwall go into europe and go out straight away (a london team again!) and switch it back again the next season. Why appoint Mclaren for the england job? Why build wembley in london when nobody else in the country can get there? why do we have foreign teams in our league? i'm not being funny, but to me it seems to get worse and worse

speaking on a personal point of view, west ham should get relegated - they are the only team at the moment who can rival villa in the transfer market and the challenge for eventually a top 6 finnish next season wiv the added advantage of being based in london. but to be honest i see no difference between west ham having tevez and maschereno and everton loaning manuel fernandez and man u loaning henrik larsson, and im sure sheffield united hav loaned a few players in the past, yes they have loaned them but they still dont own them. so just dnt be bitter about relegation, and worry more about gettin promoted next season.

Upton Park has seen more back handers than wimbledon centre court, if it were a team from any other part of the country who hadnt just cost someone 100m they would have been deducted points.I can imagine the conversation between Man U and WHU chairman went sm where along theese lines "you let us win and well sell u Tevez" and as for Nick R and Nick P where did you copy and paste that load of shit from?. and you can stick your bubbles up ya arse

Appolgies nick R dont know why i mentioned you then???

I dont really know much about the whole situation (havent read section 18 & all that crap) but someone said that they werent deducted points because it would mean they were relegated and that it was unfair as it was a late stage in the season. In the Middlesborough case they were deducted the points 1/2 through the season so they had time to stay up. I dont think the issue here is when the points are deducted. If an old man murders someone they dont say dont send him to jail as it would mean he dies inside they will send him down for murder regardless of the fact that it will probably mean death in prison for him(i know this is nowhere near the same thing but just a point.) The Games that WHU had to play & the time in the season should not have come into it as the rules are the rules no matter what time in the season it is. The FA shouldnt have thought o well they arnt going to beat those teams so we dont need to deduct points. If points should have been deducted and they havent then WHU are cheats.

Let's be fair about this WHU hardly set out to "cheat". Mistakes happen in business from time to time and as football is just that business its not surprising. What did they have to gain from it if they did cheat, premiership title? hardly.

I suppose the biggy is should they have lost points, if everyone is treated fairly by the panel and the rules are enforced then the punishment just needs to be accepted.

I don't really understand it because I haven't really taken much notice so its not fair to comment whether they should or shouldn't have points deducted.

From a competitive point I'm pleased to see WHU stay up, the three that got relegated to be honest hardly played fantastic football all season.

Watford went down because they weren't good enough, and in the course of the season confirmed their relegation by selling their best player to Villa. Charlton went down because they sacked two managers during the season, effectively admitting twice that they weren't good enough. Neil Warnock has blamed West Ham, Carlos Tevez, every Premiership referee, Manchester United and Liverpool for their relegation - and yet on the penultimate weekend of the season, his own team give it nothing at Villa Park.

The three teams who have gone down are the three teams who deserve to go down. Full stop, end of f***ing story.

Bottom line is that a Premiership with West Ham is infinitely more interesting than one without.

M4Baby has it spot on. The teams that went down deserved what they got 'cos they didn't get enough points. That's how it works.

yep west ham should of been deducted points no doubt about it but as long as it didnt happen to villa i dnt care that much. GO VILLA