From Scandals to Sanctions: Every Premier League Points Deduction Ever Handed Down and the Clubs That Suffered

Points deductions rank among the rarest and most severe penalties a Premier League club can receive. Since the league's formation in 1992, only a small number of clubs have faced this sanction, with points being stripped for various disciplinary and financial violations.

The punishment has recently been thrust back into the public eye due to Manchester City's protracted Premier League legal case. Following years of investigation and an extensive independent commission hearing, City were found guilty of 114 out of 115 financial rule violations brought against them by the Premier League. The charges cover numerous issues, including the club's financial reporting and other regulatory obligations, spanning the period from 2009 to 2018.

The commission's verdict now leaves City facing a separate ruling on the appropriate penalty, with a points deduction being one of the potential sanctions for the multi-time Premier League champions.

Should City ultimately have points docked, which clubs would they be joining?

Here is a complete history of every Premier League points deduction since the competition's inception.

Middlesbrough (3 points, January 1997)

Middlesbrough etched their name into Premier League history in January 1997 when they became the first club ever to receive a points deduction.

The penalty came after the club failed to fulfill a fixture against relegation rivals Blackburn Rovers the month prior. Manager Bryan Robson claimed he was without 23 players due to injury and illness and was unable to assemble a full squad.

Boro maintained they had been given assurances the match could be rescheduled, but were unable to provide the necessary evidence. They were fined £50,000 ($66,285) and docked three points, with a subsequent court appeal also proving unsuccessful.

The deduction had serious consequences, as Middlesbrough finished 19th — just two points short of safety.

Portsmouth (9 points, March 2010)

It would take another 13 years before another Premier League club received a points deduction, with Portsmouth becoming the next victim of the punishment in March 2010.

Pompey had been battling financial difficulties for some time following excessive transfer market spending and insufficient investment. A proposed takeover eventually went ahead, but new owner Ali Al-Faraj was unable to address the club's escalating problems.

Portsmouth failed to pay player wages between December 2009 and February 2010 and were also served with a winding-up order over outstanding tax liabilities.

The club subsequently entered administration, triggering an automatic nine-point deduction that left them rooted to the bottom of the table. They never recovered and were eventually relegated.

Everton (6 points, November 2023)

Everton joined the list of Premier League clubs to receive a points deduction in 2023, initially being handed a 10-point penalty — the largest in the competition's history at that time.

The case arose from concerns surrounding Everton's finances, after Burnley and Leeds United called on the Premier League to investigate the club's losses in May 2022. The investigation was launched in March 2023 and concluded that Everton had violated the league's financial regulations. The club was sanctioned in November.

Everton challenged the ruling, and their 10-point penalty was subsequently reduced to six points.

Nottingham Forest (4 points, March 2024)

Nottingham Forest became the second Premier League club in the 2023–24 season to be handed a points deduction for breaching the league's financial regulations.

The club was found to have exceeded the Premier League's £61 million ($80.8 million) Profitability and Sustainability Rules threshold by £34.5 million ($45.7 million), resulting in a four-point penalty.