A [pound]5.5 million travesty - ask AFC Wimbledon

So, now we know. West Ham and their representatives were guilty of "dishonesty" and "deceit" and "lies". That the Premier League's disciplinary commission's view was that there were "exceedingly serious allegations" against the club. That "these breaches... could have merited a points deduction".

In such a context, one can conclude only that West Ham were spared when they escaped that points deduction which would have virtually confirmed their relegation.

If your club had the choice of a [pound]5.5m fine now and the possible future loss of at least [pound]30m television money, as a result of the certain relegation that a points deduction would have caused, what would your reaction have been?

Quite why, apart from the fact that they coughed to the charges that they broke the League's rules over the signing of the Argentinian pair Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, albeit well after the event, will confound all but the most charitable observers.

According to the Premier League's disciplinary commission chairman Simon Bourne-Arton QC, you have to consider the family: primarily the fans and the players. Which is an understandable observation if you are hearing a case involving a mother-of-four who is guilty of persistent shop-lifting, but can the same be said here? The followers of other clubs who are relegated if West Ham survive may have something to say about that.

There will no doubt be some dry laughter at Bury, who were thrown out of the FA Cup for a breach of regulations, and at AFC Wimbledon, the team formed after the Dons went to Milton Keynes and now leading the Ryman Premier League. They were deducted 12 points for fielding an ineligible player, although that was reduced to three following an appeal. If there were any justice, there would be a football equivalent of the Attorney General who could appeal against this travesty.

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