Sunderland and Middlesbrough among EFL clubs to back new key financial panel

The 72 teams have given their support to the membership of the independent Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP), which will be chaired by Christopher Quinlan.

He is currently the chair of the judicial panel for World Rugby and the Football Association.

The panel also includes Dan Jones among its audit members. Jones is the former head of the Deloitte Sports Business Group which is well known within the game for the reports it issues on the financial performance of clubs in England and overseas.

The panel will make decisions based on information received from the independent Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) and from clubs. If either the CFRU, or the club or clubs concerned, believe the panel has made an incorrect decision, then a right of appeal to a league arbitration panel is available.

The CFRU will oversee clubs’ compliance with the league’s financial regulations.

CFRU director John Potterill-Tilney said: “I am delighted to welcome the appointment of the Club Financial Review Panel members. As a multi-disciplinary group, it will be able to appreciate and adjudicate on all of the relevant issues put before it.

“Not only will the Panel’s introduction add an important layer of independence to financial regulation, set review timeframes within the EFL Regulations will also mean conclusions can be reached more efficiently.”