Sunderland to face Wycombe Wanderers in League One after Derby County decision

Derby will not be relegated from the Championship for breaching financial rules after the EFL decided not to appeal against the punishment imposed by an independent disciplinary commission.
Sunderland's Stadium of Light.Sunderland's Stadium of Light.
Sunderland's Stadium of Light.

The Rams were fined £100,000 and warned as to their future conduct, but a successful appeal might have seen them suffer a points deduction which could have seen them drop into League One instead of Wycombe.

An EFL statement said: “While the EFL does not agree that those sanctions are commensurate to the breaches found, following consultation with our legal advisors, the EFL Board has regrettably determined that there are insufficient grounds to appeal the sanction imposed by the Independent Disciplinary Commission.”

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The statement continued: “As a consequence of the EFL’s decision not to appeal, the divisional placings for season 2021/22 are to remain in accordance with the fixture list issued on 24 June 2021.”

Derby, managed by former England captain Wayne Rooney, managed to avoid the drop by a single point when they fought back to snatch a 3-3 final-day draw with Sheffield Wednesday courtesy of Martyn Waghorn’s late penalty.

However, they did so under a cloud with the EFL considering its options after winning an appeal against an initial decision to clear the club of any wrongdoing.

Indeed, the governing body released an “interchangeable fixture list” last month to cover the possibility of the Rams’ relegation and Wycombe’s reinstatement in the wake of a retrospective points deduction.

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It means Sunderland will now face Wycombe Wanderers in League One next season.

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