Dundee hit with 25-point penalty

November 2, 2010

Scottish soccer club, Dundee FC have been hit with a 25-point penalty after entering administration for the second time in seven years. The punishment leaves the former European Cup semi-finalists adrift at the bottom of Scotland’s First Division with minus 11 points.

The club were also given a transfer embargo and told that their future would be reconsidered on 31 March if they were still in administration.

In a statement the Scottish Football League said it regretted the situation Dundee are in but added it had acted to protect the “integrity” of the league. “We are of the opinion that lessons are not being learned,” the statement said. “For example, clubs have to realise that, going forward, they cannot treat their [tax] obligations as something akin to a credit card.”

Dundee, who last month laid off their manager Gordon Chisholm and nine players, have debts of around £3.21m (US $5.1m), according to the administrator, Bryan Jackson, who described the punishment as “outrageous” and said he would appeal the decision.