The English Football League has asked Derby’s administrators for an “urgent update” on how the club will be funded for the rest of the season.
On January 27 the EFL and the Championship club’s administrators, Quantuma, agreed a four-week extension to the deadline to provide proof of funding.
The EFL has now stated that it has still not received this evidence, nor any information from the administrators concerning a preferred bidder.
EFL statement: Derby County update#EFL https://t.co/xUTIU6QHmX
— EFL Communications (@EFL_Comms) February 28, 2022
“On January 27 the EFL and Derby County’s administrators, Quantuma, announced a four-week extension to the deadline for the provision of evidence of sufficient funding to complete the current season,” the league said in a statement.
“The administrators have not yet provided that evidence, and we await an urgent further update from them on both that and the announcement of a preferred bidder.”
Fears that Derby, a founder member of the Football League, could be liquidated receded when it was announced earlier this month that Middlesbrough had reached an accord with former Rams owner Mel Morris over their legal claim against the club.
The Boro claim, plus a further one from Wycombe, had been cited as obstacles to a takeover. There has been no update from Wycombe or the administrators concerning that claim.
The US-based Binnie family made a formal bid for the club in January, while a consortium put together by General Sports Worldwide is also interested in buying the Rams.
Derby were placed in administration last September by Morris. The club have been deducted 21 points for entering administration and for admitted breaches of EFL financial regulations.
The team are fighting for survival under manager Wayne Rooney and are currently eight points from safety.
Fair Game, a group of clubs committed to improving the governance of the national game, has reiterated its call to the Government to implement the recommendations of Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review.
In November, a wide-ranging review commissioned by the Government was published after work by a panel chaired by Conservative MP and former Sports Minister Crouch to ensure the financial sustainability of the domestic game.
The implementation of an independent regulator for football was suggested in addition to a solidarity transfer levy of up to 10 per cent on Premier League clubs signing players from overseas or from other top-flight clubs.
Niall Couper, Fair Game’s chief executive, said: “The situation at Derby is nothing short of a catastrophe.
“The financial brinkmanship and gambling to reach the Premier League has threatened the very existence of the club and its heritage. Fans of Derby have to be the last to face these challenges.
“Football needs the Government to implement legislation to support the recommendations in the Fan-Led Review and to incentivise clubs to run themselves sustainability to protect our national game from disaster.”