“It’s strange timing” – Millwall boss Gary Rowett on Sheffield Wednesday’s points deduction reduction

Gary Rowett reckons Millwall’s weekend opponents Sheffield Wednesday can’t help but be boosted by the reduction of their points penalty.

The South Londoners head to Yorkshire on Saturday with the hosts’ chances of climbing out of the Championship bottom three boosted by developments on Wednesday evening.

An EFL statement announced that the Owls’ initial 12-point deduction had been halved with immediate effect.

While it still leaves Garry Monk’s side at the foot of the table they are only a point behind 23rd-placed Derby County.

Rowett – when asked about how the EFL ruling could boost Wednesday – said: “I think there will be an impact. If you start the season on minus-12 you have to start well. Sheffield Wednesday did initially, then the results tailed off.

“It becomes quite frustrating until you get to zero because teams are still out of your reach. Mentally that can be quite difficult.

“It’s a really strange scenario to be in. They got a really good result against Bournemouth and then get six points back. The EFL decided to do what they did and that’s nothing to do with me. It is great news for Sheffield Wednesday. If justice has been done then fabulous.

“It means they’ve just had a nine-point week and essentially that has to play a huge pyschological impact on the group.

“It’s not really my remit to work out what happened there but it does seem to be strange to be mid-season and suddenly the team gets six points back. It doesn’t change anything for us. We have to go there and try and get a result.

“Norwich away was a positive one in my opinion, to go there and get a clean sheet and a point. Now we want to go and put another big away performance in.

“I’m sure they [Sheffield Wednesday] will be buoyed by their news and it will add extra determination to start reeling teams in.”

The EFL issued this statement: “The EFL notes the decision taken by an Independent League Arbitration panel in respect of Sheffield Wednesday’s appeal against the findings of an Independent Disciplinary Commission in July 2020.

“The club was charged with breaching the league’s profitability and sustainability rules in November 2019 and found guilty, based on the fact that the club should not have included profits from the sale of Hillsborough stadium in the club’s financial statements for the period ending July 2018.

“The independent panel has today rejected the club’s appeal related to matters surrounding the stadium sale and on consideration of the sanction; they did not agree with the club’s assertion that a points deduction should not have been imposed. However, they did opt to reduce the sporting punishment from 12 points to six, which will be effective immediately.”