According to an article by Matt Slater and Nancy Frostick in The Athletic this week Barnsley are one of several clubs considering legal action against the EFL if they are relegated this season but Birmingham, Derby or Sheffield Wednesday are allowed to start next season in The Championship on minus points because of Financial Fair Play sanctions.
Barnsley currently sit at the bottom - seven points behind 21st place Hull City and co-owner Paul Conway is in no mood to accept relegation quietly.
"If we've been wronged as a result of the league not following its own rules, then it stands to reason that we'd go against the league and its TV money and ask them to pay us the difference in revenue. We're not asking for a change in the rules. We are asking for the rules to be followed".
Luton Town chief executive Gary Sweet agrees: "All outstanding sanctions absolutely need to be brought to justice prior to any decision to close the season. However challenging our crisis at the moment, the EFL's integrity will be further compromised if clubs who have broken its rules are not penalised".
Another club owner who did not want to be named said that the Sheffield Wednesday case, in particular, had to be resolved. "The EFL is still getting on with it", he said "and they are pursuing it vigorously - that's what I've been told. It might even be automatic relegation".
Sheffield Wednesday's case revolves around the sale of Hillsborough but, in particular, the timing of the sale. The fuller story can be seen here:
https://www.efl.com/news/2019/november/efl-statement-sheffield-wednesday-charged/
While Wednesday wait for the hearing which The Athletic understands is imminent they can take some confidence from a small victory in the arbitration stage of the proceedings that saw all personal charges against their owner Dejphon Chansiri, former CEO Katrien Meire and finance director John Redgate dropped.
A twelve point penalty applied now would see Wednesday replace Charlton in the bottom three. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire noted on the Price of Football podcast this week that the a further nine point deduction can be made for "aggravating factors" such as deliberately attempting to mislead.