Birmingham have been docked nine points after breaching financial rules, the EFL has announced.
The Sky Bet Championship side breached the English Football League’s profitability and sustainability regulations and faced a possible 12-point deduction and a transfer ban.
The penalty sees the club drop from 13th in the table to 18th, leaving them only five points above the relegation zone.
An independent disciplinary commission heard the case on Monday and decided Blues should not be given the maximum penalty.
An EFL statement read: “The Profitability and Sustainability Rules, aligned with those in the Premier League, became effective in 2015/16.
“Season 2017/18 was the end of the first full reporting period, with Birmingham City the only club found to have breached those requirements, when it incurred adjusted losses of £48.787 million, £9.787 million in excess of the permitted losses.
“The Disciplinary Commission had the opportunity to consider all relevant factors in reaching its determination, including the club’s mitigation.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here