At an Extraordinary General Meeting on Thursday 8 December 2022, EFL clubs approved unanimously the appointment of the Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP).
The new CFRP is an independently appointed expert panel, including members with appropriate accountancy, legal and football expertise, selected following an extensive process undertaken by Sport Resolutions, an independent dispute resolution service provider for sport.
Chaired by Mr Christopher Quinlan KC, it will also comprise of Mr Jonathan Bellamy (Legal Member and Vice-Chair), Mr Geoff Mesher (Audit Member), Mr Dan Jones (Audit Member), Mr Nick Igoe (Football Member) and Ms Alison Royston (Football Member).
The Panel will make determinations based on the information provided to the Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) and by the relevant club(s).
The CFRU was introduced earlier this year, again following the unanimous approval by clubs, to oversee the League’s Regulations in relation to Club Financial Records, HMRC Reporting and the Financial Fair Play (FFP) Regulations (P&S in the Championship and SCMP in Leagues One and Two).
The CRFU is the primary point of contact with Clubs and their Officials and has delegated authority from the Board. This gives the CRFU the right to exercise the League’s existing powers to compel the provision of information and documents as it works to review clubs’ submissions under the Financial Regulations.
John Potterill-Tilney, Director of the Independent Club Financial Reporting Unit, said: “I am delighted to welcome the appointment of the Club Financial Review Panel members. As a multi-disciplinary group, it will be able to appreciate and adjudicate on all of the relevant issues put before it.
“Not only will the Panel’s introduction add an important layer of independence to financial regulation, set review timeframes within the EFL Regulations will also mean conclusions can be reached more efficiently.”