Sheffield United's hopes of playing in the Premier League next season will come before an arbitration panel on Monday, with the relegated club pointing the finger of blame at the league and West Ham United.
The Blades were sent down on goal difference on the final day of last season, having finished with 38 points, just below Wigan Athletic, Fulham (39 points) and West Ham (41). Their appeal centres on the decision not to dock points from West Ham for breaking ownership rules over the signings of Argentine pair Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
An independent Premier League Commission decided in April to just fine the club a record 5.5 million pounds ($10.84 million).
Though it found West Ham guilty of "dishonesty and deceit", it made allowances for them being under new ownership and said a points deduction would have condemned them to relegation.
United believe that decision has simply condemned the Blades in West Ham's place and are seeking redress from arbitration, which is expected to last two days.
INELIGIBLE PLAYER:
Though Mascherano moved to Liverpool in January, United argue the breaches meant West Ham fielded an ineligible player in Tevez, whose performances and goals were key to their late revival, and that a points deduction had to be applied.
Instead, the Blades face a year in the second-tier Championship, with all its financial consequences.
Speaking after the season ended, club Chairman Kevin McCabe told the Yorkshire POST: "We have got to plan for the Championship, that's the common sense approach.
"But.I am fighting hard off-the-field as a chairman to protect Sheffield United's position in this unusual circumstance.
"The Premier League is over 38 games between teams who play for points. The fine must be in points not money - that is what we play for every week. It's very simple."
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