Nonetheless, their action raises the possibility of an unedifying battle between the league and the relegated clubs, in which they could demand financial compensation and may even argue Sunderland should be demoted retrospectively. The aggrieved clubs could cite several cases in which the fielding of an ineligible player has been punished with a points deduction, most recently when AFC Wimbledon were docked three League Two points last week. The clubs will also want to know why the league initially sought to prevent details of Sunderland’s offence and subsequent punishment being made public, before they were exposed by a newspaper in April.