FC Twente hit with three-point deduction by Dutch FA amid financial woes

Eredivisie side FC Twente have been deducted three points by the Dutch football association (KNVB) for missing financial targets.

Bankruptcy-threatened Twente were given a plan of recovery by the KNVB, and their punishment follows a previous warning.            

The deduction moves Alfred Schreuder’s side – who have gone five Eredivisie games without a win – down to ninth in the table, but the club have confirmed they will not appeal the decision.                     

"This is a disgrace for the club,” incoming chairman Aldo van der Laan said in a statement on the club's website.

“We regret the decision, but will not appeal under formal substantiation. Twente will enter into new discussions with the KNVB over the recovery plan,"

Schreuder, meanwhile, said: "We know that we are going through a tough financial time with the club but it is very unpleasant to be confronted with this punishment.             

"The players have been informed about the situation. We have to accept it and continue to fight as a team. We owe it to ourselves and certainly to the supporters."

The KNVB issued the sanction after objecting to write-offs in the club's latest financial report.

"The sanctions are based on the punishment process in the licensing regulations and the plan that FC Twente agreed with the license commission," KNVB said in a statement on Wednesday.