By Matt Lawton for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:00 GMT, 22 March 2019 | Updated: 22:00 GMT, 22 March 2019
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Aston Villa, Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday are among the clubs who now face sanctions for breaches of financial regulations after Birmingham City were hit with a nine-point deduction.
Birmingham are the first club to be punished for breaking the profit and sustainability rules introduced by the English Football League in March 2017 and the decision sets a precedent that could lead to major problems for a number of other sides.
Garry Monk's Birmingham dropped from 13th to 18th in the Championship and within five points of the relegation zone after a decision that sent shockwaves through the division.
Aston Villa are among the clubs who now face sanctions for breaches of financial regulations
Birmingham are the first club to be punished for breaking the profit and sustainability rule
Clubs have submitted their three-yearly reports in recent weeks, which include two years of accounts under the new financial rules and a projection for the third year.
Sources have told Sportsmail that Villa, Derby and Wednesday are prominent among those who could come under serious scrutiny.
'What has happened with Birmingham has opened a Pandora's box and a lot of clubs are now worried,' said an official from one Championship club.
An EFL meeting at Nottingham Forest earlier this week descended into an 'inter-club war', with executives arguing over a change of financial regulations amid serious concerns
