Will points deduction 'give clubs justifiable pause over doing business'?

Just when I thought that nothing else could go wrong this season, the news drops that we will start the next campaign with a points deduction. This effectively means that we will finish this season bottom of one league table, and start the following season bottom of another.

It was an alarming development, to say the least, with the added detail that further deductions have been suspended.

The one consolation is that this transgression occurred last season, prior to promotion and the supposed debt-easing prize money that came with it.

At the time, we were hit with a transfer embargo until the payments were made and I am hopeful that this will be the end of the matter – but you'll forgive me if I'm more than a little on edge about it.

Two points may not be much – although removing that many points from about 80% of teams in the Championship right now would ruin their season – but the continuing mismanagement of the club is a tad embarrassing, especially in a season where barely a week has gone by without some kind of on-field or off-field drama.

If anything, it feels like we have got off quite lightly with a two-point deduction.

I can absolutely understand fingers being pointed by teams who failed to catch us for promotion last season, particularly at the fact we were unable to pay (on time) for some of the players that got us into the Premier League.

At this stage, I am just relieved that we are not under another transfer embargo, which would have been far more damaging given the squad turnover we are about to undergo this summer.

All the same, you have to wonder if this will give clubs justifiable pause over doing business with us in the future.

Ben Meakin can be found at the BladesPod