'Boro want financial investigation against 3 Championship clubs'

Steve Gibson is reportedly furious that while his team was forced to sell players to balance the books, multiple Championship clubs are left on their own.

Middlesbrough Chairman Steve Gibson is demanding that the EFL investigates the financial details of three Championship clubs.

It is understood that Gibson has written to the EFL to scrutinise the financial conduct of Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County, with a key EFL meeting set to take place next week at Nottingham Forrest.

Gibson is trying to make sure that the EFL enforces its own rules and imposes sanctions on any rule breakers that it may find during the course of the investigation.

In the last 12 months, Boro have parted ways with Ben Gibson and Adama Traore to balance their books, which is the major reason behind Gibson writing to the EFL as he believes that other clubs are committing financial irregularities elsewhere in the Championship.

Furthermore, reports also claim that Gibson is off the opinion that the three clubs he targeted are all attempting to circumvent EFL’s new profitability and sustainability rules.

Citing an example, The Telegraph reported that Derby County recently sold their stadium to their owner before getting it back on lease to ensure that their books show a profit.

It is also reported that Gibson wants the EFL to make sure that all records which the club submit to the body are transparent and open for other clubs to examine.

The letter further contains a call for a meeting from Gibson, which will take place next week on April 24. The meeting will contain representatives of all Championship clubs and Gibson will use the occasion to talk on the matter.

Last time such a meeting took place, Birmingham City saw nine pockets being docked from their total as they were found guilty of breaking spending rules.

Supporting his chairman in the quest for transparency is Boro manager Tony Pulis who used his pre-Stoke City programme notes to echo his chairman’s position.

He wrote: "We saw Birmingham hit by a nine point deduction for breaching the EFL's profit and sustainability rules, Bolton hit with a winding up order and reports have suggested more clubs spending way beyond their means could be facing action from the EFL."

"Some of the figures published are quite staggering. Aston Villa's operating loss for last season was £50m while the player costs of both Reading and Birmingham was quoted as being almost 250 percent of their actual income."

• Boro hopeful of Jonny Howson return for Chelsea clash
• Luke Ayling joins Boro on loan from Leeds United

"The total losses for the Championship clubs last season currently stand at £366m and with a number of other clubs still to announce their financial results it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the total figure could be in excess of half a billion pounds."