Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has the backing of "many other clubs" in his campaign to get the EFL to investigate three Championship clubs over their spending habits.

The Telegraph reported last week that Gibson has demanded that the Football League conduct a review into the spending of 'Boro's Championship rivals Aston Villa; Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County, which he believes is breaching the EFL's profit and sustainability rules.

The same paper now reports that Gibson's stance is supported by "many other clubs", ahead of a meeting between the Championship's member teams at Nottingham Forest's City Ground, which it claims could trigger an "inter-club" war.

Earlier this season, Villa's Midlands rivals Birmingham City were deducted nine points after they were found to have breached the same regulations.

Aston Villa and Derby are the two clubs who currently sit directly above seventh placed 'Boro in the Championship table, and while Villa are out of reach of Tony Pulis' side, Derby's advantage comes only on goal difference.

The verdict

This could be a concern for fans of the three clubs involved.

At worst, they could soon be facing a similar points deduction to Birmingham, if the EFL sees fit to take the investigation up and doesn't like what it sees sees.

At best, the increased scrutiny means these sides may now have to reduce their spending or sell their more valuable assets in order to show they are keeping within the regulations, weakening them on the pitch for the following season.

Either way, it's not a comfortable position to be in.