The rule was introduced to stop teams living beyond their means, and even getting an unfair advantage by buying expensive players they could not afford. The clubs that were running their finances properly were getting relegated and the ones that were reckless surviving, then putting themselves into administration, and opening up again with new boards.
"The 10-point deduction for Football League clubs entering administration was introduced in 2004, with Wrexham the first League team to suffer a deduction in the 2004/05 season.
In 2007, the rule was amended so that clubs going into administration after the fourth Thursday in March would have the 10-point deduction suspended, after Leeds United and Boston United both entered administration when they were all but relegated, just before the end of the 2006/07 season.
The 72 League clubs' chairmen unanimously backed the measure, so that if a club entering administration after the deadline escaped relegation, the 10 points would be deducted that season - but if they were relegated anyway, 10 points would be taken off the following season.
Mawhinney explained: "The clubs decided the sporting sanctions would have effect - so if a club was already going to be relegated, it ought not to get an advantage by going into administration and taking a 10-point hit when it was going to be relegated anyway."
It seems harsh on the fans, but it is fairer than what we haDd before the rule was introduced.