There's interview with Paul Jewell doing the rounds who was managing Wigan at the time of the Tevez Masherano transfer saga that ended in a court case with SUFC.
He said he had a Prem official in his office and said to him that if it was Wigan or a Watford who had done this then there would have been instant relegation or huge points deduction that meant the same thing. The Prem official agreed and admitted that some clubs are favoured considerably because of their standing and traditions
He said the tactic was to hope WHU got themselves relegated by normal means and then hit them with the fine. Unfortunatley WHU kept winning and saved themselves including a last match win at Old Trafford with the winning goal by.....Carlos Tevez