Former England fullback Danny Mills says Everton's 10 point penalty is "hugely over-excessive".
Everton have been hit with the points deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules.
Mills, who's son Stanley is on Everton's books, said on Sky Sports: "I think it's massively disproportionate and hugely over-excessive, if I'm really honest.
"They could have gone into administration for (a) nine points (deduction) and they could have wiped out all the debts and left people in a really awkward situation. It almost feels like they've held their hands up, and gone, 'okay, we've got it wrong'. Not massively. I know it sounds a lot of money (Everton were found to have over-spent by 19.5m), but not really in terms of Premier League spending. 'Here we are, we've got it wrong', and they've been given the most severe, harshest penalty possible.
"Surely going forward then, every club has to be dealt with in this way. Anybody found guilty, this has to be what it is from now going forward."
He added, "I think it will galvanise them. If this had happened five or six games ago, I think it would have been a bit of a problem. If you're at the bottom of the table and you're five or six points adrift, that's hard. They're only one win away from getting out of the relegation zone. It'll be fixed bayonets, tin hats and all sorts for Sean Dyche.
"But I really don't understand the punishment, especially with everything else that's going on in and around football at the moment."