PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[Inter Me Nan]

@faithblue have you tried turning your predictive text off?
That's what fixed it for me although i now can't spell for shit ha!

 

[SSL2]

The state of the Daily Telegraph Football page this morning...
View attachment 68334

No one gives a shit about city though remember.

 

[The perfect fumble]

So, the new Manchester United-supporting CEO started last month and almost immediately we have this news. I wonder if that's a coincidence? Or did United and Liverpool have a chance to vet her, as was alleged in the media with regard to at least one previous appointee? And, if so, did the City investigation feature in those discussions?

It seems clear to me that by making the number of allegations the PL has, which cover matters going back to Mancini's contract in 2009, there's a clear aim to throw as much as they can at us in the hope that some will stick. But they've argued that we've filed dishonest accounts for nearly a decade. That's an incendiary allegation and they can't expect MCFC to do anything other than fight it with all the force we can muster.

I don't have any experience of prosecutions of directors for false accounting, but I'm led to believe that it's not conceivable that City's directors would be prosecuted for that offence in these circumstances. Nonetheless, the allegations, if true, presuppose that those directors committed actions that are in some circumstances viewed as a serious criminal matter punishable by several years' imprisonment. I can't see Khaldoon, for instance, taking that lying down.

One key thing to point out, as we did ahead of CAS, is that the reporting of this case fails to acknowledge that it's possible to work within rules to circumvent them. Instead, it's seems enough for our friends in the press that we've probably been in breach of the "spirit of the rules". But this is a bullshit concept that counts for sweet fuck all in the real world.

If UEFA or the PL want their rules to ban some kinds of sponsorship, the onus is on them to draft legal provisions which expressly say so. Otherwise, we're entitled to find whatever workarounds the applicable text of the rules allows. (To be fair, The PL have changed rules down the years to try and close what they see as loopholes).

As a defendant, what you have a right to expect when matters as serious as this are in issue is that there'll be a full and thorough examination by the panel empowered to hear the case. That could take months, if not years. Yet I see that the media this morning are suggesting that clubs want a quick resolution, with a punishment in place that applies to this season. If so, those clubs prove that they couldn't give a toss about due process.

I'm bound to say that, IF we end up being proved guilty of having falsified our accounts over many years, then one would have to say that we'd deserve a punishment of unprecedented force. But that's an extremely difficult thing for the PL to prove. We deny the charges, I believe (from my admittedly biased viewpoint) and, under any concept of due process, we're entitled to have our case heard properly before that assessment is definitively handed down.

The reaction of opposing fans, the press briefings of rival club, and the media glee at what's happened tells you that no one in this constituencies is the slightest but interested in fairness. At the moment, I'm bullish and look forward to the club approaching its defence of its position in the most forceful terms. Let's see how things look when we've done so.

In the meantime, we need to create a real siege mentality. Sometimes when one urges this, people accuse you of being paranoid. Well, in this situation, we know they really are out to try, at all costs, to damage our club irretrievably. Let's all - fans, management, players, directors, other club officials - pull together and really fucking stick it to our detractors.

I like this post and it ends well with a rousing once more unto the breach.

As a feel good it's great.

But there'll be no City siege mentality, getting supporters to sing from the same hymn sheet is like herding cats, it isn't going to happen, we can't even get a proper singing section at the ground! So building a sky blue "all for one and one for all" across a worldwide fan base is a non-starter.

Besides, whatever the outcome, it's millions spent and years away and as we found at CAS, a not guilty verdict brings no redemption.

In the meantime we've been found guilty where it matters, in the court of public opinion, our "brand" badly damaged. Social media is awash with anti City shit, it's a cesspit of wilful ignorance and tribalism and there we're done, the verdict's in, our achievements worthless, our trophies stolen, nothing more than the ill gotten gains of a serial cheat.

Mainstream media is no better, the usual suspects are out in force and now football's Rees-Mogg has spoken.

If Manchester City are found guilty, league must make an example of them​

HENRY WINTER

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...d?shareToken=84740393be83237ef772e307bb7372be

The comments section is a delight to behold, but no different to anywhere else.

Guilty, not guilty, that conclusion is years away. What we as fans have to understand is that the outcome, while significant, is not the issue. If we're found not guilty it'll bring no victory, because in many ways the verdict is merely a by-product of the process, the process is the punishment.

I repeat, the process is the punishment, like coppers bringing charges they know won't stand up, in order that the accused go through the interviews, the lawyers, the cost, the anxiety, the months, sometimes years with a cloud hanging over their heads and then, the case is dropped, there's no conviction, but mission accomplished nonetheless.

We're all in the process now, you, me, everyone associated with the club.

But don't kid yourself, existing City fans are immaterial in this, this is football power politics. To our competitors City fans are nothing, insignificant, any grief we suffer is a desirable but inconsequential by product of the process.

Stunting our worldwide fan growth and commercial revenue, getting us out of the top four and deterring others are the prizes here, and I would argue that much of that has already been achieved simply by charging us. There's a good chance the remaining goodies will be achieved irrespective of the final verdict.

If you take a step back and look at this objectively, away from the social media sea of ignorance and partisanship, two things clearly emerge. The mainstream football media know what's really going on, I'm not referring to the talking heads paid to spout shit, though I suspect quite a few of them know what's up, I'm talking about the likes of Henry Winter.

Winter knows this is a power play, he knows the shenanigans that go on in PL boardrooms, yet he feels compelled to write this crap, to tow the line, to give this football gangsterism legitimacy.

And secondly, our club is not well run. We do certain things well, but to paraphrase Oscar Wilde....To be charged once for cheating may be regarded a misfortune, to be charged twice looks like carelessness. What the fuck has Soriano been doing? Buying clubs in the middle of fucking nowhere when he should've been building alliances at home against the Yanky backstabbers.

No one has sprung to our defence, no one of note! How shit must we be to have pissed on everyone's chips!

 

[mcfcphil]

Whataboutery aint the best defence

True, but precedent can be.

ie, if Liverpool's hacking of City's database couldn't be investigated by the PL because it took place too long ago, then they have set a precedent that limitation does apply.

Unless there are different rules for City and Liverpool.

 

[Blu3m00n91]

IF these allegations are cleared then legally what can City do in their response? Because just a quick glance in the media is shocking. They are all dying for it to be true so they can fill their boots. Our reputation as a football club is in the dirt. Surely if we are cleared the club can’t just move on and forget it

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

Can't do worse to us than they did to Rangers. Took 6 years but then the Bears are back as Scotlands top football club. Only thing I couldn't live with is if they took away titles that happens and I am finished with football. F** k em all.

 

[Indaparkside]

Klopp has told his players to hand everything in so he can dispose of them before evidence comes to light regarding them

 

[Jack Hackett]

Not true.

There is a section in any set of accounts headed ‘related party transactions.’ They can be looked at as well if the auditors so require.

True but identifying related party transactions usually require shareholders to declare them - if related parties are non identifiable (offshore or nominee companies) coupled with shareholders failing to declare such then it’s impossible to recognise those transactions

 

[pavelsrnicek]

I don’t know about anyone else but I’m worn out by these constant attacks on our club. It’s the same old wine in new bottles. It’s the same journalist’s trotting out the same tired attacks on the club. It’s the gleeful frenzy of rival fans hoping against hope that somehow they’ll be awarded something they never earned by default.

More than all of that is the relentless trashing of everything the club achieves and builds. Listening to my 11 year old son’s teammates talk about oil club and cheats it’s clear this image of the club is so deeply ingrained.

We have to fight this, we have to win this battle and then once the battle is won, then the fight begins to defend our good name. That is war we’ll need to win over years.

As for the current charges, some are expected but the shocking element is the allegations that our accounts are in some way dishonest. If these charges fail then the worst of it falls away but the Premier League have crossed the rubicon with those charges. It has set us on a war footing with the league that will last for a long long time. Some wounds won’t heal and some acts will never be forgotten nor forgiven.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

I hope it’s without us. Sadly if we think fa, prem, pigmol etc are corrupt or biased, imagine how bad it would be when esl is started owned and run by cartel clubs. If city were to be found guilty in all this I would be pissed off but stick with the club. If we ever join the esl I’m done.

We're heading towards a breakdown in football organisation as far as I can see it, there's just too much money involved and the American owners do not have any interest in tradition or history when it comes to sport, in fact I think they would be glad to see British traditions destroyed wherever so they can impose their own. There's no way the future includes both us and them living happily alongside one another, they've already decided that.

 

[Asa's left peg]

We all know that football agents are bent bastards (see what I did there ?) You would think that if just one of the players agents was told we will pay you off the books through another company, they would say ... nah.

 

[Inter Me Nan]

IF these allegations are cleared then legally what can City do in their response? Because just a quick glance in the media is shocking. They are all dying for it to be true so they can fill their boots. Our reputation as a football club is in the dirt. Surely if we are cleared the club can’t just move on and forget it

I want us to clean house ala the end of The Godfather.

 

[supercity88]

The state of the Daily Telegraph Football page this morning...
View attachment 68334

At least they've said "if" we are guilty.

The wider footballing audience already felt we were guilty before this, now we definitely are. They can't understand how a club that has thousands of empty seats each game, has never won the CL and was in the third tier 24 years ago can earn more revenue than Real Madrid or the rags. Because a few more people in the ground and prize money for the CL obviously is such a vast sum. And revenues over 12 months obviously are impacted by what our situation was 24 years ago.

It's another one where the damage is already done regardless of what happens. IF we do successfully fight off all of the allegations, it will be on a technicality again I'm sure.

 

[Jimbo_the_blue]

I like this post and it ends well with a rousing once more unto the breach.

As a feel good it's great.

But there'll be no City siege mentality, getting supporters to sing from the same hymn sheet is like herding cats, it isn't going to happen, we can't even get a proper singing section at the ground! So building a sky blue "all for one and one for all" across a worldwide fan base is a non-starter.

Besides, whatever the outcome, it's millions spent and years away and as we found at CAS, a not guilty verdict brings no redemption.

In the meantime we've been found guilty where it matters, in the court of public opinion, our "brand" badly damaged. Social media is awash with anti City shit, it's a cesspit of wilful ignorance and tribalism and there we're done, the verdict's in, our achievements worthless, our trophies stolen, nothing more than the ill gotten gains of a serial cheat.

Mainstream media is no better, the usual suspects are out in force and now football's Rees-Mogg has spoken.

If Manchester City are found guilty, league must make an example of them​

HENRY WINTER

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...d?shareToken=84740393be83237ef772e307bb7372be

The comments section is a delight to behold, but no different to anywhere else.

Guilty, not guilty, that conclusion is years away. What we as fans have to understand is that the outcome, while significant, is not the issue. If we're found not guilty it'll bring no victory, because in many ways the verdict is merely a by-product of the process, the process is the punishment.

I repeat, the process is the punishment, like coppers bringing charges they know won't stand up, in order that the accused go through the interviews, the lawyers, the cost, the anxiety, the months, sometimes years with a cloud hanging over their heads and then, the case is dropped, there's no conviction, but mission accomplished nonetheless.

We're all in the process now, you, me, everyone associated with the club.

But don't kid yourself, existing City fans are immaterial in this, this is football power politics, to our competitors City fans are nothing, insignificant, any grief we suffer is a desirable but inconsequential by product of the process.

Stunting our worldwide fan growth and commercial revenue, getting us out of the top four and deterring others are the prizes here, and I would argue that much of that has already been achieved simply by charging us. There's a good chance the remaining goodies will be achieved irrespective of the final verdict.

If you take a step back and look at this objectively, away from the social media sea of ignorance and partisanship, two things clearly emerge. The mainstream football media know what's really going on, I'm not talking about the talking heads paid to spout shit, though I suspect a few of them know what's up, I'm talking about the likes of Henry Winter.

Winter knows this is a power play, he knows the shenanigans that go on in the boardrooms of PL clubs, yet he feels compelled to write this shit, to tow the line, to give this football gangsterism legitimacy.

And secondly, our club is not well run. We do certain things well, but to paraphrase Oscar Wilde....To be charged once for cheating may be regarded a misfortune, to be charged twice looks like carelessness. What the fuck has Soriano been doing? Buying clubs in the middle of fucking nowhere when he should've been building alliances at home against the Yanky backstabbers.

Not one PL club has sprung to our defence, not one! How shit must we be to have pissed on everyone's chips!

Brilliant read mate - well said!

 

[Agueroooo9320]

Having read and thought about the allegations outlined in the PL website. I am now convinced this is a case of throwing everything under the sun and see what sticks. they have alleged everything from false accounting to youth player transfers with non compliance to boot. they are covering every base to see what sticks. you can do that to any club and some will stick. this is nothing more than a power play by the PL to curtail our growth. I am convinced there are many players involved behind the scenes who have a agenda against city for various reasons from jealousy, fear, masking their own failure, covering their own unethical tracks, political dealings and most importantly plain old racism.

If it was a proper investigation and they had proper evidence the allegations I believe will be more detailed and specifi about our over-valuated sponsorship deals; yet no one has ever accused us of overvaluing our sponsorship deals like ever. it has always been said that our sponsorship has been in line with market value. So In essence I suspect they are saying our UAE related sponsors do not count as income and hence we are worth less than what is shown in the books. but literally there is no provision to make such accusations anyway as long as they are already passed fit by the PL. That is on the income side of things, now coming to the expense side they are alleging that lot of external parties, shell companies etc linked to UAE have paid for our operating costs and should hence be counted in our books. all these are vague allegations that usually will never stand in a actual court unless UAE government high officials themself confess to these dealings. but we are not dealing with an actual court are we? mostly a biased PL panel so not exactly confident of a fair outcome.

 

[cptaidan88]

If we have done nothing wrong there's nothing to worry about. The club will prove it and the egg on face it will leave on the FPL, Uefa, and rival teams will be worth it in the end . As far as rival fans and some sections of the media go, they will need to still stick to the narrative to save face but will look foolish. Let's just hope the club start the fight back immediately.

Thankfully we don't have to prove we did nothing wrong, it's on the PL to prove that we did.

There doesn't seem to be any new evidence at this stage (partly because we aren't fully cooperating, but why would we potentially incriminate ourselves), so I don't think there is enough for an independent panel to agree we falsified our accounts. Big accusation on little evidence.

The charge(s) for not acting in good faith will most likely hold (like the CAS appeal) but I just don't see how they can conclude we are guilty of the others.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

It’s the only chance of the murderers or rags winning the league....they’ll vote for it.

 

[meeesh]

I would hope that common sense prevails here,and none of these mentioned "journalists" turn up at the ground on Sunday,as there could be a few incidents that could take place,I'd suggest they are better hiding behind their keyboards in their kitchens at home.

I'm not condoning violence,but quite a few are putting themselves out there with their ideas on what should happen IF found guilty,which isn't going to go down very well at all.

It will be toxic Sunday around that press box,can see it now

 

[sir baconface]

On the other hand, if they've come out this confident and are found guilty, think it has to be the end of the line for a lot of senior figures at the club. If it comes out they lied to the players, said players will surely want out. They've put it all on the line.

Unlikely I think. First, any outcome will be capable of being nuanced. Second, City fans and players will no doubt feel a sense of injustice above all. Third, most players are essentially pragmatic.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

During this shit storm, there is no way that Pep should face the media by himself in press conferences. He’s not a solicitor or accountant and shouldn’t have to field questions about the allegations.
There needs to be someone by his side who will shut down any journalists who go down that route. Start banning them if they continue

He just tells them he isn't answering any questions other than the questions that concern the next game. End of. Their tiny minds will soon get bored.