PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[Dribble]

Tell him he’s right & so are all the people who say we’ll just pay our way out & how does he feel about that?

Then ask him what have Spurs done before the Sheik invested, he has no horse in the race. It’s Spursy, they aren’t really in the gang they just think they are.

I think "City are FFP cheats", has become football folklore like fans chanting "Same old Arsenal, always cheating", or fans booing Jack Grealish, when most don't even know why they do it.

Football is emotive & fans get overly emotional. It's like mild mannered people who get cut up when driving, displaying road rage & suddenly becoming steering wheel warriors.

Football fans becoming aggressive & lairy when they feel a sense of injustice is par for the course. City have become the pantomime villain because all our recent success has been attributed to us cheating, with some fans thinking "If not for City being FFP crooks, we'd have won A B or C, qualified for the CL, or not been relegated". That's how the Red Tops have successfully scripted the narrative against us.

City are like family to me, so attacking the club is like attacking me & mine. I'll come out swinging in life or death defence every time.

With the concerted Red Top campaign to demonise us for their own gain & using their client media as a tool to bludgeon us with, I suppose it's understandable why your average football fan believes the bullshit headlines & can't be arsed reading the detail.

When Spuds were leading the table, my Cousins kept sending me screenshots of the league table thinking they'd win it.

7 days & 2 defeats later, they had that familiar sinking feeling, as they harked back to Harry Kane, & looked North toward Manchester & reverted to "The wheels falling off Spuds' bus is all City's fault, because they're FFP cheats".

What beggars belief though is why Burnley, Newcastle, Leicester & Wolves joined in to form the Hateful Eight to demand action against us?

Burnley & Leicester got relegated. Wolves have been flirting with relegation, & Newcastle have changed their tune since they won the lottery, so are now empathising with our position!

It's not lost on me that it was Alan Shearer who was pointing out this week, that FFP stops other clubs living the dream by challenging the elite.

It must be sticking in his craw that the PL are looking to block loans between related clubs, because Newcastle are hoping to loan Rúben Neves from his Saudi team until the summer.

Now they know EXACTLY how FFP's been used to nobble City. 乁⁠(⁠ ⁠•⁠_⁠•⁠ ⁠)⁠ㄏ

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Reading this thread these last few days has shown that this forum has a number of Liverpool and United fans mascarading as blues. And they’re in here deliberately attempting to wind blues up.

Calm down, la.

 

[Ithryn Luin]

I keep reading about how hard done by Everton are
Where has this narrative come from?
its almost like because they are shit, everyone (spitty, Oliver holt, Simon Jordan etc) feels sorry for them
In the same way because Chelsea are a bit of a joke (for now) no one really cares about the spending.
But with us it’s a totally different ball game. It’s like they hate us because we’re winning and our success is eating them alive.

Another reason would be they are not owned by Arabs or an oil state. These countries or Emirates seem to be irrationally hated.

 

[burning blue soul]

How many loyalty points, do you reckon, are needed to get into the deliberations room. 30k probably should do it?
Could do with a few blues in there chanting "we never win at home and...."

 

[BlueMojito]

Did anyone?

I watched the first half then thought fuck this. Off it went.

 

[Whether or not]

I just don't understand the delays with holding the hearing.

The PL have spent FIVE YEARS investigating us. They charged us in February 2023 presumably because they've concluded said investigation, so why's everyone estimating it'll take ANOTHER 2-4 years BEFORE a hearing is held?

I'd understand it if the delays were coming from City's side, if we claimed we needed time to assess the charges & prepare our defence, but by the sound of it, City are revved up & ready to rumble, so why do the PL need another 2-4 years AFTER issuing charges against City to prepare for a hearing?

I'd appreciate it if someone can explain this to me, or am I missing something really obvious? ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠⊙⁠_⁠ʖ⁠⊙⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

They hadn’t concluded anything by February 2023. At that point the whole thing had been mothballed, then the prospect of an independent regulator and foot stamping from the rags and scousers saw the EPL rush out charges overnight. The truth of that is shown by the fact that a number of said charges were under obsolete clauses of EPL rules, wrong music, wrong grass etc. The EPL rule book had been completely rewritten and they were suddenly in such a rush, nobody noticed the charges were wrong. That tells you something about the standard of their lawyers. I doubt David Pannick would have made such basic errors.

 

[Paladin]

They probably have not updated it yet as it is also missing barca, Istanbul etc from the same period this year.

Barcelona decision: https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/new...es-the-last-assessment-of-the-break-even-req/

Barcelona appeal decision: https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/pro...l-chamber-decision-on-fc-barcelona-announced/

There is actually a news article where the CFCB concludes the last assessment of the break-even requirement during the 2022/23 season: https://www.uefa.com/returntoplay/n...es-the-last-assessment-of-the-break-even-req/

This includes the United decision, but it doesn't give any detail other than the much repeated "minor break-even deficits" headline and the amount of the fine.

 

[Dribble]

Another reason would be they are not owned by Arabs or an oil state. These countries or Emirates seem to be irrationally hated.

Aren't they ultimately owned by Russian oil Billionaire Usmanov?

Everton claimed Putin's invasion of Ukraine & the subsequent sanctions robbed them of vital sponsorship funds & opportunities.

I suppose the best way to look at it is, if you're a European oil baron like Ambramovich or Usmanov, you're fine. If you're a Middle Eastern oil Sheikh, you're a crook.

 

[cheekybids]

I think "City are FFP cheats", has become football folklore like fans chanting "Same old Arsenal, always cheating", or fans booing Jack Grealish, when most don't even know why they do it.

Football is emotive & fans get overly emotional. It's like mild mannered people who get cut up when driving, displaying road rage & suddenly becoming steering wheel warriors.

Football fans becoming aggressive & lairy when they feel a sense of injustice is par for the course. City have become the pantomime villain because all our recent success has been attributed to us cheating, with some fans thinking "If not for City being FFP crooks, we'd have won A B or C, qualified for the CL, or not been relegated". That's how the Red Tops have successfully scripted the narrative against us.

City are like family to me, so attacking the club is like attacking me & mine. I'll come out swinging in life or death defence every time.

With the concerted Red Top campaign to demonise us for their own gain & using their client media as a tool to bludgeon us with, I suppose it's understandable why your average football fan believes the bullshit headlines & can't be arsed reading the detail.

When Spuds were leading the table, my Cousins kept sending me screenshots of the league table thinking they'd win it.

7 days & 2 defeats later, they had that familiar sinking feeling, as they harked back to Harry Kane, & looked North toward Manchester & reverted to "The wheels falling off Spuds' bus is all City's fault, because they're FFP cheats".

What beggars belief though is why Burnley, Newcastle, Leicester & Wolves joined in to form the Hateful Eight to demand action against us?

Burnley & Leicester got relegated. Wolves have been flirting with relegation, & Newcastle have changed their tune since they won the lottery, so are now empathising with our position!

It's not lost on me that it was Alan Shearer who was pointing out this week, that FFP stops other clubs living the dream by challenging the elite.

It must be sticking in his craw that the PL are looking to block loans between related clubs, because Newcastle are hoping to loan Rúben Neves from his Saudi team until the summer.

Now they know EXACTLY how FFP's been used to nobble City. 乁⁠(⁠ ⁠•⁠_⁠•⁠ ⁠)⁠ㄏ

We are an incredible comfort blanket for their failure…..

That’s why I’d say to him that their problems go way beyond us.

 

[waspish]

We ain't getting any outcome for at least two years! Every time though some team breaks ffp we will be the ones who be at the top of all the media outlets and back pages!

 

[Dribble]

They hadn’t concluded anything by February 2023. At that point the whole thing had been mothballed, then the prospect of an independent regulator and foot stamping from the rags and scousers saw the EPL rush out charges overnight. The truth of that is shown by the fact that a number of said charges were under obsolete clauses of EPL rules, wrong music, wrong grass etc. The EPL rule book had been completely rewritten and they were suddenly in such a rush, nobody noticed the charges were wrong. That tells you something about the standard of their lawyers. I doubt David Pannick would have made such basic errors.

I'm aware of these aspects, but now you've connected the dots, it makes perfect sense why the charges were rushed, full of errors & why the PL need another 2-4 years after charging us to prep for THEIR hearing.

This is beyond a fuckin joke! I'm hoping City can find a mechanism to have this farce stopped & thrown out BEFORE an independent regulator is formed.

The last thing we need is the enduring narrative of "City only got away with it because the government stepped in & saved their arses".

 

[Betterdeedthan red]

Not quite, we are 3rd behind United and Liverpool for PL TV audences. But it is a fact 5 of the 6 most viewed PL games in the last 4 seasons involved City.

When PL/domestic games are combined with European games, we had our best ever viewing figures last season AND WERE THE MOST WATCHED TEAM IN EUROPE.

Let that sink in and think of the impact that has on our profile and sponsorship appeal. Yet the mad media and fans of the red tops constantly disparage us for our commercial income. "How is it possible" etc etc. Fucking idots don't recognise it's all about eye balls and also our international fan base is growing rapidly. In the UK live audiences for City games increased by 14% against a PL average of 6%. (Newcastle had the biggest growth of 44% in the UK

The most watched TV games by a distance are the games between the Big 6. That reduces if City and Chelsea aren't included and a guaranteed reduction in TV revenue. One aspect of the golden goose being nobbled...

I couldn't give a shit about how many so called fans watch city in America or China.
Get this bullshit sorted our.
Even if we go down.
Renew season ticket carry on

 

[RACHACE]

We ain't getting any outcome for at least two years! Every time though some team breaks ffp we will be the ones who be at the top of all the media outlets and back pages!

I suppose in many way this shows just how far we have come in the last decade or so.

FFP and us being splashed across the back page of a tabloid is probably generating as much interest, clicks, debate as ManUre being linked with the latest top talent in Europe.

It's annoying though as we should be being talked about for our achievements but that doesn't sit with the agenda of these tabloids. But, nevertheless were still being talked about just as much as ManUre or Liverpool these days.

 

[waspish]

I suppose in many way this shows just how far we have come in the last decade or so.

FFP and us being splashed across the back page of a tabloid is probably generating as much interest, clicks, debate as ManUre being linked with the latest top talent in Europe.

It's annoying though as we should be being talked about for our achievements but that doesn't sit with the agenda of these tabloids. But, nevertheless were still being talked about just as much as ManUre or Liverpool these days.

Our achievements always get talked about about because of 115 they talk about how great we are all the trophies the treble we won then just say but 115

 

[iwasthere1968]

As a retired accountant I can with a reasonable degree of certainty understand the amount of detail available to the enquiry and what it would take to basically read all of the documents and accounts.
Are accountants brought in to do virtually forensic audits ?
What I would like is a detailed explanation of the process from a legal point of view. For instance do we have to wait until the "prosecution" compile a final pack before we start our work or are these done in parallel?
Any legal eagles able to help?

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

I'm aware of these aspects, but now you've connected the dots, it makes perfect sense why the charges were rushed, full of errors & why the PL need another 2-4 years after charging us to prep for THEIR hearing.

This is beyond a fuckin joke! I'm hoping City can find a mechanism to have this farce stopped & thrown out BEFORE an independent regulator is formed.

The last thing we need is the enduring narrative of "City only got away with it because the government stepped in & saved their arses".

Whatever happens we will be seen as cheats as that’s the comfort blanket rags and dippers have to hide why their clubs aren’t run as well as ours. The dirty tricks they have played to try and destroy the club should be met with dirty tricks back. If it means Mansour telling the foreign secretary they won’t get £10 billion investment into the U.K. if this isn’t put to bed, then so be it.

 

[Bluesince1979]

I'm aware of these aspects, but now you've connected the dots, it makes perfect sense why the charges were rushed, full of errors & why the PL need another 2-4 years after charging us to prep for THEIR hearing.

This is beyond a fuckin joke! I'm hoping City can find a mechanism to have this farce stopped & thrown out BEFORE an independent regulator is formed.

The last thing we need is the enduring narrative of "City only got away with it because the government stepped in & saved their arses".

The narrative is set anyway, it doesnt matter anymore. I know seemingly normal intelligent people who think we bribed CAS . Wont have it we didnt.
So however we are found not guilty , or ots thrown out or whatever, the PL and the red shirts have already achieved a big chunk of what they wanted.

So as much as the constant bollocks fired at us pisses me off it absolutely doesnt stop me enjoying every second of being a blue.

And to add. Ive loved every second of supporting City all my life, through all the shite in the 80s, 90s and 00s.
Its been fuckin brilliant

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Why haven't we and Chelsea and others written the the FA to to insist on rules being brought in about asset stripping owners saddling their clubs with huge debts?


They seem very amenable to doing the bidding of others.

 

[Sheik Battle and Goal]

Whatever happens we will be seen as cheats as that’s the comfort blanket rags and dippers have to hide why their clubs aren’t run as well as ours. The dirty tricks they have played to try and destroy the club should be met with dirty tricks back. If it means Mansour telling the foreign secretary they won’t get £10 billion investment into the U.K. if this isn’t put to bed, then so be it.

Exactly. Whatever the outcome it will never be enough for some fans

Get found not guilty =well their still cheats

Relegated to Championship= well it should be to League 2

Relegated to League 2= well they should start again in Ryman League division 12

£10m fine=well they can afford it

30 point deduction= well it should have been 60

These ‘fans’ I might add are the ones who have never been to a game in their life and couldn’t even point to Liverpool Salford or London on a map.

 

[platty7]

Exactly. Whatever the outcome it will never be enough for some fans

Get found not guilty =well their still cheats

Relegated to Championship= well it should be to League 2

Relegated to League 2= well they should start again in Ryman League division 12

£10m fine=well they can afford it

30 point deduction= well it should have been 60

These ‘fans’ I might add are the ones who have never been to a game in their life and couldn’t even point to Liverpool Salford or London on a map.

Trafford not Salford