I've allowed my anger to assuage somewhat since Friday however I still have a feeling of discernible contempt for what these utter twats are trying to do. This is a blatant clear attempt to hobble us for years and as many have already said the Brand damage is practically immeasurable.
I won't go over any of the typical arguments that are being bandied about as its clear we don't know what the precise allegations are, although we may guess and we don't know whats in the supposed 200 page dossier in response to those allegations that was allegedly never read (which I found hard to believe ) more likely ignored in pursuit of a hurried escalation of matters to the Adjudicatory Chamber due to time limitations.
I have revisited the original Der Spiegel pieces to remind myself exactly what the nature these reports regarding emails were exactly as I think its fair to say after months of research they will not have held back any material they thought would be incriminating for UEFA to use at a later date. Its astounding to think they would form the basis of this type of sanction when you re-read them. I think this as there is a certain amount of conjecture as to who the individual parties in respect of the funding of monies actually represent. For instance although ADUG are Citys parent they are also the parent group of Etihad Airways (according to this piece). So why shouldn't they provide monies to cover the sponsorship of Etihad to City as long as thats while they are waring their Etihad hat so to speak.
Simon Pearce, Member of the Board
Simon Pearce was appointed to the Board in September 2008. He is also Vice Chairman of Melbourne City FC.
In 2006, Mr Pearce joined the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi, and currently serves as special Advisor to the Chairman. He is also a Board Member of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, operator of Yas Marina Circuit and home of the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and a Board Member of Manchester Life Development Company.
The first one mentioned(with the HH allegation) is from APRIL 2010! This ones in relation to the Aabar sponsorship which I thought had been subsequently dealt with following the 2014 Sanction.
As early as April 2010, when Simon Pearce negotiated the sponsorship deal with Aabar, he wrote a telltale email to the firm's leadership. According to the contract, the investment company was to pay the club 15 million pounds annually. But that apparently isn't the full story. "As we discussed, the annual direct obligation for Aabar is GBP 3 million," Pearce wrote. "The remaining 12 million GBP requirement will come from alternative sources provided by His Highness."
The other material referred to below is jumbled up as they take individual exerts for several different emails over several years to try and make a point.
"Etihad's direct contribution remains constant at 8m," wrote Simon Pearce in December 2013. At that time, Etihad's contractual sponsoring obligation was 35 million Pounds.
How does it work in practice? Apparently, companies like Etihad in Abu Dhabi wait for the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), the holding company that belongs to Sheikh Mansour and which also owns Manchester City, to wire them money. That money is then "routed through the partners and they then forward onto us," wrote Finance Director Andrew Widdowson in an email. That, at least, is how things were done in 2015: At the time, the deal with Etihad was bringing in 67.5 million pounds annually. But Chief Financial Officer Chumillas emphasized in an email to Pearce: "Please note that out of those 67.5m pounds, 8m pounds should be funded directly by Etihad and 59.5 by ADUG."
For anyone who's not seen copies of the ALLEGED ACTUAL EMAILS THEY ARE HERE: (as indicated by our friends at DS)
https://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussba...ostrecke-a293d1c1-0001-0002-0000-000000167278
You can make your own mind up if you think they contain sufficient information to warrant the action and sanction that has followed.
So if I can get this straight we have been accused of submitting cooked books ie the Accounts are falsified from 2012 - 2016
Surely this must also therefore accuse Etihad, ADUG, MCFC, Aabar, Etisalat and others of submitting false accounts as well as alleging our Auditors of collaboration in their submission. I'm sure BDO LLP will also be seething at such an accusation although I suspect their liability is disclaimed and the full weight of criminality falls upon the Directors.
Does this mean these accusations allege breaches of the Companies Act 2006 as well and therefore criminal Acts?
For those who want to read more: -
https://www.hcrlaw.com/blog/directors-officers-beware-criminal-offences-companies-act-2006/
But simply "Most seriously, a director found guilty of fraudulent trading could face a fine and up to ten years in jail on conviction in the Crown Court."
I'm sure none of the above are currently being contemplated however if we fail to defend these accusations fully and any kind of sanction remains then it follows the Accounts for those periods will be deemed to have been doctored and that will also fall foul of Premier League rules and action will almost inevitably follow by the PL. What that could be god only knows but we shouldn't really be speculating this far in front currently.
Make no mistake ladies and Gentlemen these ****s are out to ruin our football club and we are at WAR with UEFA wether you like it or not.
It is well and truly time to circle the wagons and get behind the club if you believe our Chairman that we are wholly innocent of all the charges.
Once the full findings of the CAS decision are revealed we will know in detail what the allegations are specifically and what our defence to those allegations are. If UEFA have gone all in on King high and we smash them at CAS they will deserve the full weight of our ire in pursuing claims for damages to our brand which could amount to eye watering sums of money, sufficient I suspect to practically ruin UEFA but at a minimum result in the removal of Leterme, Ceferin and their current bent cronies. If it happens they will have brought it on themselves and we should have no pity, NONE.
Only then should we turn to all the fucking worms that have crawled out of their holes to aim their lickspitle fuelled dirges in our direction, I sincerely hope the club are keeping a close account of their shithousery, the likes of Ian fucking Herbert and others of his like should be treated by the club with the utter contempt they deserve and if they have committed libelous statements we should stamp on them like the shite they are - only then will I be happy.
