One thing I’ve noticed in reading about half of this thread is that far too many people for my liking seem to assume we have probably done something wrong and try to parse out what that’ll mean…to the point of almost reveling in returning to our humble roots in the lower divisions where life was so much fun (for a few years!).
It’s a tad nauseating to see supposed City fans, most of whom have wallowed in the magnificent football and the silverware it has brought, now acting like it was all just a long con and that the time to pay the Piper has arrived!
Some appear seduced by social media and clickbait headlines. “Where there’s so much smoke, there’s got to be some fire, right?”
Well, no. No, there does NOT need to be any fire.
Sure, the PL have trotted out multiple instances of a few charges, but that doesn’t mean they are right or wrong, only that they warrant investigation, discussion, and disposition. City will have the chance to answer to these charges, many of which are technical infractions and may be subject to myriad interpretations, because they have yet to be dissected or even decided in a case before.
City’s owners are serious people who do serious work. One assumes they know the rules of the PL and UEFA. They fought UEFA on their own ever-changing rules, many of which were literally designed to entrap them, and were successful in appealing the initially flawed adjudication by the same body that brought the case!
We will face much the same process with the PL. Charges are being brought by non-arms length actors of related parties who have repeatedly called for City to be penalized and prosecuted, even though they clearly have never seen the evidence or know the details.
In their zeal for a positive result for them, they have chosen an adjudicator who is openly aligned with one of the named antagonists in trying to punish City. Indeed, a number of the people who are primary decision makers in this process are aligned against the sporting and business interests of our club.
While this has been alluded to when lazy accusations have arisen in the past, we are far beyond the point of accusation and into the realm of indictment and charges of malfeasance. That is a different animal from idle media chatter and will, in turn, elicit an animal of an entirely different stripe when it comes to the ferocity of City’s defence.
As the club has made clear, they knew this day was coming and they’re ready to face the charges with the collective weight of CFG’s not inconsiderable might. Indeed, one might be surprised at how far they’re willing to go to not only shut this backwards looking case down, but to reshape the future.
In accordance with the “fixture” only just being announced, it would be premature of anyone to suggest the bent ref will give them a few goals and us a few red cards, let alone call the result and award the PL the “trophy.”
Rather, we should give our lads the chance to put their good warm up to use on the field of play and watch the game play out.
Sure, the away fan allocation of 90% of the tickets will all be against our lads, but that’s no reason for our fans to give in, say we are going to lose, and just hope it’s not a heavy defeat, is it?!
No, now is the time to get behind the team, and the owners, KNOWING they need our support more than ever, and repay the favor of being given the best football, the most successful football, and the best run organization any City fan has ever seen.
Are we going to get some stick from the 90% of the crowd that is against us? Of course!! They all belong to other tribes! Has that EVER been a reason NOT to stand up and be counted? NO. NEVER!
Remember Gillingham? Behind.
Remember QPR? Behind.
Remember Brighton? Behind.
Remember Villa? Behind.
Remember who won THAT silverware?
We are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. I stand WITH my club, our ownership, our manager and our players.
The Future is Blue!
