PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[the blue panther]

You seem to have a good grasp of this. Can you explain why, if the PL thought they had evidence of financial irregularities, their next step would be the independent panel and not simply handing over the evidence to the police/SFO?

For me (a layman), it seems the current charges are far more serious than the apparent next step would suggest. I don’t understand why the PL are still in control of this?

I think, in simple terms, you have to look at who's who. This - the Premier League - is a private club and City, as a member, are accused of not complying with the club's rules. It isn't criminal to disobey a private club's rules. They can only take action against us under the rules of the club. These are disciplinary proceedings under the club's rules.
If, as things unfold during the proceedings someone becomes convinced that something criminal has happened, they can report it to the police, serious fraud office, or the inland revenue if they wish. Then, one of those authorities would investigate and decide whether they felt that there had been some criminal intent, and whether the club, or any directors or officers of the club had been complicit in the criminal behaviour.
There is no allegation of criminal behaviour yet because that will invite City/whoever to sue the pants off whoever makes such an allegation WHEN we successfully end these present proceedings.
Unless City win quickly, this is going to run and run for a very, very long time - years - and we are a long way from any potential criminal prosecution.

 

[Indaparkside]

Spoke to someone I know at the club this morning, and it's certainly allayed my fears a bit. Can't go into too much detail, but the club knew this was coming, even if the timing caught them out a bit, and are confident that we'll be cleared of the most serious charges.

We will never be cleared even if we are if that makes sense

 

[eastmanc]

No - the Premier League can't prosecute; the police/serious fraud office are the ones who would charge, and until prosecution proceedings are pending, these are all civil matters and there is no sub-judice.
They've accused City of numerous breaches of rules, but I doubt that the word "fraud" has been used by any official against City. The media and other fans may have implied or even used the word 'fraud', but I doubt that any official would dare to do so as they'd be capable of being sued for libel when City are exonerated.

Whilst I agree that the word fraud wasn't used they have definitely implied it by saying that we have deliberately falsified our books. That is a very serious allegation.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

As a fan of another team, I find this very interesting. But what strikes me after reading a lot of this thread is that there's a lot of blame-game going on here. I've read a lot of blame towards other clubs, the FA and PL, but very few, if any, are talking about the real case and the substance in the accusations. If there's done something wrong, which the enquiry will find out, surely there has to be consequences?

nah don't give a fuck if we are guilty as it only is places blame on the board who are responsible. but funny seeing that scum clubs like yours have no oversight or scrutiny. that hypocrisy is not lost on us. are you willing to turn over your accounts to us and do you think we won't be able to find all the bodies buried on your accounts and the scummy things your club has inevitably done? Do not pretend that a billion dollar club like yours are somehow going to be clean and not unethical and corrupt like most billion dollar businesses. besides it is the PL persecuting the hunt against us not some ethical body. unless a court finds illegality under the law, manchester city will remain innocent.

 

[Feed the Elk]

This is the only issue I now have with the club. UEFA/G14 & The PL Hateful Eight won't stop.

The time has come to stop defending ourselves & get back to the fundamental issue... In what other sector of business is an owner NOT ALLOWED to invest their own money? It's this which has forced us into the financial gymnastics needed to grow our business.

If you're worth Billions & your business needs a £100m investment, why are you only allowed to inject the funds via a commercial bank loan with all the associated compound interest, & not from your own legally acquired, tax cleared funds?

These "Accusations" (not charges because no legal statutory government bodies are involved), are a Strawman to deflect everyone from the bullshit FFP brought in purely to stop City.

Fuck the lot of em! FFP itself should be our main focus of attack. Defend ourselves of these accusations yes, BUT we should also kick-start the process of reviewing the legality of FFP in terms of anti-competition laws.

Let's call for FFP style regulation to be applied right across UK industry & let's see how quickly it gets fucked off! Why should football be treated as a special case?

Enough is enough... It's bovver boots on, & gloves off time! :-/

Absolutely

I’ve always wondered how the cartel would have coped if FFP had existed with the inception of the Premier League?

Am guessing they would have been in breach?

 

[paulchapo]

This thread will beat the Covid one by the time it’s resolved

Absolutely. Wasn't Khaldoon quoted as saying he'd tie the premier league up in the courts for years if they charged us?

 

[Lavinda Past]

Our owners have probably been as "At it" as all the other clubs have, you've got to be very naive to think otherwise.

This instance reminds me very much of the military in as much as if they want a charge to stick they will find one to stick, the fact they have gone above and beyond the call of duty to find something insignificant to stick has no bearing on your guilt.

It's like employment in general... there may be a hundred excellent reasons to justify keeping someone in a job, but you only need one good one to justify sacking them.

 

[AndyP68]

As much as I’d welcome a very gung-ho response from the club it’s important to trust the owners to handle it as they see best. Calm and controlled.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

The whole crowd should sing "No-one likes us, we don't care" non-stop, from kick off to final whistle.

Not keen on singing a song better suited to Millwall. I don't like our billion in the bank song but it seems apt right now.

 

[M18CTID]

Yeah I'm pretty sure. Pearce detailed exactly how they were arranging it in the emails. CAS decided UEFA didn't have proof because they couldn't prove Pearce was lying when his testimony contradicted it. They ruled Pearce's account was "not incredible". If you remember at the time Stefan thought this was an incredibly risky and ethically dubious move by City but they got away with it.

What happened and what UEFA could prove are not necessarily the same thing and IMO it's very foolish to assume that because UEFA couldn't prove something or the CAS panel split 2/1 on something, that the Premier League can't prove it or can't convince the new panel to reach a different conclusion.

I'm pretty sure that's not what happened and Pearce/City proved it came from central funds. The post @halfcenturyup made showing the relevant section of the CAS ruling doesn't state this specifically but it does state that we proved it hadn't come from ADUG, and I recall seeing it reported at the time that the money came from central funds.