PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[bluetonium]

There would at the very least need to be a joint statement that the charges have been dropped and will not be revisited or discussed further.

Khaldoon promised he would talk about the charges at the appropriate time. That may well be to just say we fought our corner and won, showed no wrongdoing, but he will speak on the matter when he can, he has to.

To an extent, city can't ever win in the wider world opinion, because we're dealing with the flat earthers of the football world - those who have a base desire to see us put down due to rivalry and jealousy. Carragher, as an example, is never going to offer a fair and insightful edict on the situation, because we hurt him, we denied him success. Show him a picture of the globe, he'll say it's faked. Take a camera to the moon and show him the live feed, he'll say it's tampered with. But really, who cares? If everything was great, Carragher wouldn't have a role, he needs controversy, he needs rivalry, to fuel his media shit-goblin persona. If we lose then we're labelled cheats. If we win then we've obviously bribed somebody. I can easily foresee a world where at least the premier league, if not city also, are looking to bury this and move on.

But at the same time I go back to the ferocity, the determination, Khaldoon showed to clear our name and I can't imagine he'd let anyone be in any doubt that we're cleared and those continuing to spread false allegations and speculation about the legality and motivation of the club's and individual's actions need to be suitability lawyered up.

 

[johnny crossan]

There would at the very least need to be a joint statement that the charges have been dropped and will not be revisited or discussed further.

Khaldoon promised he would talk about the charges at the appropriate time. That may well be to just say we fought our corner and won, showed no wrongdoing, but he will speak on the matter when he can, he has to.

To an extent, city can't ever win in the wider world opinion, because we're dealing with the flat earthers of the football world - those who have a base desire to see us put down due to rivalry and jealousy. Carragher, as an example, is never going to offer a fair and insightful edict on the situation, because we hurt him, we denied him success. Show him a picture of the globe, he'll say it's faked. Take a camera to the moon and show him the live feed, he'll say it's tampered with. But really, who cares? If everything was great, Carragher wouldn't have a role, he needs controversy, he needs rivalry, to fuel his media shit-goblin persona. If we lose then we're labelled cheats. If we win then we've obviously bribed somebody. I can easily foresee a world where at least the premier league, if not city also, are looking to bury this and move on.

But at the same time I go back to the ferocity, the determination, Khaldoon showed to clear our name and I can't imagine he'd let anyone be in any doubt that we're cleared and those continuing to spread false allegations and speculation about the legality and motivation of the club's and individual's actions need to be suitability lawyered up.

On the nail!

 

[moomba]

As long as City get what they want an under the carpet deal would suit everyone.
Perhaps time to mend the PL and quietly get on with making it again the envy of the rest of the football world.
Can't see how financial matters can be disguised in the accounts though?

It really wouldn't suit us.

 

[TheThirdDeano]

Why did we bother to correct them when they sent us the charges? We should have left them be and used them to show incompetence and their desire to rush through charges to damage us

 

[Centurions]

Absolutely not, should have put a smiley face at the end of my post. Just always amuses me when an opinion is posted as fact.

Although for all I know, the poster may have emailed Lord Pannick directly and got the inside track, wouldn't be the first time that's happened ;-)

Damn, I'd meant to add a smiley on mine as well :(

 

[City & Blue Brazil]

As there's no requirement to even publish the outcome, let alone the full hearing, it's theoretically possible that we've been fully or largely exonerated and everyone involved has been sworn to absolute secrecy.

Let's face it, anythings theoretically possible, maybe we've been found guilty on all counts and are just discussing what is to happen next. Point is, nobody knows and everything is only speculation.

 

[Centurions]

Why did we bother to correct them when they sent us the charges? We should have left them be and used them to show incompetence and their desire to rush through charges to damage us

I think even the PL realised they'd screwed up, sadly only after publication. I wonder if there was a sacrificial lamb who got the bullet for that?

 

[SilverFox2]

It really wouldn't suit us.

You may be right but it took years of PL rule changing and downright abuse upon our owners for them to eventually start legal procedures against the PL.

Now the PL and the individual red cartel clubs are aware of our power surely they would not risk further litigation.

A fair PL with a normally football focused City is what we all want is it not?

If we simply want revenge I am sure our owners are likely to be active in other areas of commerce rather than completely destroying the PL which has brought so much success to our great Club.

Just an opinion of course.

 

[Centurions]

As there's no requirement to even publish the outcome, let alone the full hearing, it's theoretically possible that we've been fully or largely exonerated and everyone involved has been sworn to absolute secrecy.

Factually true and possible but unlikely in the extreme.

I asked Chatgpt and whittled it down to:- (seems correct as far as I can tell)

does the final decision of this case have to be made public?

ChatGPT said:​

That’s a very sharp and important question — and the answer is no, not automatically, but there are circumstances in which it likely will be made public (or at least partially).
Here’s how that works in law and under Premier League rules

---

1. The “115 charges” case is being heard by an independent commission​

Under Premier League Rule W, once the League finishes an investigation and brings charges (as it did against Manchester City in February 2023), those charges are referred to an independent commission — a panel of senior lawyers and accountants appointed under the League’s rules.
That commission functions like an arbitral tribunal:

• 
  
• It operates privately.
• 
  
• Evidence, witnesses, and arguments are confidential.
• 
  
• The hearings are not open to the public or media.

---

2. The Premier League rules on publication — Rule W.82.2 & W.82.3​

The relevant Premier League rules (W.82) govern when and how outcomes are published.

• 
  
• Rule W.82.1 → requires public disclosure that a club has been charged (which is why the 115 charges were announced in 2023).
• 
  
• Rule W.82.2–82.3 → deal with the commission’s final decision.

They state, in essence (summarized from the Premier League Handbook):

W.82.2: The Commission’s decision is binding and final, subject to appeal to an Appeal Board.
W.82.3: The Premier League shall publish the decision of the Commission, unless the Commission itself directs that it (or part of it) should remain confidential.

So, publication is the default, but the Commission has discretion to withhold or redact parts of its decision.

---

️ 3. What this means in practice​

• 
  
• The Premier League’s usual practice (e.g., in financial fair play, betting, or ownership rule cases) is to publish the final written decision, often with redactions for sensitive commercial or personal information.
• 
  
• The League does this to preserve integrity and public confidence — especially in a case of such scale.
• 
  
• The Commission could, in theory, order the decision to remain confidential, but that would be highly controversial, given the massive public and legal interest.

---

4. Judicial and public interest pressure​

Even though the commission is private, the courts have already established (in the 2021–2022 Manchester City v Premier League cases) that there is a “legitimate public interest” in transparency of regulatory proceedings.
So:

• 
  
• If the League or the Commission tried to keep the final ruling secret,
• 
  
• Media organisations (and possibly other clubs) could apply to court to seek publication —
• 
  
• and there is precedent that the courts may side with openness.

---

5. Summary​

Stage	Rule	Public or Private?	Can / Must be Published?
Investigation	Rule W.82 (pre-charge)	Confidential	No publication allowed
Charges laid	W.82.1	Public (rules require announcement)	Must publish charge notice
Commission hearing	W.82.2	Private	No public hearing
Final decision	W.82.3	Commission discretion	Normally published, unless the Commission orders confidentiality
Appeal decision (if any)	W.83	Same rule applies	Typically also published

---

Bottom line​

The final decision in Manchester City’s case does not have to be made public automatically,
but under Premier League Rule W.82.3, it will normally be published, unless the independent commission specifically directs otherwise.
And given the legal and public interest established by the courts, it’s very likely the decision (at least in summary form) will be made public.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Factually true and possible but unlikely in the extreme.

I asked Chatgpt and whittled it down to:- (seems correct as far as I can tell)

does the final decision of this case have to be made public?

ChatGPT said:​

That’s a very sharp and important question — and the answer is no, not automatically, but there are circumstances in which it likely will be made public (or at least partially).
Here’s how that works in law and under Premier League rules

---

1. The “115 charges” case is being heard by an independent commission​

Under Premier League Rule W, once the League finishes an investigation and brings charges (as it did against Manchester City in February 2023), those charges are referred to an independent commission — a panel of senior lawyers and accountants appointed under the League’s rules.
That commission functions like an arbitral tribunal:

• 
  
• It operates privately.
• 
  
• Evidence, witnesses, and arguments are confidential.
• 
  
• The hearings are not open to the public or media.

---

2. The Premier League rules on publication — Rule W.82.2 & W.82.3​

The relevant Premier League rules (W.82) govern when and how outcomes are published.

• 
  
• Rule W.82.1 → requires public disclosure that a club has been charged (which is why the 115 charges were announced in 2023).
• 
  
• Rule W.82.2–82.3 → deal with the commission’s final decision.

They state, in essence (summarized from the Premier League Handbook):

So, publication is the default, but the Commission has discretion to withhold or redact parts of its decision.

---

️ 3. What this means in practice​

• 
  
• The Premier League’s usual practice (e.g., in financial fair play, betting, or ownership rule cases) is to publish the final written decision, often with redactions for sensitive commercial or personal information.
• 
  
• The League does this to preserve integrity and public confidence — especially in a case of such scale.
• 
  
• The Commission could, in theory, order the decision to remain confidential, but that would be highly controversial, given the massive public and legal interest.

---

4. Judicial and public interest pressure​

Even though the commission is private, the courts have already established (in the 2021–2022 Manchester City v Premier League cases) that there is a “legitimate public interest” in transparency of regulatory proceedings.
So:

• 
  
• If the League or the Commission tried to keep the final ruling secret,
• 
  
• Media organisations (and possibly other clubs) could apply to court to seek publication —
• 
  
• and there is precedent that the courts may side with openness.

---

5. Summary​

Stage	Rule	Public or Private?	Can / Must be Published?
Investigation	Rule W.82 (pre-charge)	Confidential	No publication allowed
Charges laid	W.82.1	Public (rules require announcement)	Must publish charge notice
Commission hearing	W.82.2	Private	No public hearing
Final decision	W.82.3	Commission discretion	Normally published, unless the Commission orders confidentiality
Appeal decision (if any)	W.83	Same rule applies	Typically also published

---

Bottom line​

So theoretically it is possible that the outcome might not be publicly declared, but I think we'd all agree that this scenario is unlikely.

 

[Coatigan]

So theoretically it is possible that the outcome might not be publicly declared, but I think we'd all agree that this scenario is unlikely.

The theory being possible, doesn't make it any less pointless.

 

[moomba]

You may be right but it took years of PL rule changing and downright abuse upon our owners for them to eventually start legal procedures against the PL.

Now the PL and the individual red cartel clubs are aware of our power surely they would not risk further litigation.

A fair PL with a normally football focused City is what we all want is it not?

If we simply want revenge I am sure our owners are likely to be active in other areas of commerce rather than completely destroying the PL which has brought so much success to our great Club.

Just an opinion of course.

Not so much revenge, but a clear verdict in our favour would be a hugely important thing for the club. We wouldn't pass up that opportunity.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

I’m pretty sure that the member clubs will want to know why they’re being asked to pay for legal costs (or have prize money reduced accordingly) should the decision not be released and it’s in City’s favour. There’s no way all 20 clubs would keep silent. And if it’s in the PL’s favour then they will certainly kick up a fuss.

It won’t happen in my opinion.

 

[supercity88]

I’m pretty sure that the member clubs will want to know why they’re being asked to pay for legal costs (or have prize money reduced accordingly) should the decision not be released and it’s in City’s favour. There’s no way all 20 clubs would keep silent. And if it’s in the PL’s favour then they will certainly kick up a fuss.

It won’t happen in my opinion.

Of course it won't happen. I don't know why it's even being discussed.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

How much will each club have to pay for this? Maybe the longer the better, the twats

 

[DiscoSteve]

How much will each club have to pay for this? Maybe the longer the better, the twats

One twentieth of the bill I would expect - one assumes that City would just deduct that 20th from the money coming our way ;-) which BTW I'm now convinced is what is going to happen!

 

[asahartford1]

As there's no requirement to even publish the outcome, let alone the full hearing, it's theoretically possible that we've been fully or largely exonerated and everyone involved has been sworn to absolute secrecy.

And in a few years everyone will have forgot that there was a case.
All media reporting and fan forums will have the coverage deleted.
And George Orwell will have a smug smile on his face as he looks down.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

You’re dreaming if you think this isn’t getting published at some point. The pressure from our vindictive chums in the media will be off the scale

 

[Pughie]

My sources have said that the Premier League were trying to Clarkie us and it got out of hand, once the charges have been dropped we'll be able to bring N'golo Kante home and be able to play Petrov at left back. Hope Richard Masters gets a slap whilst he pretends to sleep on a train. My sources have not confirmed when the last time it was that he soiled himself. Also been told Levy calls it a teacake, which is why he was politely asked to leave Spurs

 

[LeonardoDaVnci]

How much will each club have to pay for this? Maybe the longer the better, the twats

This is often overplayed, although the 'football world' may pretend to be outraged at the PL's total legal bill in reality its divided by 19 for each club. I'm sure Levy emphasized this during his 'Stop City at all costs' campaign. So imho it's just another stick to hit us with, any stick, any stat, any trope, any shite will do. [off topic] This ridiculous obsession now counting how many touches Erling has per game is a perfect illustration. It would be like saying ah! Einstein how many times did he actually pick up his pen in his miracle year 1905.