UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham would be ‘concerned about losing’ Manchester CityThe Abu Dhabi-based owners were forced out after the club was found guilty of 114 breaches of financial regulations.
City were found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them Premier Leaguewhich confirmed the decision of an independent commission in a Tuesday’s statement.
Among the breaches were the creation of “bogus” contracts to help inflate income and cut costs by more than £900m over nine years covering the 2009-10 season to the 2017-18 campaign.
The City Council has until Friday, October 2, to appeal, and will exercise its right to do so. Finally, they could take the case to the High Court and claim that the process was not impartial.
A points deduction effectively relegating City from the Premier League to the Championship is seen as a likely punishment, while a transfer ban and massive fine are also distinct possibilities.
The prospect of expulsion from the Premier League has also been raised, which could see the club condemned to non-league if the EFL refuse to accept them as a member. However, an expulsion motion would require 15 of the 20 Premier League clubs to vote in favor to pass.
Football’s Independent Regulator, set up by the UK government in 2025, said City’s case raised “serious issues” and indicated it would explore its options, including the possibility of stripping the owners of their license to own the club once the appeal process reaches its conclusion.
In an interview with the BBC, Burnham, an Everton fan, referred to his point deduction for a breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules in 2024. The Toffees originally had 10 points, but this was reduced to six on appeal.
“I remember people blaming Everton at the time, and you know, with hindsight, I think more people would say it wasn’t fair the way it was handled,” Burnham said. “So it would be a mistake for me to jump to the side given the experience I had before becoming prime minister.”
The former Manchester mayor has also praised City Football Group, the subsidiary that runs the club and is 81 per cent owned by Abu Dhabi United Group, for its impact on the local area.
“Indeed I thank the City Football Group and the wider ownership for the money they have invested not only in the Etihad and the campus around it, but also in the city,” he added.
“I would be very worried to lose them. They have been such a great partner in building modern Manchester. Obviously building Manchester City into the global force that it is.”
“I can’t intervene any further in the process. It would be wrong for me to do that. I think it would be wrong to come to a conclusion before we’ve really looked at all the details, but obviously it’s ongoing, and because it’s still being contested by Manchester City, then I think it’s right that I don’t say much more.
“I have to keep my distance from this. It would be wrong for me to do anything else. It is a separate legal process that must take its course.
“So for the reasons I gave at the beginning, you know, I was involved in one myself in relation to Everton. I think it’s frustrating when people rush to judgment and proclaim guilt. I think it should be allowed to take its course.”
