Manchester City and the whole of football are waiting to hear what punishment will be handed out after the 114 charges were upheld
Lee Ryder Chief Newcastle United Writer, Sean McCormick Newcastle United reporter, Ross Gregory Head of North East Sport and Stuart Jamieson Football Content Editor
Manchester City have been found guilty on virtually all counts of breaching the Premier League's financial rules
Man City have been found guilty on virtually all counts of breaching the Premier League's financial rules
Who said international breaks were boring? The sensational news that Manchester City were found guilty breaking the Premier League financial rules over a nine-year period.
The league this week confirmed that an independent panel had upheld the 114 charges that between 2009 and 2018 the club had created 'sham' contracts with commercial partners to help bring in more than £830m of revenue.
City continue to deny any wrongdoing and have a window of appeal, but the whole of football now awaits the punishment that will be handed out.
Events have been closely monitored in Newcastle, where the Magpies have been under scrutiny ever since the Saudi-backed PIF takeover in 2021. United have had strict financial rules to adhere to, which has seen them forced to sell top stars such as Elliot Anderson, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali which they build their revenue streams.
With speculation over what happens next rife, our team of NUFC writers have given their verdict on what should happen the disgraced former champions.
Lee Ryder
I don't agree with asterisks being placed next to titles or any team being stripped of cups, and the trophy being historically passed on to somebody else.
Wealthy owners coming in and lifting a team from the doldrums after bad ownership is something close to home for Newcastle United after the club's own Middle East takeover in 2021. But we now have clarity from the Premier League that the rules have indeed been broken.
If City are guilty, the punishment needs to be significant of course to deter others following the same path. I think calculating points per season is long-winded so I'd say a double demotion to League One is sufficient with a financial penalty thrown in.
Newcastle aren't the only team affected by the situation of course so at least a two-year ban from the Premier League would serve as satisfactory punishment in my opinion.
Sean McCormick
What has been proven in the independent inquiry is that Manchester City have committed financial doping on an industrial scale for the best part of a decade.
It is the biggest case of cheating in Premier League history and their statement on Tuesday reassured me that they will take the strongest possible action against them.
For me, that has to be a hefty fine and a points deduction that makes relegation a very real possibility, anywhere in the region of -40 and -50 points.
The deterrent the Premier League send out in these sanctions have to be the strongest possible to prevent any club doing this again. Newcastle have the financial backing to cook the books in the same way City have but they have not tried to circumvent the rules. That led to three of their star players being sold in the summer and a ceiling placed on their ambitions.
The fact City's approach has blatantly disregarded those rules should stick in the throat of every Newcastle fan and, put simply, the punishment for such a flagrant flouting of the rules should hit their owners right where it hurts..
Ross Gregory
It's an incredible story, the biggest in the Premier League's near 35-year history. The scale of it means that the punishment must be historic too.
City simply can't remain in the league. They need to be expelled. Not just relegated to the Championship, where they will bounce back immediately and be back in Europe before we know it, but demoted to at least League One, possibly League Two. That would be for the EFL to decide, of course, but nothing else seems fitting.
Newcastle, of course, have played by the rules and been forced to sell stars ranging from Elliot Anderson to Anthony Gordon as a result. That was the right thing to do, though whether the rules are fit for purpose is a completely different argument. They must be part of PIF looking on in wonder at what City have done, and assessing the long-term impact it has had on the likes of them and Aston Villa who have been desperately trying to shatter the Big 6 'cartel'.
A demotion of City down a few rungs in the pyramid will help open the door for those clubs who have abided by the regulations.
Stuart Jamieson
Whatever punishment comes Man City's way has to be huge. Forget any sympathy for the players, the findings of the inquiry have proved what the club achieved on the pitch was only done so by breaking the rules off it.
I'm not sure passing the problem on to the EFL is the right thing to do, but I would be in favour of a hefty points deduction in each of the next five seasons. Starting each campaign off on -25 points for the foreseeable future would at least mean they would struggle to qualify for Europe - or the Champions League at least.
If that means they are in relegation danger then so be it. Let's see how all those attracted to Man City for the glamour of title chasers and European glory like that.
Financial compensation for Newcastle United and their Premier League rivals would be a murky business. Assessing potential lost revenue would be a minefield, so we have have to accept that what is done, is done when it comes to on-field achievements.