Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League financial charges brought against them, with the club now set to appeal the verdict using what they claim is 'irrefutable evidence'
Enzo Maresca
EFL chiefs have made their feelings clear on Man City's potential punishments(Image: Matt West/Shutterstock)
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Manchester City have been told they ought to be demoted to the bottom of the English football pyramid and work their way back up following last week's ruling on their financial misconduct charges. An independent commission found City guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.
The club were found to have used 'sham' contracts to conceal more than £830million in funding between 2009 and 2018. However, City continue to vehemently deny any wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal against the verdict.
The club have adopted a siege mentality in the wake of the ruling, reassuring players and staff that they possess 'irrefutable evidence' which they believe will clear their name. An independent three-person panel will now oversee City's appeal, with a decision anticipated before the year is out.
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A central element of the club's defence is expected to hinge on the assertion that the 'sham' deals were legitimate and financed by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than City's owners at the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG). The commission holds the authority to relegate City, impose unlimited fines, hand out points deductions or issue a transfer ban.
Whether the club could be stripped of the titles they claimed during the nine-year period in question also remains unclear. Considerable debate has arisen over what sanctions City ought to face, with a number of senior figures from the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) speaking to the i paper about their views on an appropriate punishment.
"They should go all the way to the bottom of the pyramid," one EFL source told The i Paper.
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One EFL club executive added: "I don't know all the details, but if they are guilty of all this, at the end of the day, depending on how passionately you believe in it, the integrity of the game is at stake.
"Why should we be forced to play alongside City as their punishment? Does it make it okay for League One clubs to cheat, if they are playing against Manchester City for points? You have to earn your place in any league in English football. Why should City be placed anywhere?".
Manchester City players
The outcome of Man City's appeal could be known by the end of the year(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
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Leicester City's presence in League One this season has already highlighted the potential consequences of having a high-profile club in the division, with one senior EFL executive pointing to the heightened attention surrounding their matches.
"We are seeing what having a giant of a club like Leicester City in League One this season does for interest," a senior EFL executive told the newspaper. "We sold out straight away for that. Imagine the demand for City tickets.
"We have never made losses like this before. We cannot keep going like this, so anything that helps that is a bonus. The chance to go up against a giant like City would get more eyes on the league, attract investors, and get us gate receipts we wouldn't normally get."
Under Section W, Rule 54 of the Premier League's handbook, City could face sanctions ranging from a formal reprimand to outright expulsion from the competition.
A source with close ties to youth recruitment in Manchester also shed light on the potential wider consequences of any harsh penalty handed down to City. "Local clubs thrive off getting players who drop out of City's academy, who have had a fantastic footballing upbringing there," they said.
"If they went down the divisions, so many clubs would lose that."
There remains considerable uncertainty before the outcome of City's appeal becomes known, with the independent panel now preparing to examine the club's case.