Gary Neville was incensed when he addressed Manchester City's staggering 115 charges, branding the absence of a verdict as a "disgrace" to the sport. The club found themselves in hot water in February 2023 with 115 alleged violations from the Premier League, spanning from 2009 to 2018.
Despite City's firm stance on their innocence, proceedings began in September of the previous year and wrapped up in December. Even though manager Pep Guardiola hinted in February that a decision would likely come within a month, there has been no word since. As the 2024/25 season draws to a close this Sunday, the football world remains in limbo regarding the outcome of City's case.
During a Q&A session for The Athletic, journalist David Ornstein was quizzed about any new developments on the charges, to which he briefly answered: "Zero." The issue was a hot topic on The Overlap Fan Debate, sponsored by Sky Bet, featuring Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher, and football finance guru Kieran Maguire, reports the Mirror.
The Sky Sports pundit was brutally honest in his assessment of the case and and demanded a swift resolution of the situation. "That Manchester City case is a disgrace; it's an absolute stain to the game," declared the Manchester United legend.
"I have a lot of admiration for City, but I don't buy into this theory that clubs do really well, and City have, but it is still a stain to the game. It has just been dragging on for years and years, it's an absolute joke. Yes, City have been defending themselves, but they've been pushing it so far into the long grass that you end up losing the will to live on it and you forget about it. It just needs to be dealt with."
Having previously discussed City's case, Maguire predicted that while the club have held the "upper hand" over the Premier League in the past, there will be charges ruled in the league's favour. "I think we will see some sort of transitional rule with the APTs," he said.
"We have already seen Brighton's loans from Tony Bloom have been converted into something that is between shares and debt. There will be discussions taking place between clubs, lawyers and accountants as to how existing loans can be reclassified as equity. Therefore, that will assist things going forward.
"I think, based on historical evidence, that City have got the upper hand over the Premier League. Nick DeMarco thinks it will be a score draw where the Premier League will win some of the 115 charges but City will have a far stronger case in others."
It's been a lacklustre season for the former league champions who are set to end the season without any trophies for the first time since Guardiola's arrival nearly ten years ago, following their 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley last Saturday. Their season wraps up on Sunday with a visit to Fulham, where a victory will guarantee them a third-place finish.