Downing Street stepped in to try and save Andy Burnham from a red card after he was accused of backing football cash cheats Manchester City. The PM sparked outrage when he said he would be 'really concerned' if the club's owners decided to sell up after City was found guilty of breaching 114 financial rules by an independent commission.
City's punishment - which could include league expulsion, relegation, transfer bans, fines and trophy-surrenders - has yet to be decided by footy chiefs. But Burnham praised the club's United Arab Emirates owners for pumping a fortune into revitalising Manchester when he was mayor.
Backlash from players and politicians
The PM's comments were blasted by former players and the Tories who said they were 'completely out of touch' with the feelings of fans and the public and 'frankly extraordinary'.
Following the backlash Downing Street stepped in to insist Burnham had made it clear the 'initial judgement is serious and there can't be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules'.
The No10 spokesman added: “He also stressed that it is an ongoing independent process. It is essential that it is allowed to run its course and the outcome respected. If wrongdoing is established those responsible should face the appropriate consequences.”
City's denial and appeal
City deny any wrong-doing and have until the end of Friday to submit an appeal. Among the independent panel's findings were the club arranged 'sham contracts' with commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m.
The Premier League said City 'systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade'. But Burnham told the BBC the findings were 'contested by Manchester City' and it would be 'wrong' to 'jump to a conclusion'.
He said of the club's owners: “I would be really concerned to lose them. They've been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester and obviously the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is.”
Political and fan reactions
Shadow minister for sport Louie French said the government should 'keep politics out of football and ensure the Premier League's independent commission can do its job free of outside influence'.
He said the club faced 'unprecedented allegations' fans were horrified'. “Yet Burnham is publicly backing the owners even as the investigation continues,” he said.
“Fans will rightly ask whether political pressure is being applied here and how it relates to the owners' well-reported investments in Manchester. Football must be governed independently with the rules applying equally to everyone. Fans deserve confidence that no club or owner is above those rules.”
Ex-Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand tweeted Burnham was 'on the back foot referencing Manchester City'.
Former Liverpool and England striker Stan Collymore tweeted: “Like Andy Burnham a lot but his comments around City ownership and not wanting to lose them is tone deaf.”
“Sportwashing literally is designed to make sure regimes and governments are seen differently abroad at a time when those regimes and governments are spending a lot on UK infrastructure,” he said. “Making people happy by giving them stuff, memories and happiness is the literal definition of Sportwashing. The problem? With that investment comes an implied understanding that we all know is there. 'We spend billions with you, remember that'. Nothing more has to be said, we know what it means.”
He questioned if Burnham's comments were 'unhelpful and naive or something more'. “For a PM the day after a judgement by a respected panel to say 'we can't afford to lose City Group, they've put a lot into Manchester' is missing the point so widely that he's now going to be tagged as taking a side or grossly naive. Neither things people will readily vote for,” he added.
