Manchester City have been told they should drop to the bottom of the English football pyramid and work their way back up following last week's verdict on their financial 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 disguise more than £830million in funding between 2009 and 2018. However, City continue to strongly deny any wrongdoing and have launched an appeal against the verdict.
Appeal and defence strategy
The club have adopted a siege mentality in the aftermath of the ruling, reassuring players and staff that they have 'irrefutable evidence' which they believe will clear their name. An independent three-person panel will now oversee City's appeal, with a decision expected before the end of the year.
A key part of the club's defence is expected to centre on the claim that the 'sham' deals were legitimate and funded by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than City's owners at the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG). The commission has the power to relegate City, impose unlimited fines, hand out points deductions or issue a transfer ban.
EFL figures speak out
It also remains to be seen whether the club could be stripped of the titles they won during the nine-year period in question. There has been plenty of debate over what punishment City should receive, with several senior figures from the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) speaking to the i Paper about what they believe should happen.
"They should go all the way to the bottom of the pyramid," one EFL source told The i Paper.
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?"
Leicester comparison and wider impact
Leicester City's presence in League One this season has already demonstrated the potential impact of having a major club in the division, with one senior EFL executive pointing to the increased interest surrounding their fixtures.
"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."
According to Section W, Rule 54 of the Premier League's handbook, City could face a punishment ranging from a reprimand to expulsion from the competition.
A source close to the youth recruitment process in Manchester also highlighted the potential knock-on effect of any severe punishment for City. "Local clubs thrive off getting players who drop out of City's academy, who have had a fantastic footballing upbringing there.
"If they went down the divisions, so many clubs would lose that."
There is still a long way to go before the outcome of City's appeal becomes clear, with the independent panel now set to consider the club's case.
