The Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) has called for serious sanctions against Manchester City if the club fails to overturn its appeal against 114 financial charges. The response follows reports that City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League charges they faced.
Charges and Appeal
The football world was shaken on Friday afternoon when it emerged that City had been found guilty of all but one of the charges. The club is expected to appeal, and no sanctions have been decided at this point. Supporters of teams who finished as runners-up to City during the period in question are watching closely.
Experts have predicted that a points deduction, at the minimum, feels inevitable for City, who have continued to insist they have done nothing wrong, maintaining their stance over the last three years.
MUST Statement
MUST released a statement urging the Premier League to dish out severe sanctions if the appeal against what they call "industrialised cheating" is not successful.
The statement reads: "In recent days, MUST has been asked by a number of media organisations and others to set out our view following reports that Manchester City have been found guilty of the overwhelming majority – reportedly 114 out of 115 – of the Premier League charges brought against them."
"Manchester City continue to deny wrongdoing and are expected to appeal. They are entitled to do so. But if these findings are upheld, this cannot be dismissed as an accounting error or an accidental breach of complex rules. It would amount to industrialised cheating on an unprecedented scale."
Ownership and Punishment
The statement also addressed ownership issues, contrasting the Glazers' stewardship at Manchester United with City's situation. It argued that owners who financially dope their clubs cheat rules designed to protect fair competition.
"If the findings against Manchester City are upheld, the punishment must fit the crime and act as a genuine deterrent to any owner considering the same route. Stripping titles or other retrospective sanctions may form part of that, but the more important question is what happens next."
The statement concluded that if trust cannot be restored while the current ownership remains, expulsion from the football pyramid should be among the sanctions considered. It described football clubs as cultural institutions and community assets, not ordinary businesses.
