Richard Keys has demanded that Manchester City apologise after the club was found guilty of breaching 114 Premier League financial rules. The club were found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them in 2023 on Friday.
While club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has urged football fans not to jump to conclusions and continues to plead innocence, others have called for immediate penalisation and punishment for the infractions. That includes long-time presenter Keys, who most recently worked for BeIN Sports.
Keys: 'City owe English football an apology'
Taking to X, the 69-year-old wrote: "The bottom line is Manchester City owe English football an apology. They cheated & warped our game."
"I know it’s nothing to do with the guys on the pitch but most of them wouldn’t have been there if City had played by the rules. Their achievements feel very hollow right now."
Given City's stance on the charges, an appeal of Friday's verdict from an independent panel is expected. As a result, any punishment will not be dished out to the Manchester team until that aspect of the case is concluded.
Possible punishments and appeal process
However, as for the possibilities, the outlook is grim for City. While lighter punishments could come in the form of fines and transfer embargoes, more extreme situations could see the club docked points, expelled from the Premier League or even have their titles won during the affected period - between 2009 and 2018 - stripped.
Any decision is guaranteed to be a little while away as of yet, with fellow Premier League fans and clubs alike set for a period of uncertainty regarding City's situation. For City fans, Al Mubarak has thanked them for their consistent support en-masse.
Chairman's open letter to fans
His open letter to fans read: "I have been part of this Club for 18 years. I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul. This Club matters to me, and you have shown and told me – time and time again - how much Manchester City matters to you. This is why I am writing to you today."
"Following Friday’s media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues. So have I. Here’s what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began."
"There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position. But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies."
"I ask you to please carefully read the statement below, which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023 (also below). Every word matters and holds true."
"While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed. We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity."
"We have some exciting moments to look forward to after this international break. We travel to Anfield in a fortnight, and then host Paris St Germain in the Champions League back at Etihad Stadium - moments that give us an opportunity to celebrate the strength of the Manchester City family. Thank you, as always, for your constant support."
