The Greater Manchester Mayor says she will make sure 'the lives and livelihoods of those around the Etihad' won't be impacted after Manchester City FC was found guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.
The club maintains they have not committed any foul play and is expected to appeal the verdict. The decision has prompted a big reaction, with some asking for leniency, while others have called for the club to be expelled from the league. The punishment is yet to be decided or announced by the Premier League.
Mayor's priority is the Etihad area
Speaking at the Politico Pub at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Bev Craig said her priority was to make sure the area around the stadium, which is in the midst of a massive regeneration project, is protected.
Ms Craig said: "There's a reason politicians aren't being drawn into this too much and it's because there will be an appeal.
"In Greater Manchester, where we've seen investment come into some our most deprived communities in and around the Etihad, and we've seen an uplift.
"My job is to make sure the lives of those living in and around the stadium aren't impacted by [the charges]. But it's for the Premier League to decide what the penalty will be if they don't win an appeal."
Regeneration project at the Etihad
The Etihad is at the heart of a £300m development to create an entertainment zone. The construction will increase the stadium capacity to 60,000, build a Radisson Blu hotel, and introduce a zip-line. The club also pays a fee to Manchester City Council, said to be more than £4m a year.
In the same conversation, Ms Craig also ruled out ever standing for Prime Minister, saying she 'wasn't here to cause drama but to support her friend Andy'. She added she 'had the job she wanted' and has no intention of standing as MP.
City's response
City have since spoken out about their situation with chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, releasing an open letter to fans at the weekend. He thanked them for their continuous support, as well as continuing to maintain that the club have not committed any foul play.
And speaking in a meeting with Premier League officials, club CEO Ferran Soriano claimed that more time will be needed for the case to be wrapped up. He is understood to have taken a similar stance to Al Mubarak in his defence of City. He is reported to have told the meeting: "It has taken eight years to reach this point and it will still take much more time." Soriano also declined to comment when asked to do so by the media following the meeting, which took place in Copenhagen.
