Tony Pulis has said he feels "cheated" by Manchester City after the club were found guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules on Friday. The former Stoke City manager was speaking after the long-awaited verdict in the case that has spanned three years.
In 2023, City were charged with 115 alleged infractions of financial rules over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. On Friday, it was announced that the club had been found guilty of all but one of those charges.
Pulis points to 2011 FA Cup final
Pulis, who managed Stoke in the 2011 FA Cup final, highlighted that City beat his side 1-0 at Wembley, with Yaya Toure scoring the winning goal in the 74th minute. That final took place within the period for which City have now been found guilty of breaching rules.
Writing in his BBC column, the 68-year-old said: "I don't expect Manchester City to phone me or the club up and offer back the 2011 FA Cup and the winners' medals their players received.
"I don't seriously believe any other trophies and titles will be handed back over either. A points deduction and a massive fine feels far more likely.
"But I still feel cheated. Whatever happens next, we won't ever get that day back and the chance to celebrate around Stoke-on-Trent with the cup and medals we so honestly fought for. After breaking the rules, Manchester City got to do that instead."
Wage disparity and possible punishments
Pulis also noted that Toure was reportedly earning 10 times the amount of Stoke players at the time, and that the midfielder alone cost City more than the value of the Potters' starting XI. City had paid around £24 million to sign Toure from Barcelona in July 2010.
Premier League clubs, players and managers are now waiting to see what punishment will be imposed. Speculation has included fines, points deductions and transfer embargoes, with more severe options being stripping City of titles from the affected period or expulsion from the league.
Manchester City are expected to appeal the verdict, having consistently pleaded their innocence since the charges were brought in 2023. Any final punishment may still be some time away, as the Premier League will not take definitive action until the case is closed.
