Manchester City have confirmed they will appeal against the findings of an independent commission that found the club had used a 'disguised funding scheme' and 'sham contracts' to boost their income by more than £900m between 2009 and 2018. The appeal, lodged just before noon today, will be heard in private at a secret location before a three-person appeal board.
In a statement, the club repeated claims it had a 'comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence' that proved its innocence. "The Club's firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe," the statement said.
Timeline and potential delays
Any appeal hearing must take place within 12 weeks, with a decision to follow no more than 30 days after that, which takes the process to January 23 at the latest. However, further time could be allowed due to the extensive nature of the case.
City could also bring challenges against any punishments imposed, with legal experts expecting that it could extend the case by years. Meanwhile, top flight rivals are thought to be looking to take legal action against City, while a cross-party group of MPs have called upon HMRC to investigate potential tax implications regarding the Premier League's charges.
Burnham backlash
Earlier this week, Andy Burnham said he would be 'really concerned' to lose Abu Dhabi United Group as the club's owners and praised them as 'such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester'. He appeared to express sympathy with the club's plight, referring to a similar albeit much smaller investigation into his beloved Everton's finances.
The remarks sparked an instant backlash, with Tories describing the comments as 'completely out of touch' and 'extraordinary'. Yesterday, in an attempt to clarify the PM's comments, a No 10 spokesperson said Burnham was not siding with City, adding it was 'essential' the investigation be allowed to run its course. "Wherever wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences," they added.
One year on from Heaton Park attack
Today marks the first anniversary of the Heaton Park synagogue attack, in which worshippers Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, were killed on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. In a video message, Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Stephen Watson paid tribute to the region's Jewish community and promised to stand by them for 'as long as it takes' to keep them safe.
Hero security guard Andrew Franks has spoken for the first time about how he tackled knife-wielding terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, then shouted to warn others inside the synagogue despite having been stabbed three times.
Ragebait and weekend forecast
Takeaways in Greater Manchester are reportedly cooking up bizarre dishes such as chicken burgers dipped in chocolate sauce, Mr Whippy loaded fries, and doner kebabs made of pure chocolate. Rami Mwamba went in search of the people behind them to ask if it is just ragebait, and what the phenomenon tells us about Manchester's fiercely competitive fast food scene.
The weekend forecast is looking dry and mild, with tomorrow largely sunny and temperatures reaching 17C, while Sunday will be slightly cooler but remaining dry. A travel warning has been issued ahead of Sunday's Manchester Half Marathon, with around 32,000 runners taking part and up to 60,000 spectators expected to line the route. The Bee Network has warned of road closures and urged attendees to use the Metrolink.
