| Man City - GUILTY 14:45 - Sep 25 with 40476 views | Northernr |
On all charges. Punishment? Errrrr, haven't decided yet.
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| Man City - GUILTY on 11:09 - Oct 2 with 1394 views | Northernr |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:01 - Oct 2 by KensalT |
Can't believe I'm quoting Alex Ferguson but I think he gives a good answer to this:
"Once you change the financial strength of one club, you don’t only change that club.
You change where players go.
You change what everybody else has to pay.
You change which manager gets which footballer.
You change title races before the first ball is kicked."
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I'd be surprised if that quote is real. Fake quotes are the latest great trend on that wonderful site. | | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:11 - Oct 2 with 1373 views | KensalT |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:09 - Oct 2 by Northernr |
I'd be surprised if that quote is real. Fake quotes are the latest great trend on that wonderful site. |
To be honest I was wondering about that myself.
But it's a good quote even if Sir Alex didn't say it! |  | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:22 - Oct 2 with 1301 views | Dorse |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:09 - Oct 2 by Northernr |
I'd be surprised if that quote is real. Fake quotes are the latest great trend on that wonderful site. |
It won't be true.
The account is described as: 'Football fiction & satire | Stories you wish were true | Sponsored by @rainbetcom' |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 11:28 - Oct 2 with 1269 views | KensalT |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:22 - Oct 2 by Dorse |
It won't be true.
The account is described as: 'Football fiction & satire | Stories you wish were true | Sponsored by @rainbetcom' |
I doubt Richard III ever said:
"A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!"
But it's the version everyone remembers.
Bloody Shakespeare. What a chancer! :-) | | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:39 - Oct 2 with 1247 views | Konk |
| Man City - GUILTY on 10:52 - Oct 2 by KensalT |
They're throwing the kitchen sink at it
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Using diplomatic back channels, I have warned the British government that if anyone blocks Fulham's attempt to win the cup this season, I will be forced to reconsider my long standing £4,000 per annum investment in British supermarket meal deals. [Post edited 2 Oct 11:40]
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| Fulham FC: It's the taking part that counts |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 13:01 - Oct 2 with 1026 views | BristolR |
| Man City - GUILTY on 11:39 - Oct 2 by Konk |
Using diplomatic back channels, I have warned the British government that if anyone blocks Fulham's attempt to win the cup this season, I will be forced to reconsider my long standing £4,000 per annum investment in British supermarket meal deals. [Post edited 2 Oct 11:40]
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“A meal deal a day keeps the Doctor away”
Old English proverb |  | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 14:40 - Oct 2 with 860 views | joe90 |
| Man City - GUILTY on 13:01 - Oct 2 by BristolR |
“A meal deal a day keeps the Doctor away”
Old English proverb |
Do you mean 'UK National proverb'? Sorry, I'm getting my threads mixed up. When are we playing West Ham?! |  | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 14:55 - Oct 2 with 815 views | Konk |
Lots of talk in football circles that the owners are calling in a favour from Trump and getting him to ring Bert Millichip to pressure him to rescind the 114 guilty charges. Let’s hope Bert tells them to fu ck-off.
Meanwhile, in a tit-for-tat move, I have decided not to build 10 hotels, a deep sea port, and a power station in UAE until they accept the guilty charges. I am also imposing sanctions on UAE, and I have introduced a travel ban, which prohibits any member of the UAE's ruling family from coming round my house. Two can play at this game. | |
| Fulham FC: It's the taking part that counts |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 15:02 - Oct 2 with 791 views | Northernr |
| Man City - GUILTY on 14:55 - Oct 2 by Konk |
Lots of talk in football circles that the owners are calling in a favour from Trump and getting him to ring Bert Millichip to pressure him to rescind the 114 guilty charges. Let’s hope Bert tells them to fu ck-off.
Meanwhile, in a tit-for-tat move, I have decided not to build 10 hotels, a deep sea port, and a power station in UAE until they accept the guilty charges. I am also imposing sanctions on UAE, and I have introduced a travel ban, which prohibits any member of the UAE's ruling family from coming round my house. Two can play at this game. |
I miss when the FA Cup was drawn from Bert Millichip's ball bag. | | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 15:10 - Oct 2 with 753 views | Konk |
| Man City - GUILTY on 15:02 - Oct 2 by Northernr |
I miss when the FA Cup was drawn from Bert Millichip's ball bag. |
Yeah, they should bring back Bert's beautiful ball bag. When they started pulling the balls out of the see-through plastic bowl, that's when the cup's standing began to fall.
Incidentally, if anyone knows how to ask my son's football team to return the footballs to the bag they are stored and transported in, without referring to either a "ballbag" or "ballsack", I would be very grateful. Thank you. | |
| Fulham FC: It's the taking part that counts |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 15:37 - Oct 2 with 692 views | Mick_S |
| Man City - GUILTY on 15:02 - Oct 2 by Northernr |
I miss when the FA Cup was drawn from Bert Millichip's ball bag. |
He doesn’t. |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 16:38 - Oct 2 with 583 views | hubble |
| Man City - GUILTY on 10:52 - Oct 2 by KensalT |
They're throwing the kitchen sink at it
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So blackmail is their response, basically.
Side note: Andy Burnham was Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in 2008, the same time that the the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) - the UAE in all but name - agreed to a £200 million takeover of Man City. Coincidence?
The rabbit hole is getting deeper. |  |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 16:38 - Oct 2 with 585 views | BristolR |
| Man City - GUILTY on 14:40 - Oct 2 by joe90 |
Do you mean 'UK National proverb'? Sorry, I'm getting my threads mixed up. When are we playing West Ham?! |
Can’t come soon enough can it!! | | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 17:16 - Oct 2 with 512 views | KensalT |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 17:18 - Oct 2 with 509 views | SimplyNico |
A few thoughts on this.
First, the EPL Disciplinary Committee. Unsurprisingly, these are not composed of magistrates and members of the Rotary Club. Panel members are chosen from retired: Supreme Court judges, Court of Appeal judges, High Court judges, and leading KC's. They are very good at understanding facts and what is true/untrue - it has been their career.
Second, given the number of guilty findings, possible sanctions range from a large points deduction and fine to relegation or expulsion from the EPL. Expulsion is for the most serious cases. If this is not the most serious of cases, then what is?
Third, the downfall. What is going to wipe City out is not the disciplinary sanction (although, as above, that is going to be severe - assuming that an appeal goes nowhere, the sanction has to be severe - the finding is that this was sustained financial cheating (financial doping), undertaken by minds at the highest level in the Club, with a seeming casual disregard of the EPL rules).
Instead, what is going to wipe City out is the litigation/arbitration for compensation.
If the appeal fails, the argument will be from every club in the EPL for a given season of cheating that they would have finished one place higher in each season of cheating. There is prize money for each place in the EPL and that will need to be made good. For each Club that failed to qualify for a European competition by one place, there will be a claim for compensation. For each club that finished 18th in a given season in the EPL, there will be a claim for compensation based on the loss suffered through relegation. For each manager or player who lost a bonus based on a place in the EPL, there will be a claim. There may also be claims from sponsors who would argue that there has been a moral hazard clause breach in the sponsorship agreement.
The total sums claimed will be astronomical if the appeal fails - they will be in the hundreds of millions.
And paying the money via the owners may then breach the relevant financial rule for the season of payment. Insolvency of the club seems a real possibility, notwithstanding the wealth of the owners And there may well be personal liability for any of the guiding minds who engaged in an unlawful means conspiracy with the Club and/or who induced it to breach the EPL rules.
We can probably also expect the insurers (including the directors and officers insurance) to start reviewing their policies to look for exits.
Fourth, the political fallout. Note the analysis by Chris Mason at the BBC on Andy Burnham and his final two paragraphs "BBC News - Chris Mason: Why Andy Burnham's about-turn on Manchester City matters
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/art
That last line about it not being the last time Burnham faces questions is not an idle comment - there is more to come.
We can only hope that the ride was worth it given the extent of the crash that seems to be coming. [Post edited 2 Oct 17:27]
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| Man City - GUILTY on 17:29 - Oct 2 with 481 views | PlanetHonneywood |
| Man City - GUILTY on 16:38 - Oct 2 by hubble |
So blackmail is their response, basically.
Side note: Andy Burnham was Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in 2008, the same time that the the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) - the UAE in all but name - agreed to a £200 million takeover of Man City. Coincidence?
The rabbit hole is getting deeper. |
Oh dear....the British government has been hawking the UK in the Gulf for years, and for a damn sight more than a 'paltry' £200m. I had the pleasure of blowing the froth off a few with one of 'our' chaps out there a few years back, whom answered me thus, 'Selling the UK!' in reply to my enquiry as to what he was doing Sunday to Thursday for HM Government (see below).
The real questions I'd respectfully suggest are: if the UAE do/are putting diplomatic pressure on the UK Government, will it bend or, tell them to do one? Followed by, if we do tell them to do one, who will take up the slack and at what price if the UAE sulk snd take their ball home? Plus...WTF is left to sell?!!!
Merely because Burnham has negotiated with the UAE is not, of itself, treachery. Plus, does a government need to sanction a football club takeover? Thought FIFA rules (I lknow, that's a joke) preclude government interference in the running of football. I ask as maybe he wasn't even involved in matters and even if he was, unless there were shenanigans at the time, so what? Burnham's best bet, stay away.
https://imo.gov.qa/media-centr |  |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 17:46 - Oct 2 with 444 views | EastR |
The insurers won't have to look too far. If they've breached company law by signing off on misstated accounts then the cover becomes null and void | |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 17:55 - Oct 2 with 425 views | KensalT |
| Man City - GUILTY on 17:29 - Oct 2 by PlanetHonneywood |
Oh dear....the British government has been hawking the UK in the Gulf for years, and for a damn sight more than a 'paltry' £200m. I had the pleasure of blowing the froth off a few with one of 'our' chaps out there a few years back, whom answered me thus, 'Selling the UK!' in reply to my enquiry as to what he was doing Sunday to Thursday for HM Government (see below).
The real questions I'd respectfully suggest are: if the UAE do/are putting diplomatic pressure on the UK Government, will it bend or, tell them to do one? Followed by, if we do tell them to do one, who will take up the slack and at what price if the UAE sulk snd take their ball home? Plus...WTF is left to sell?!!!
Merely because Burnham has negotiated with the UAE is not, of itself, treachery. Plus, does a government need to sanction a football club takeover? Thought FIFA rules (I lknow, that's a joke) preclude government interference in the running of football. I ask as maybe he wasn't even involved in matters and even if he was, unless there were shenanigans at the time, so what? Burnham's best bet, stay away.
https://imo.gov.qa/media-centr |
So our government can't interfere if a foreign government wants to buy one of our clubs.
I think FIFA might need to take a look at it's rules 
However this all pans out I think the global football rules need to be rewritten to prevent sovereign ownership of football clubs. In fact it's crazy that it's allowed at all. In most countries around the world football is the national sport. | | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 18:03 - Oct 2 with 407 views | queensparker |
| Man City - GUILTY on 16:01 - Oct 1 by daveB |
This weeks Stick to football was superb, long but well worth a watch. Jil Scott makes a prat of herself but the KC and David Ornstein were both superb |
Just listened to it - agreed was excellent in bringing out the key points |  | | |
| Man City - GUILTY on 19:52 - Oct 2 with 276 views | R_from_afar |
| Man City - GUILTY on 20:54 - Oct 1 by KensalT |
That's an interesting point.
FIFA is just an administrative body. Its one big commercial asset is the World Cup and once every four years it has a huge tournament that generates a mountain of money, and the rest of the time it loses money (or so I understand).
Part of me is surprised that the big English clubs haven't tried to negotiate their own TV deals. And maybe one day they will. But would it really be in their interests?
The reason American sports try to level the playing field is because they realised a long time ago that people won't watch if the same couple of teams hoovers up all the big prizes.
You could say that's what we have got already in England, except that maybe five or six clubs have a chance of winning something and maybe as much as half the PL now has the consolation prize of qualifying for Europe - not you Spurs! 
The recent Liverpool takeover valued the club at $5bn. That's more than double the combined value of all 72 EFL clubs!
And if you look around Europe.......
It's years since an Italian club won a major European trophy, and their once mighty national team has failed to reach the last three World Cup finals.
Bayern dominate German football, and their national team is also in the doldrums.
Portugal produces good footballers but most of their top players play abroad and their domestic league is woeful. Osman Kakay and Hevertton Santos have both been able to get a game there in recent years. And in the two years Gyokeres spent out there he seemed to score every time he walked onto the pitch.
In France you've got a great PSG team, and not much else.
In Scotland - well do I even need to say it 
The one big exception is perhaps Spain, but they invest heavily in high quality coaching at youth level. probably more than anyone else.
The 'elite' European leagues (and Scotland) are all becoming less competitive as more and more wealth gets concentrated in fewer and fewer hands.
Eventually the game will eat itself. |
Call me a pedant - and I resemble that remark  - but I need to interject on two points:
- Re Scotland, absolutely, the dominance of Rangers and Celtic is spirit crushing for the locals who support other teams *but* the last SPL season was a belter, with the title going to the very last game, a straight shootout between Hearts and Celtic, with Rangers having also pushed them hard most of the campaign.
- Re Italian football, again, what you say is a very fair summation, but Atalanta did absolutely hammer Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 Europa League final.  |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 20:05 - Oct 2 with 249 views | KensalT |
| Man City - GUILTY on 19:52 - Oct 2 by R_from_afar |
Call me a pedant - and I resemble that remark - but I need to interject on two points:
- Re Scotland, absolutely, the dominance of Rangers and Celtic is spirit crushing for the locals who support other teams *but* the last SPL season was a belter, with the title going to the very last game, a straight shootout between Hearts and Celtic, with Rangers having also pushed them hard most of the campaign.
- Re Italian football, again, what you say is a very fair summation, but Atalanta did absolutely hammer Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 Europa League final. |
Fair points.
I had forgotten that Tony Bloom has brought his particular brand of data wizardry to Scotland. Maybe he can crack the Glaswegian duopoly. Although they seem to be cracking nicely without any external pressure.
But whatever became of that promising young Hearts manager?
I had completely forgotten about Atalanta. You got me there. | | | |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 21:33 - Oct 2 with 144 views | PlanetHonneywood |
| Man City - GUILTY on 17:55 - Oct 2 by KensalT |
So our government can't interfere if a foreign government wants to buy one of our clubs.
I think FIFA might need to take a look at it's rules
However this all pans out I think the global football rules need to be rewritten to prevent sovereign ownership of football clubs. In fact it's crazy that it's allowed at all. In most countries around the world football is the national sport. |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 21:35 - Oct 2 with 142 views | PlanetHonneywood |
| Man City - GUILTY on 17:55 - Oct 2 by KensalT |
So our government can't interfere if a foreign government wants to buy one of our clubs.
I think FIFA might need to take a look at it's rules
However this all pans out I think the global football rules need to be rewritten to prevent sovereign ownership of football clubs. In fact it's crazy that it's allowed at all. In most countries around the world football is the national sport. |
Well, I ask the question about 'government interference' and I'm sure I raised the point earlier in this thread, because I don't know.
Those with better memories than I can remind us if the British government interfered with the Saudi government's purchase of NUFC. Which, given their human rights record and slaying of Jamal Koshoggi three years prior, surely you'd expect if they had any involvement.
This article makes no mention of governmental involvement or, mentions whomever was the Tory Sports Minister of the time getting involved.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/foot Thus, mentioning Burnham as the Sports Minister when the UAE bought City is irrelevant if: you cannot adduce evidence of skulduggary then or now.
However, in relation to government influence, if we go back to the WC, were we not getting our boxers snarled up when Mango Musolini rang Infantile up to overturn a red card, as being such.
All very, very tawdry and I'm glad we put the brakes on our promotion push last season up at the Ricoh. | |
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| Man City - GUILTY on 22:10 - Oct 2 with 76 views | KensalT |
| Man City - GUILTY on 21:35 - Oct 2 by PlanetHonneywood |
Well, I ask the question about 'government interference' and I'm sure I raised the point earlier in this thread, because I don't know.
Those with better memories than I can remind us if the British government interfered with the Saudi government's purchase of NUFC. Which, given their human rights record and slaying of Jamal Koshoggi three years prior, surely you'd expect if they had any involvement.
This article makes no mention of governmental involvement or, mentions whomever was the Tory Sports Minister of the time getting involved.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/foot Thus, mentioning Burnham as the Sports Minister when the UAE bought City is irrelevant if: you cannot adduce evidence of skulduggary then or now.
However, in relation to government influence, if we go back to the WC, were we not getting our boxers snarled up when Mango Musolini rang Infantile up to overturn a red card, as being such.
All very, very tawdry and I'm glad we put the brakes on our promotion push last season up at the Ricoh. |
You might be overthinking what was just a weak attempt at smart-arsery on my part.
FIFA doesn't like politics in football but is ok with nation states owning football clubs.
I don't see how a nation state buying a football club and investing its national prestige and influence in that enterprise is anything other than political.
As for Burnham, I think that's being a bit overblown.
It's true that AB was a Manchester MP and subsequently Mayor of Manchester at the time Abu Dhabi was investing there, but the Conservatives were in power for much of Man City's ascendency and Abu Dhabi couldn't have done much in Manchester if Cameron, Boris, et al weren't all on board with it.
I do think Burnham's comments the other day about the hearing did lean too much in City's favour, but he immediately got plenty of pushback from his own party let alone the opposition.
As for the Saudis and Newcastle? Dunno! But it does again demonstrate how our government risks embarrassing itself by allowing foreign nations to own major clubs in our national sport.
We have been doing business with the Arab nations for many years. Long before they decided to use sports to try and clean up their image. I can't see that all coming to an end just because City's owners have been caught diddling the books. Although if we do start looking seriously at possible criminal charges then that really could blow up into a diplomatic nightmare. [Post edited 2 Oct 22:11]
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| Man City - GUILTY on 22:10 - Oct 2 with 75 views | NW5Hoop |
| Man City - GUILTY on 16:38 - Oct 2 by hubble |
So blackmail is their response, basically.
Side note: Andy Burnham was Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in 2008, the same time that the the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) - the UAE in all but name - agreed to a £200 million takeover of Man City. Coincidence?
The rabbit hole is getting deeper. |
Yes, coincidence. The DCMS didn't have to approve takeovers (it would be the DTI, anyway). And Burnham could not have known at that point that he would become mayor of Greater Manchester eight years later.
Unless you're suggesting that in 2008, the UAE recruited Burnham, then helped the Tories win the 2010 election so he'd have a reason to leave, but kept him in place in parliament till 2016, when they moved him out to Manchester to run for election, so he could be their puppet? It seems a bit convoluted to me.
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