Manchester United Supporters’ Trust call for Manchester City titles to be stripped

Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) has called for severe sanctions against Manchester City following reports that the club were found guilty of the overwhelming majority of the Premier League charges brought against them.

The independent commission’s findings, reported on Friday, have sent shockwaves through English football, with Manchester City reportedly found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges relating to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.

City continue to deny wrongdoing and are expected to appeal the findings. No final punishment has yet been imposed.

In a statement published by MUST, the supporters’ organisation said that, should the findings ultimately be upheld, the punishment must properly reflect the scale of the alleged breaches.

MUST described the conduct as “industrialised cheating on an unprecedented scale” and argued that a simple points deduction or fine may not be enough to remove the competitive advantage allegedly gained.

The organisation also explicitly raised the possibility of Manchester City being stripped of titles won during the period covered by the investigation.

“Stripping titles or other retrospective sanctions may form part of that,” MUST said, while stressing that the bigger issue was ensuring any punishment removed the advantage allegedly gained rather than simply providing a temporary inconvenience.

The issue is particularly significant for Manchester United, who finished as runners-up to City in some of the seasons covered by the investigation.

City won three Premier League titles during the period under investigation, including the 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18 campaigns. United finished second in 2011-12 and 2017-18.

However, any decision to retrospectively alter the honours would be a matter for the relevant disciplinary process. BBC Sport reports that there has been little appetite within the Premier League for stripping City of past titles, although the independent panel has yet to hold a sanction hearing and the possibility therefore remains open. (BBC Isle of Man)

MUST also went further than simply discussing retrospective trophies.

The supporters’ trust argued that if the findings survive City’s appeal, the Premier League should consider whether the club’s ownership remains appropriate.

The organisation said that, if trust could not be restored while the current ownership remained in place, expulsion from the football pyramid unless and until there was a change of ownership should be among the sanctions considered.

Manchester City, meanwhile, maintain that the Premier League process remains ongoing and that significant elements of the case still have to be completed. The club has consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the lengthy investigation. (The Standard)

For Manchester United supporters, the prospect of retrospective sanctions has inevitably revived debate about whether historical honours could change hands.

United finished second to City in two of the Premier League seasons covered by the investigation, meaning retrospective changes to the record could have a significant impact on the club’s trophy tally. However, there is currently no confirmed decision to award those titles to United.

The situation now moves towards the sanction stage, with City expected to challenge the findings through the available appeal process.

Until that process is completed and a punishment is formally determined, any discussion about Manchester City being stripped of specific trophies remains hypothetical.

One thing is clear, however: MUST believes that if the findings are upheld, the consequences must go considerably beyond a financial penalty and should address the competitive advantage it says Manchester City gained.