04 Oct 2026 19:22:52
Apologize if people are getting sick of posts about the 115, but I had a question: does anyone know what could happen to their titles after the investigation period?
The period investigated goes from 08-18 but they won if 18-19 and then 4 times in 20-24 so essentially 5 titles after the period they were found guilty of cheating.
I still don't understand why some people are opposed to removing titles, but I think that's the first thing that has to be done. The scale of their cheating is absurd: 9 out of every 10 pounds of income were found to be fraudulent over the period and they were cheating more at the end than they were at the beginning of the period investigated, so you can reasonably infer that they continued to cheat after the investigation period which calls into question the 5 additional titles.
So my question is, 1) if you don't think titles should be stripped, I truly would like to understand why. And 2) can/should the 5 titles after the investigation period also be invalidated?
04 Oct 2026 20:54:20
I think for the obfuscation, arrogance, failure to engage with the process, constant litigation they engaged in to delay things, and sheer volume of the charges, stripping them of the titles is one of many reasonable outcomes.
04 Oct 2026 20:56:22
I want all their titles taken off them, but not sure what happens to them afterwards. Do the 2nd placed teams get them or just not given to any team! Even after the time period in question, the squad has still been helped from their previous law breaking.
04 Oct 2026 21:09:56
They should be removed and the years left blank as a permanent mark and reminder of the disgraceful practices.
Handing the titles to 2nd would be of very little benefit this far down the line. I know we would benefit. But now it would be a hollow victory. The club, the players and staff and the fans have been robbed of a generational period in the clubs history already.
But above all there needs to be a permanent mark as a deterrent.
Not a massive Newcastle fan however you have to respect the fact they have more money than anyone but are still trying to work in the confines of the rules and build properly year on year.
04 Oct 2026 21:02:27
What ever happens they need removing from the Premier League.
We have seen the Arab nation leaders think there money gives them the rights to do what they want.
Look at the Jamal Khashoggi as a point of reference.
But nowadays you state facts and you're a racist. I am not a racist I have friends from different countries religions I have friends and family members who are gay so I have no problems with anyone.
But the UAE statement about investment in the uk if city found guilty shows exactly what they are like.
They need removing from football because this is not a vehicle to cover up that part of the worlds horrific human rights abuses.
04 Oct 2026 22:24:06
Slightly cynical: would there be a case that City get stripped (I think they should be stripped of everything won under this ownership as it's been built on cheating) and other owners are reluctant to want them awarded retrospectively due to having to also then possibly shell out retrospective bonuses to players who retired years ago ?♂️ not saying footballers are greedy but I imagine a fair few would happily stick their hands out.
04 Oct 2026 22:27:29
Those 5 titles after the investigation period would never have happened without the decade of cheating that preceded them so yes they should have all trophies (not just titles) removed from the day the Abu Dhabi's took over.
I think it's already happened in most fans' eyes but they should be removed from the record books completely.
04 Oct 2026 23:17:18
I might be wrong but I think the investigation stops where it does because that's all the evidence the investigators have. Up to that point.
No doubt City carried on after that date but unless the investigators get solid evidence of wrong doing in them years then it's not going to get investigated.
With regards to stripping titles I have no issue whatsoever with them being stripped of every single cup in that time frame.
I'd give them all to the second placed teams as well because why not? I'd rather we won trophies the traditional way but I'll take them all the same. But yeah stripped away from City as a bare minimum.
I don't think it would be fair to strip titles from after the investigated years.
However, I'd include in the list of sanctions that they have to open the books fully for the later years as well, so round two when they are inevitably found guilty there as well.
If anyone's in any doubt I hope Man City gets the book thrown at them and they get absolutely hammered to the point where they turn back into Man City of old.
It would be nice if the owners got booted out and the fans took over as well.
04 Oct 2026 23:30:27
Whilst they should be stripped of all titles, the league would have to find City were actually breaking the rules during the season in question, if they did strip them for the 09-18 period, I can't see the league doing the same for any season beyond that, with their only reason being, "You never would have won those titles had you not cheated previously." Technically it's impossible to say or prove so the grounds for such an argument just aren't there. What hopefully will happen is that a guilty verdict, should it be upheld, may warrant the league to further investigate from '18 until now, likely turning up more dodgey dealings, though after City caught wind of the leaks, I imagine they went to greater lengths to cook the books, still, money leaves a trail, hundreds of millions are hard to hide.
Only time will tell, but we're a ways off any follow-up investigations at the moment. I have no idea if simply finding City guilty during one period gave enough grounds for the league to investigate them for another, the rules seem quite broad and I suppose a lot of it will be based on how the league determines "suspicion.".
05 Oct 2026 00:37:33
@OP, in answer to your original question, no, nobody knows. That said, we have all had a go at guessing what might happen, the uncertainty comes from there being no precedent to base our guesses on as what City have done has never been done before, at least on the scale that City have done it. I'm sure we'll find out sometime in the mid-2030s.
05 Oct 2026 00:38:37
'9 out of every 10 pounds of income were found to be fraudulent over the period and they were cheating more at the end than they were at the beginning of the period investigated, '
I don't think that can be right.
05 Oct 2026 04:47:30
They are allowed to play on 11oct that shows how Premier League is and it lacks the cojones to get things done.
They should have been banned from football as they are now found guilty and all matches should have been forfeit 3-0 till they prove otherwise- that's how you get quick conclusions and protect fans and players and staff. Once again this is not a charge anymore city have been found guilty.
As of now Premier League has thrown city players and fans in the gauntlet and they will receive abuse and shame at all stadiums for no mistake of theirs and the owners will run scott free with probably a gentle slap on wrists by the end of it all
Why? What have the players staff and fans done wrong in this? You have found the club guilty on all counts - so ban them immediate effect so that the owners suffer - the fans demand their club back and the players get to decide their future.
Let the law run its course till the extent of punishment gets decided but surely you ban the owners and club from any football till that happens. How can Premier League let city involved in any football when found guilty on all counts is absolutely baffling.
By allowing them to play and participate you have already given them a pass.
What happens when they win the title this year? Cheaters win title again - yes a brilliant look for Premier League and you also give owners an insanely simple out a chance to recover everything - they can sell all their players in January to cover whatever fine Premier League imposes on them and then carry on as if nothing happened.
Idiots absolute idiots all around. Reeks of corruption and incompetence.
Btw This happens when players conduct badly - red card is 3 match ban, biting is 10 match ban and its immediate. Even at international scene there is precedent where teams have been banned.
All this national and international shame on the league and you allow them to play on!
05 Oct 2026 06:17:03
Seen a take that if City didn't do what they did Brendan Rodgers wins the title possibly isn't sacked and Klopp never comes to Liverpool and ends up at Utd.
On that evidence alone it's a not guilty from me.
05 Oct 2026 07:58:10
It's about right actually @Rigsby, in sponsorship terms at least. A table exists showing where the sponsorship money came from and 9/10ths of it was from the owners/government albeit it was hidden as if it came from sponsors,
If you google something like ' man city cheat table showing income' you'll get a full breakdown.
05 Oct 2026 09:21:58
"I might be wrong but I think the investigation stops where it does because that's all the evidence the investigators have. Up to that point."
This is the key here because even tho, we can all speculate that they may have been cheating even after 17/18, others are saying they should be stripped of everything even after that period as the decade of cheating set them up for life afterwards essentially.
All that is speculation without real evidence and not sure the PL want to get into that even tho, many of us think they should.
As for punishment, Strip them of everything they won in that time period (those PL seasons should remain blank and voided), send them back to League 2 for a mandatory 3 years and a mandatory 5 year transfer ban. Simple.
05 Oct 2026 10:28:49
No one will realistically know what happens with city until the final results are published after a failed appeal
My own personal opinion is that, all titles should subsequently be stripped at the final year of the charges, the prems own investigation indicates. only 8% of the 17/18 payments were legitimate. so why they would suddenly think that jumps to 100% after the investigation years would be beyond any reasonable expectations.
Personally I think it behoves the prem to investigate ever other year since the initial charges too. I can only think that given they aren't initiating any further charges It means the "sanctions will be so severe further investigation just doesn't need any warranting.
As it stands based on the charges up until 17/18 Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, Man United have reserved the right to sue city for a combined total of £800m. Along with players who will be indivuidually suing for lost bonuses, etc.
I can't see how City as an entity survive, which is why they are pressuring Burnham to get involved through threats of withdrawing funding. Even now the focus is on Manchester council CEO and Burnhams minutes with ADUG(which given labours record here) likely weren't minuted.
05 Oct 2026 10:59:39
Quick question and I will leave it alone.
Given this is the case for the mens team and that the womens team also underwent a miraculous transformation over the same time period. Are they also in the firing line? Equality is everything in todays day and age after all.
05 Oct 2026 11:20:48
I remember that season Rodgers got sacked, the league win would have given him a little credit in the bank but not much and not enough considering Klopp was available.
05 Oct 2026 12:33:37
Mikey, that thought poses a very good question. If we had won the title that year would we fans (who were disgruntled with him because of a variety of reasons) pushed it all under the rug and celebrated being Champions instead?
In hindsight, I probably would have. Simply because of how I was with Slot. I didn't like him mostly for slowing down our style of play and how he communicated in interviews and conferences. But I celebrated wildly when we won with him. Probably because I also told myself "not everyone can be like Klopp. Shut up and celebrate being a winner".
05 Oct 2026 13:13:20
I consider that City should be fined the 900 million pounds they artificially injected in the club, as well as any other sanctions. Payable within 9 months. I do not know the state of the clubs current finances but I would suggest they would need to liquidate their first eleven to avoid bankruptcy.
Knowing the ownership they would probably try to buy their players and lease them back at a peppercorn rent!
06 Oct 2026 02:59:41
No one on here knows brother.