Such brilliant writing Christine, and definitely good enough to go alongside the one that Evertonia’s, wordsmith Lyndon, wrote on the other thread on this same subject the other day.

Without going political, it’s clear that people in high places have been getting bought for years, so this saga, could end up being more intriguing than the actual football, which is becoming more boring every year, because of what has been created by the money cartel.

Hi Tony, I have an addendum to my article as the BBC have laid out, as they understand it, a number of scenarios that may be taken.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cw3d77ne44k5o

Essentially lays out four possible scenarios with regards to the timing of any sanction disclosure in various disguises to mitigate damage one assumes.

It's too late.

I understand the complexities and ramifications of any decision but the geni is out of the bottle. The implications of those guilty verdicts begin now. Every match is tainted, every result at question. Such enormity of deceit requires the forfeit all points, be suspended from the competition until a final decision is reached. If they are allowed to continue playing then they compound every point they take. Imagine if City won the title from Liverpool by one point, after beating them next week, or Arsenal or any club. Imagine Coventry are relegated because of a loss to City on the last day of the season.

They should be suspended until a decision on the future is made. It's that important to the Premier League, it's reputation and every other team in that league.

Ps.. thanks for the comments Tony, I think that's my first article I've written for over a year. Somethings just need saying.

Superb article Christine, this should be nominated for a fan award. I have no doubt the PL made this decision some time ago but were absolutely petrified of the consequences for the PL but more so for their own futures and reputations. Masters has a tough time ahead!!

This could run and run but it wont if the Prem. League has its way, the sooner they bury it the better they will like it. It appears to be blatant cheating not small over spends which can happen for various reasons.
It should lead to relegation like Saracens were in RU a few seasons ago, their crime was the same, back handers etc to give them unfair advantage.

We will see happens with interest, but I think it will be watered down penalties such as large fines and points penalties. They will not want to lose the money City generate. Kieran Fitz. was the first to mention it yesterday it could also lead to the owners selling the club, they should be deemed not fit and proper people to run the club.

Christine, this all only came to light because someone hacked City's computer system. Unless City start naming names, I don't know how an investigation into another club could br launched.

Sets of accounts are cooked so thoroughly, it's nigh on impossible to catch anyone without a whistle blower.

Perhaps if agents, players, solicitors or accountancy firms get discarded in a way that upsets them, then maybe you may get a base of "I'll show you then." Clubs may need to cover their tracks even further, or may need to launder all the illegal activity clean, and this may cause upset as a result.

I wrote a response to Lyndon's article that to some degree the PL were damned if they do, damned if they don't. Perhaps they decided it was time to poop or get off the pot. I think they may already have had a strategy in place to cover themselves before announcing the charges results.

I saw that Kieran # 5. A young Portuguese computer whizz has been exposing football corruption and managed to hack into Man City's IT systems, get hold of damning material and then publish it. It has not gone well for him. Arrested in Budapest, trials in France and Portugal and currently in witness protection.

He seems to be football's Julian Assange and it is a serious warning to anyone else out there who might be tempted to try anything similar.

I agree with you by the way Christine, your excellent article outlines what should happen in a just and fair world. However, we do not live in a just and fair world. Especially when it comes to football.

Football is more than just a business, it is a front for international corruption, shady politics and reputation washing of individuals and whole regimes - and it gets away with it because fans love their football clubs. No matter how bad you are, if you pump money into a football club - you immediately become "good" in the eyes of a large proportion of fans.

Whatever "should" happen, it seems very unlikely to me that City's punishment will be anything like proportionate to the crime. I am guessing a points deduction likely to see them relegated to the Championship (either this season or next), a transfer ban for a season or two and a fine. The fine obviously doesn't hurt them. The rest of the punishment sets them back 2 or 3 seasons - that is all. Not a bad price to pay for cheating your way to a dynasty of titles and trophies.

The bigger issue for them might be compensation claims from other clubs - which could start to hurt them financially and (due to the complexity and duration) operationally. However, how many of clubs out there that might bring a claim are truly confident they are "clean"?

Not many.

If City are backed into a corner on this, they have the financial might and international influence to come out fighting. I mentioned in the thread for Lyndon's article that City could (behind the scenes) threaten to blow everything wide open if pushed.

If we were to go on the offensive - how many of us are 100% confident that Moshiri and Usmanov would look squeaky clean under further scrutiny? Moshiri was the owner in name, certainly - but where did the stadium money really come from? Were sanctions rules really abided by? Do you want to risk exposing that - or do you keep quiet?

The same thought will be going through the heads of those in charge of Premier League clubs past and present and the big boys across Europe: PSG, Real, Barca etc etc.

I've mentioned quite a few times on these pages that refereeing in the Premier League is clearly not fair. Well Real and Barca take it to a whole next level in La Liga. This doesn't just start and finish with City, not by a long chalk. So my expectation is that the football establishment closes ranks, cuts a deal to punish City for presentational purposes to maintain some sense of integrity and then the whole thing is brushed under the carpet.

Robert, a better question to ask at present might be how many other clubs are guilty, and sweating on City's appeal outcome. The answer may well be the last two lines in your response above.

I do think, and I mentioned it in response to Lyndon's article, that the infrastructure at City can probably cope with the club being relegated. The top players may going a fire sale, but the squad in general, and the Academy. Could easily cope with a promotion push. Revenue, and commercial deals may suffer slightly, but the club will easily manage once back in the PL. It would easily still attract players once any transfer ban is lifted.

Kieran # 7, I expect the answer to your question is "all of them, to a greater or lesser degree". I include Everton in that too. The ramifications of all this could put a question mark over our lovely new stadium that we waited so long for.

I also agree with you about City's fortunes in the Championship. Even West Ham have managed to keep Jarrod Bowen and a good core of their Premier League side - and will surely bounce back at the first attempt. I suspect City would lose a few stars but most will remain on contract and suck it up for a season. The Championship is at least as strong overall as the league in, say, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands etc so I don't think established players would be too worried about their international status.

Donnarumma, Enzo, Cherki, Doku and Haaland would be their main worries.

As soon as I saw the title and the author of this piece. I knew it was a coffee and bar of Cadbury's job.

An truly excellent piece Christine. All that time away hasn't diminished the chilling accuracy with which you go for the jugular.

You can take the girl out of scottie.....

Robert, the standard complaint for clubs around trying to offload players may work in City's favour. Where else are you going to get the wages stated in your City contract.

While Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea may look to cherry pick one ir two players, many may well end up staying. For weekly wages in the hundreds of thousands I'd play in the nip in the Sunday league. (Sorry Christine, you can get your own back with my next article.)

Haaland would be a big loss. If he ended up staying in England, say at Arsenal or Liverpool, it would be a major coup for them, and salt rubbed in the wound for City.

It's interesting to see how the media has reacted to the unofficial disclosure (leaks) of the guilty verdicts, it's pretty much condemnation across the board until you come to Skysport who have taken a different tack by implying the very leaks could give City the opportunity to take the case to the high court!

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/13592852/manchester-city-charges-everything-we-know-so-far-about-premier-league-allegations-and-what-happens-from-here

It's a supportive piece of the Premier League and the absence of any statement from them. It is a private matter it says.

Bullocks. It ceased to be a private matter immediately the leak came out. The significance of the implications of this verdicts make any such comment of confidentially worthless at best.

Confidentially went out the window with the Geni when it escaped.
No one has said where the leak came from, who done it or why..that's what should be asked. What was the motivation behind the leak? (Please tell me it was Everton) someone stuck two fingers up at Masters.. I wonder who?

That makes sense Kieran. Who could realistically afford to buy Haaland who has room for him?

Real have Mbappe already and are already struggling to find a space for £100m(+) Diomande.

Barca would take him but probably can't afford him (unless they risk their own financial misdemeanours).

PSG have the money but he might upset the balance of the team - since they don't use a striker, they use versatile wing / forwards instead.

Liverpool already have Ekitike and Isak.

Man Utd would love him but there is no way City would sell him across the city.

The only one I can see being likely is Arsenal. They were frugal this summer and will have money to spend. I wonder whether they held onto the money waiting for City's demise, and the opportunity to pair Haaland with Odegaard.

In my opinion City should be suspended until the end of season and next season be demoted into League 2.

That's the fate Glasgow Rangers had to deal with when they transgressed for wrongdoing to a far lesser extent than City's cheating.

Some whizz-kid hacked City’s computer? A three week break before they play again was probably the best time to be hacked (maybe not?) so when the Manchester City owner, says there is a long way to go, or words to that effect, regarding the process, and the premier league are saying that it’s a private matter, then I personally wouldn’t be holding my breath waiting for an outcome.

Money talks and City’s owners have got more money than most people on this planet.

Just checked their next game and warraya know. Theyre at Anfield. No doubt the warmest of welcomes await them. The outrage and sense of injustice will be off the scale at Mordor. The kopites had enough trouble trying to restrain themselves when the City bus arrived when they thought they were legit.

It's my believe that the biggest can of worms in sporting history has been opened and I honestly don't see how anybody is ever going to get the lid back on.

This is not a simple case like when Carl Lewis. Linford Christie and Calvin Smith were bumped up a place after Ben Johnson was caught up to no good. If City are stripped of their honours, I don't think the likes of Liverpool would care if they where awarded three more titles in a courtroom rather than on the pitch. These are battles they thought they had already lost. Man United would be delighted if their City rivals had to hand over three titles to them too. I see courtroom battles between the owners of Liverpool. Man United and City dragging on for years - "When the Cowboys and Arabs draw down on each other at noon. In the cool dusty air of a city boardroom".

That would only be the start. Every team who finished 14th during those 9 seasons would (justifiably) want to be bumped up to 13th and they will want the couple of million they lost out on for that extra place. Relegation. Narrowly missing out on European qualification, or a lucrative Champions league place. They'll all want paying... As Christine points out. A dangerous precedent was set when some clown/s decided we owed Burnley 35m quid.

The integrity of the game has long since gone. Nobody will be surprised to hear of City's guilt, but I most confess to being absolutely staggered to hear that somebody found the courage to find them guilty.

I heard a guy on the BBC yesterday saying the lawyers are going to have a field day... Aint they just ?

This entirely the fault of the Premier League for implementing a PSR framework with no detailed governance, documented penalty framework and agreed timelines for how breaches would be dealt with (or how quickly). They then compounded the error by allowing clubs to pursue action against each other after an investigation was concluded.

Saw the below in the Liverpool Echo yesterday.

“According to data specialists OLBG, City could be forced to pay out more than £527m in domestic prize money to their domestic rivals. Everton and Liverpool could be due £53,367,543 between them based on the difference in merit payments; however, with a number of clubs lining up to submit other claims against City, a staggering sum of money could be owed in financial compensation to their rivals.

According to the analysis, Liverpool could be owed an additional £24,423,357 in merit payments, whilst Everton would be due an even bigger renumeration of £28,944,186.

The calculation of potential compensation relies on the central revenue Premier League clubs received during the relevant timeframe. This revenue comprises six distinct streams: Equal Share, Facility Fees, Merit Payment, International Equal Share, International Merit Payment, and Central Commercial.”

Given we have already been forced to pay Burnley £35 million, they might find it a challenge to repay us all or part of the compensation if they are relegated to League One. They are currently bottom in the Championship.

What happens in that scenario? Do Everton apply for a winding-up petition as a creditor against a local club founded in 1882?

This is a complete shit-show in the making all round.

Given we have already been forced to pay Burnley £35 million, they might find it a challenge to repay us all or part of the compensation if they are relegated to League One. They are currently bottom in the Championship.

What happens in that scenario? Do Everton apply for a winding-up petition as a creditor against a local club founded in 1882?

This is a complete shit-show in the making all round.

A question that hasn't been raised but surely must is the sign off of annual accounts and their declaration of accounts to the Inland revenue. One must ask if the accounts are compliant in registering income, whether VAT was fully paid or reclaimed? Were there two sets of books, one for the league and the other for IRD?
If it has that's fraud. That's criminal, literally..

Interesting article A Christine.As a fellow Evertonian like you I've had a front-row seat to how this league enforces its rules. We got a 10-point deduction for a £19.5m overspend. Chelsea admitted concealing £47.5m in third-party payments and got a fine, a suspended transfer ban and no points deduction. The FA Appeal Board even called a suspended six-point deduction "excessive."

Richard Masters called us and Forest "small clubs." We're nine-time champions and one European Trophy Forest have two European Cups.

This isn't me claiming City got treated better. The full judgment and appeals still have to run. But the pattern is hard to ignore when you've been on the receiving end of it.

The deeper problem is the rules themselves. The Premier League was built by the big clubs to control TV money, and PSR has entrenched that. Spending is tied to revenue, revenue to historical success. In 30 years, six clubs have won the title. Between the 1950s and 80s, fourteen did. The rules protect the status quo.

The fallout is already spreading. Clubs were taking legal advice on compensation claims before the verdict even landed. They don't trust the league's own process to deliver redress, so they're going outside it.

And the independent regulator won't necessarily fix it. The IFR will be funded by a levy on the clubs from 2027. Its budget depends on the clubs it's meant to sanction. It also operates in a geopolitical context it can't control — City is owned by a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, and UK-UAE trade is worth roughly £25bn a year. The Lords debated the risk of investor-state arbitration. A sovereign wealth fund can pursue that. A smaller owner can't.

This is my interpretation, not established fact. But I've watched the system work differently for different clubs. Replacing self-regulation with statutory regulation doesn't fix that. It just moves it somewhere else.

Just reading on the BBC website that The Premier League have now come out and said that Manchester City, have been found guilty of all charges.

Let those courtroom battles commence!

https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4727779/premier-league-statement-manchester-city-fc

Wow.

And in response..

https://www.mancity.com/news/club/manchester-city-club-statement-premier-league-63926128

This is going to be bitter.

Excellent piece of writing Christine.Where you mention the Premier League not getting answers from City a long time ago is particularly interesting, as I’ve just heard on Radio 4 news that as well as confirming the guilty verdicts, the Premier League has also cited City’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation….unlike Chelsea.Yes, Chelsea got an incredibly lenient punishment, but at least they handed themselves in so to speak, and cooperated fully with the investigation.Despite what some people think, I seriously suspect this is NOT going to end well for City at all.

One wonders how they got their annual accounts signed off by its auditors, or what implications with respect to tax authorities as a result. This has opened a real can of worms for City, it's a devastating statement from the PL and no conciliatory acceptance or admission in response.

If it were possible I think this is a far worse scenario than expected and sanctions are going to be horrendous. Personally for the sake of the competition I don't believe they should be allowed to compete until the matter is settled. Suspension is required to prevent further / ongoing / probable impact on this season.

A nation state built an empire fraudulently, bought the best players, built a series of great teams, but did so funding the club with sham contracts to artificially inflate revenue to circumvent rules to the tune of nearly £900m Staggering, so should the sanction be.

What a start to the day, and it's only 6am here...

This whole unedifying spectacle has its roots in the early 2000's when Chelsea were allowed to be sold to a Russian money-launderer on the basis of "building the PL brand". This is a cynical take but I don't see anything but a long drawn-out set of legal battles with an eventual compromise agreement. There is too much at stake with the Abu Dhabi government.. Money always talks and the game as we all knew it went a long time ago. You either get on board with that or stop watching, entirely sad.

That’s exactly the way it’s starting to feel for me Mike. I still watch football, but it just doesn’t give me anywhere near the same level of enjoyment or type of excitement that it once did.

Incredible really considering how much of my life I gave to the sport, and how much it gave me back in return, but it just doesn’t quite feel the same anymore.

Even with a hundred different cameras, it never feels like the right decisions are being made consistently.

When your team scores a goal it’s hard to celebrate until it has been given the green light, often taking away the spontaneous joy.

A game that always reflects life, just seems to have become so sanitised. It looks great from the outside, beautiful and clean, but when you look inside it has become a cynical win at all costs sport, that is full of cheating.

It was never a true level playing field but the rules around PSR, or whatever they call it now, have just made it more and more difficult for clubs to break through.

Hence the cheating, at levels that have never been seen before.

It's really sad Tony. I saw a funny/sarcastic but appropriate comment on this: "I'm looking forward to 10 years of legal fights, just what I dreamt of reading Shoot & Goal when I was a boy". Sums it up.

I watched with interest various Sky, Talksport, etc all having their take on what should or could happen to City. Just finished reading the Premier league detailed finding, this legal document language was as bad as it could legally be. The credibility of Man City is in tatters and irrespective of any appeal, their reputation and more so their owners is ruined.

The sheer scale of it all has implications that the new football regulator and possibly on a political diplomatic level, for the current owners.

1. Should, as it appears highly probable, they are found guilty, then the owners must be culpable and removed by the football regulator. This will mean the sale of the club.

2. Whilst exact sanctions are not yet published, the PL will have already have the intent of throwing the book at them. That's more than likely expulsion, not a points deduction. That then needs the EFL to agree exactly what conditions it puts on them, they will most certainly not accept City into the Champoinship with the likely impact of reducing one of the Championships opportunity to qualify for the EPL.

3. The Premier league are being praised for their "success" in winning against City. But they had failed for years in taking action at all. Did the actively monitor all dealings as they did with Everton? Or take action when they first knew there was an issue?

4. At the back end of all this are the rules and governance of the EPL. They have resulted in the most anti competitive, rigged PSR and SCR which prevents clubs from building on success. They are at the very root cause of City and Chelsea situations. It should be immediately scrapped and a new set of guidelines be developed that give equal opportunity for all clubs to spend within their means.

Fans have been saying for years PSR and now SCR is rigged to the clubs with the highest revenue. They are right. The Premier League should push back on its implementation.

Right now City should be suspended pending the result of any appeal. All their results this season are thrown out. Wiped clean. This allows the league to continue with some integrity. It is the most sensible option. Yet Noone wants to consider it.

Excellent article Christine and a great companion piece to Lyndon’s.

I’m finding it hard to take in all of this and I’m grateful for the international break to allow us all to discuss this at length.

If the leaking of the guilty verdict last Friday wasn’t bad enough, then the Premier League statement on Tuesday is absolutely damning.

They must be very sure of their ground to be so forthright so surely there cannot be any other outcome than expulsion from the Premier League and demotion to the bottom rungs of the Football League.

The question is, when will it start to happen?
The PL taken the first major step and need to keep going so, as you say Christine, immediate suspension is required and ignore the empty posturing of the City hierarchy.

The compensation claims by other clubs and possible foreign government interference will rumble on in the background for years to come.

Christine, terrific article. I wish the consequences you project were realistic. But remember who we're dealing with here.

In #28 you ask how the auditors could have signed off on City's accounts. The answer is the auditors only had access to the numbers provided by the owners, the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund, into which they had no true visibility because it's a government entity of the third wealthiest nation on the planet.

City's owners are not individuals, or businesses, or corporations who must display balance sheets and answer to stockholders.

They are the capital of the United Arab Emirates, with $2.5 TRILLION in sovereign wealth supported by over $400 billion in annual GDP. It is an authoritarian country run by seven emirs who answer to absolutely nobody on earth except each other. Superpowers cater to them.

So to me the idea that they will back down to the Premier League -- enterprise value less than £35 billion -- seems unlikely. The UAE could buy out the entire league with pocket change or bury it in endless lawsuits if it chooses. And they will laugh at the idea that the PL has the power to replace them as owners.

And should they choose to accept the competitive sanctions that are surely on the way, City will still have access to unlimited resources, and will be back up the ladder to the PL very quickly.

I would not get my hopes up about the ultimate consequences for City.

Christine, if City are expelled from the Premier League, they will, no doubt, apply for membership of the EFL but the EFL are not duty-bound to accept them. If they did, as you say, I doubt it would be at Championship level.

I imagine Leagues Two and One might welcome having a club that big among their ranks for a season, though.

Peter: “ The question is, when will it start to happen?”

No one has any idea how long either the sanction process or the appeal process will take. It is in the Premier League’s and all the other clubs’ interest to get all this resolved ASAP but it could take another two years. Quite how the competition retains its sporting integrity in the meantime is anyone’s guess.

Now that people have had a chance to digest the commission’s report, the belief is that City will argue that the entire case (setting aside all the non-cooperation and obfuscation) hinges on whether, as City seem to contend, the seemingly inflated sponsorship money was actually financial aid from the Abu Dhabi government. Although, as someone on Twitter says, the hacked emails destroy that argument.

The forthright nature of the PL’s statement would suggest they are confident in the IC’s findings but can City’s army of lawyers drag it though the legal process over the next few months or years and ultimately win on appeal? I guess we’ll find out…

Lyndon, this is a fight to the death. Should City actually have the irrefutable evidence and it's won on appeal, then the PL as we know it is finished. City would undoubtedly seek massive compensation from the PL andbthat would have to be funded by the clubs. Never mind that the PL own reputation and credibility wo7ld be in tatters.
At the very best both would have to compromise somehow, but I just don't see where!

Christine, City keep saying they have irrefutable evidence showing they are innocent. Surely they used this in the case already so it can’t be that irrefutable!

Mike, I agree - I am expecting City get a points deduction (resulting in relegation), a transfer ban for a season or two and maybe some kind of forced re-structure which makes their accounting more transparent.

This seems likely to set them back 2 or 3 seasons. The vaguely similar treatment of Juventus hasn't really changed their fortunes at all in Serie A. They bounced back at the first attempt and went on to win 9 titles in a row shortly after.

In terms of compensation claims, how many of us think other Premier League clubs are clean?

If we were to push our own compensation claims, are we all 100% confident that the Moshiri / Usmanov era was totally above board, and the financing of our new stadium would stand up to the extreme scrutiny of Man City funded counter-claims?

John, according to their CEO, the irrefutable evidence is a set of bank statements to prove the money didn't come from its owners. But as you say, the "evidence' must have been submitted, and dismissed, during the investigation. They obviously want to try again.
This is one of the richest nations on the planet, they have the way with all and money to prove anything they want except tpeople. In this day and age of Ai you cannot solely believe anything you are given or shown. Remember to that much was disclosed by the hacker in emails prior to Ai..

If City are fined & have to pay compensation claims of whatever value then their owners will just sell more oil. If City are demoted to whatever division then they will gain promotion in every season until they are back in the Premiership where they will be stronger than ever. The infrastructure the club now has is the best in the world and will enable to absorb ANY punishment & still bounce back. No amount of punishment can take anyway that. The fact that they were able to achieve this is due to cheating is morally wrong but there is nothing anybody can do. In this case cheats have & will prosper.

Either City go, or the league goes, is exactly what I was thinking when I overheard a couple of people talking about this in the gym, this morning.

Neither of them will want that though, and that’s why it’s going to be so intriguing.

A precedent has already been set we all thought, until Chelsea, got a slap on the wrist for much more serious offences (imo) than either Everton or Forest, but this is completely off the scale, and the outcome will show us if Manchester City, are actually bigger than the game, or at least the league they play in?

God knows what the penalties will be, they will have to be severe because of the general disgust at the revelations.

It's a right old mess, I think the owners will sell the club as soon as they possibly can because it will always be an embarrassment that they will not want to be associated with. It's going to be very costly but they can apparently afford it.

I could write so many outcomes which could all sound feasible Raymond, but the one thing that very powerful people don’t ever tend to do is just walk away.

We now live in an outraged at everything, but ashamed of nothing society, imo, and the people with the money, now seemingly hold so many of the aces. It’s the fans I feel sorry for, but because of the age we now live in, I’m sure most of them would tell me that the ride they have been on has been brilliant, and has given them so much absolute joy.

The one’s who can still remember when Manchester City, were a complete non-entity, would probably tell me to feel sorry for myself, because they have lived through some wonderful moments, and nothing can take those memories away.

Your right Tony, there are lots of scenarios, they could and should be deemed unfit to own a club.
The media industry will move on to the 'next big story' shortly.

There is important news that you need to know obviously, but about 80% + in the main is just bad news that you can do nothing about and are better off not knowing.
The violent crap that's on TV and other media has changed society and in general not for the better, when I was young a murder was front page news, now it's 10 per week in the UK.
Both my wife and myself in all our years haven't actually witnessed any serious crime only the odd burglary in the locality and that's been rare.
I suppose it does depend where you live, but the the media have made the public afraid of their own shadow.

For those interested, The Esk has done a comprehensive overview analysis on his blog which gives a greater perspective of impact, compensations and process. It is well worth the read and offers at the very least a modicum of clarity through all the hyperbole of media.
https://theesk.org/2026/09/30/the-analysis-series-premier-league-v-manchester-city-potential-civil-claimants-hypothetical-criminal-exposure-arising-from-the-independent-commission-core-decision/

it's not just city. It's all of them. The people who own football are vile, corrupt to the bones. It's been ruined. the current custodians aren't keen apparently to punish City by expulsion, it would affect their bottom line.
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/13593861/man-city-charges-premier-league-executives-would-be-staggered-if-clubs-vote-for-expulsion-as-punishment

Let's not close our eyes to what these people are. Amoral Gangsters.

As an aside, the Friedkins, father and son, are currently on our shores playing in the Alfred Dunhill pro am tournament in Scotland, not for the first time.

Pity they can’t travel further south and pop in to Bramley Moore.

Maybe Tommy Fleetwood can have a word with them in the bar!

Peter, if they do pop in, nobody will see them.

No game there for 15 days!

The media will Mike.
Ideal time to visit for them, no awkward questions from the fans.

Could it be a measure of the Friedkin indifference towards the club, if they are not even arsed to take a short (less than an hour) flight to look around the stadium, learn a little about the club and say hello to the people they have hired.

That`s not a question BTW. These carpetbaggers have no interest in anything but money.

They're probably wanting to keep a low profile at the moment Darren, what with them ripping us all off over the Summer.

Trying to remember if Everton, got a ten point deduction before they appealed, or did they have a case to answer first, before they were given their initial ten point deduction?

Everton were handed the 10-point deduction first and then appealed the severity of the sanction. Manchester City are appealing the liability aspect of the Independent Commission's verdict and, if that fails, will almost certainly then appeal the sanction (when it comes down) as well.

Our case is different to City's because we admitted the PSR breach and, as such, the IC just had to deliver a punishment. They didn't have to first establish guilt.

Thank you for explaining that properly Lyndon.

it's just amazing. We drift just a few million over some arbitrary 3 year limit, cooperate and hold our hand up. And are then given a TEN point fine. City don't cooperate, drift a billion pounds over the limit, and so far have had no fine, no punishment, and the matter rumbles on nearly ten years after the matter was first exposed.. Extrapolating, City can expect a thousand point fine, if the PL was looking to be consistent. But we learn just yesterday the PL don't even want city relegated.

Nice.

If football fans, were deadly serious,how long do you think it would take the people to beat the Trillionaires, Kevin?

Empty stadiums - and I mean empty stadiums. The message is clear, change these PSR/ SCR rules but only after you have given Manchester City, the type of punishment they deserve, baring in mind that a precedent has already been set with regards the points deductions, which both Everton and Forest, received.

Modern life is sickening, it’s clear to some of us that a lot of people in high places have been getting bought by the people with the money and I personally think Burnham, let his guard down a little bit too much when he said he didn’t want the Manchester City, owners to leave.

If the premier league are worried about the power of the people who own City, then maybe this would change if the everyday fan, decided they have had enough of the hypocrisy?

I fear what happened with Covid, and the inability of united fans to do anything about the Glazers means it's pie in the sky to imagine we'll get that organised to really hurt them Tony. If the league can survive having no fans at all for months and months (given the global audience) I think they are sufficiently insulated to not be beholden to us in the way they once were. In fact, I think the plan is to gradually ease out the really committed fans, I think they actually want the transient fans who will just pay up and not make a fuss.

Covid was different Kevin, we were all sitting at home bored stiff mate. A united front will never happen, I remember reading the book “the ragged trousered philanthropist” as a child, and thinking that the working man always fucks the working man.

It’s sad really, because like “Sham 69” once sang - If the kids are United, they will never be defeated!

If City get off leniently like Chelsea, and everyone decided to boycott the premier league and started watching their local team instead, my own opinion is that a lot of people would never go back to watching premier league football again every week?

I might be wrong, but listen to the likes of Peter Mills, who has watched Everton, for all of his life. Peter obviously loves Everton, but my guess is that he would tell us that he probably enjoys just as many things about watching Marine playing football, than he does watching Everton.

The standard is better at the top, but there is so much to like about the game at these lower levels. More honesty - less cheating, no VAR - and people being allowed to be themselves a little bit more, away from the sanitised and vastly overpriced EPL.

I think Andy was talking in terms of what the owners have done for the city in general Tony, rather than in football terms.
They spent hundred of millions transforming and enhancing the area around the stadium. A big boost to the city.

Kevin, herein lies the problem of morality.
"The independent commission holds the power to pass the initial judgment and recommend expulsion as a punishment. However, for a member club to actually be expelled, 15 Premier League clubs (a three-quarters majority) must vote to ratify and implement the decision."
So Sky are reporting that some clubs execs would not vote for expulsion or relegation because of the impact on finances.
Don't they see it's already too late? They think that a mere fine or points deduction is sufficient? The root of indignation is fear of the loss of money. Not the integrity of clubs, not justice, not acknowledgement of fraud, deceit, cheating.
No.. evidence exposed of exactly what is wrong with the PL. The pursuit of greed.
Every single club that votes NOT to relegate should that decision be made, should be named and shamed as complicit cheats, those condoning cheating. Name and Shame.

The Premier League will be scratching their heads wondering what is the least we can penalise City, and get away with as little criticism as possible ourselves.

I hate lies and half truths, deception is the name of the game nowadays, I suppose it always has been, but now it's deemed ok.

That's not just in football either.

What I do find interesting, well actually that's not the description, is having watched a number of Sky sports conversations on City, is the soft pedaling of guilt or outrage and an almost a sense of damage limitation to the whole story, for example pointing out of the possible avenues for City to appeal, or the above almost sole story from exclusive PL execs who believe the other clubs would be mad to expel them. The "tone" of coverage is not the shaming of the club but the impact of possible litigation on the premier league etc. Subtle stressing down of impacts and suggesting a focus on fines and point deductions. Anyone else see this as influence?

Christine, you know exactly which way life has gone (I have always said football reflects life) when you see headlines asking have Everton lost more than any other club because of Manchester City?

The table shows that Everton, might have lost the most money, but how many trophies did it actually stop us from winning? (Fuck trophies - Bill Kenwright was well ahead of the game when he realised what the most important thing is to most EPL owners now)

Burnham, said Everton got treated badly but seemed to imply he didn’t want the same for a club, who have been found to be cheating like fuck.

Why? Is it because the owners of Manchester City, have done a lot for Manchester and they are scared of losing the money?

If the premier league don’t punish City, on the scale of the precedent they have already set themselves, with the punishments they gave to both Everton and Forest, then what exactly are we supposed to think?

Christine#59

The whole Abu dabi Ecosystem(City is owned by UAE ) is geared up across Media, Diplomatic channels, £59 billion in trade leverage with the Uk,lobbying and Wheeling out all those that benefited by association. Mercifully Prince Andrew is banished to Norfolk. Pressure will come from all quarters and the appeal will be fought by fair means or foul.The Independent Regulator will not exercise his power of expelling Directors and Owners.There is also a UK Independent arbitration process after appeal which never happened before and which was not available to Everton.This is to keep the decision in house and prevent Man City going to the Sport Arbitration in Switzerland, as they did when banned by Ueafa,which resulted in the ban being overturned.

The precedent has already been set by the Al-Yamamah arms deal, a massive £40 billion+ agreement under which BAE Systems sold fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.A investigation by the Serious Fraud Squad was called off by the Attorney General in the Blair Government.The gearing up of Media, associates, legal action and diplomatic channels was similar to now. BAE System where prosecuted in the USA, but the Saudi Royals families Swiss Bank Accounts where not revealed.Apstently the SFS where about to get access,but where stopped.

Football is a side show Tony,this is Sovereign Wealth soft power on action

Christ I'm naive, I used to believe in fairness and justice, you know, doing the right thing.. yet here we are acknowledging the seriousness of the findings, having watched with anger previously as my own club were put to the sword ( and continues to pay for) a single mistake it acknowledged. Offset that with a club that has at its disposal unlimited wealth, that has wilfully ignored the very rules of competition maliciously to win. Expressly contrived to cheat. The comparison could not be more stark.

Yet this morning I wake to read The Esks blog that recommends a solution that could be agreed by all parties ( except of course the fans, or the integrity of the game. Or justice. It is kowtowing to wealth.

https://theesk.org/2026/10/03/opinion-manchester-city-and-the-115-charges-a-proposal-for-restitution-a-lower-spending-cap-and-personal-accountability/

In short he proposes

1. a compensation fund of 300m is set uo by City and all clubs waiver the right to sue City

2. City has and SCR of 50% placed on it for five years.

3. City pay the leagues legal bills.

4. Proceeding against certain individuals under the fit and proper rules.

That's it.

In a nutshell. No points deductions, no relegation, no direct impacts for the seasons ahead. Just a spending cut.

Are you serious Paul (Quinn) do you think, in any way shape or form, that City would care about having to fund 300m fund as punishment? No sanctions on what they won, no direct comparison to how Everton were treated, in short Corruption. Dress it up how you like, one set of rules for one set of clubs, one set for another.

Do we seriously think that the RS, Arsenal, Man U or Chelsea's would be happy to see no direction compensation or stripping of titles as a result?

What about a charge of bringing the game into disrepute? In fact it is the largest "crime" against the league, it's clubs and fans everywhere.

Maybe I am naive, or just plain dumb but such a "solution" would be the end of the Premier League as a competition. Man City would be laughing all the way to the bank that they own.. the Premier league would have achieved nothing. Justice paid off. Game saved.

Surely not. I wonder why I am a cynical scouser...

John@56, Burnham, is a politician, so of course he will be worried about losing money. I’m also certain he will have built up strong links with the owners of City, whilst he was the metro-mayor of Greater Manchester, so it’s only natural he will want to look past their sporting misdemeanour’s, now they have been found out.

Let’s excuse their crimes because they have spent billions, because if we don’t they might take their ball home. I’m not saying for one minute that Andy Burnham, said this, but the words he did utter did sound a little bit like a person who had been bought, rather than a person who holds the highest office in the country, and should be talking about the severity of breaking the rules.

Christine

Paul made a good attempt ,but it would not work as you say.I do think that the process will go on for a while , with some fudges as a result of lobbying pressure , but the law which be upheld in some form.

Just to clarify the sequence of Man City options : independent commission verdict → appeal to a new commission → (potentially) High Court challenge. Arbitration under Rule X is a parallel track for different kinds of disputes, not the next step in the disciplinary process itself.

So Everton could have went down this route after the appeal, but didn't.

It will be interesting to see exactly what sanctions are applied, especially if Evertons appeal against the Burnley claim is still in progress. If a compensation fund is formed as per the esk, to prevent clubs suing each other, the surely there is no way Everton could be made to compensate Burnley!
The rules have to change, the Premier League don't know what their doing.

You could argue that not many people in high places really do know what they’re doing Christine.

Back to the football, back to the only team that really means anything to us. I’ve just witnessed a tik-tok, about Howard Kendall’s, five finest signings, and the first sentence that was narrated was “you have got to sign players with character”

The Premier League will not want the process to get too messy because of the potential legal costs. City can afford to make it last forever.

I think we may be looking at least two years before a final verdict Raymond.
City will drag it through every appeal court possible.

We are officially up for sale.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7672592/2026/10/09/everton-friedkin-group-owner-sale/
Here we go again.
Can't say I'm surprised, Possibly relieved.

I think the pulling of funds towards end of transfer window and the Burnley decision said enough. They never committed to the club emotionally, just financially, arms length. This was ALWAYS their intended end game. Double their money..

Thank you and goodbye Dan.

I thought the Freidkins didn't sell?

Interesting timing.

Wonder if it is connected with whatever the fall-out from the City situation will be.

Robert, I am guessing that after the news was leaked to David Ornstein they had to publish a statement.

Christine @ 73,

There were a few clues there if people wanted to see them:

1) Owners who never visited the club they bought.
2) Hiring and retaining a short-term manager to maintain premier league status.
3) Taking out £45 million in a dividend payment when they stated they wanted to grow the club.
4) No investment in signings in the January transfer window.
5) £25 million net profit in the summer transfer window.
7) Spending less than 70% of the SCR ceiling of potentially 115% max.
8) Reports in the press that the club was looking for minority and majority investment.

TFG saw a distressed asset with a brand new stadium, and took the chance to buy it, restructure the debt and flip it for a huge profit.

End of story.

conflicting feelings. Relief and anger predominate.

Understandable Kevin. Usmanov built us a ground and lost millions, and The Friedkin’s, have stepped in at the last minute to purchase a distressed asset, and will probably make themselves at least £250 million, for a couple of years work.

It’s been galling reading some of the shite written by people defending these Silent & Soulless owners, (they have sucked the life out of me at a time when we have just moved into a fantastic new stadium and should have been approaching the future, with a lot more hope and ambition) but were did you get those figures Steve, because according to The Athletic, Everton, never had anywhere near the wriggle room, that you state.

Under the current rules ( SCR ), it's impossible to be a consistent success in the EPL, unless you're a member of the SLY SIX. Ask Villa and Newcastle. You make your mark, look a threat and the next thing you know, your best players are being sold and your back to square one or worse - Look at Leicester ! I believe that TFG contrasted this with how they have been able to get ROMA back where they belong in Italy. A few seasons and you've made it. Not here in the EPL. The top of the EPL is a closed shop. So unless the rules are changed and the idiot 14 stop voting with the SLY SIX, nothing will change. What did the Moyesiah say. I can't see EFC competing at the top level again or words to that effect.

So long RFG thanks for the stability, boy did we need it and enjoy spending the profits. Profits that would have been boosted by £40m if the away support had kept their HA song to themselves.

Tony @ 77, there has been so much nonsense written in defence of the TFG. Budweiser, Pepsi, they never sell, they never talk..ain’t gonna jhappen

You had it right in your posts over the last 18 months.

I took the SCR ratio from Paul the Esk whose analysis I trust.

I don’t trust journos like Ornstein. They get all their information from club insiders who are working a PR angle.

I'll let Mike Gaynes weigh in with the big defence - but from my perspective I don't have a massive axe to grind with TFG. We were absolutely fucked under Moshiri and couldn't have survived much longer - it could easily have been administration and obscurity for a generation. TFG got us out of that mess and without the much more problematic shenanigans that might have played out with other bidders like 777 and Textor.

If TFG make money out of it, fair play.

I am more interested now in who steps in to invest.

It's never dull being a Everton supporter, is it!

I've not much to add to the spot on posts already in the thread.
As for us speckies, who will end up owning us in the next 'merry go round' is the big question.

Also will this news unsettle some or all of our players, I'd say yes it will, it doesn't help anyone connected with Everton, including the manager.

777 were never serious bidders Robert. Textor, apparently was, but he wasn’t the only one, which means a part of me is thinking that the silent friedkin’s, might have just been holding the forte, until the sanctions on the Russian Oligarchs, were lifted?

Maybe I’m barking up the wrong tree, but I genuinely believe that only a person as powerful as Usmanov, could have got 777 involved, when it was clear the net was closing on their fraudulent shenanigans.

When you look at things logically, it was probably this money, (money from theft) that stopped Everton, going into administration. The EPL, has definitely become a very murky world.

777 were serious Anthony. They didn't loan Everton £160m out of casual speculation. And there's plenty more beyond that.

But we do agree on Usmanov.

That's why I would be worried about some drains up inquest of rule breaking. I strongly suspect we would fare very badly out of that. We may not have been half as successful as City, but that doesn't mean we played by the rules.

Do you know what the interest rate was on the £160 mil Robert?

A couple of year’s experience for TFG they can apply for AS Roma’s new build and a financial mess sorted out for us. As long as they can sort out the new owner within the next 8 months, I.e. before the next summer transfer window, it is Grazie and Arriverderci to TFG in my view

Of course 777, were serious when it came to lending Everton, money, but what I should have said Robert, was that they never seriously had a chance of owning Everton, because there was just no way that they could have passed the Premier league’s, fit and proper owners test.

The net was rapidly closing in on these cowboys, the FBI investigation, didn’t come from nowhere, and yet someone, somehow, still got them to loan Everton, all that money, which possibly stopped the club going into administration, is what I was alluding to, mate.

I totally agree with the rest of your post regarding Usmano, Robert, how couldn’t I!

A while back I speculated that TFG had no footballing strategy for the club, indeed only a financial one which led me to believe that they bought the club with the intent of maximizing the short term boost of the new stadium. Furthermore quick short term increases in revenue, would make the club look attractive to outside investors. The fallback being complete sale.
Several setbacks ensured the likelihood of a sale, the disappointment of not qualifying for Europe being the main one at the end of last season. Despite it never being raised as target, indeed TFG never had a football strategy, failure to get European football was a massive disappointment to them. It would have established the fact they took a basket case of a club from possible administration to Europe in a season.
It was a bridge too far for a club bereft of player quality and a conservative manager. But it marked the implementation of plan B for the TFG, reducing outlay, sell where possible and either divest or extract completely.
This has been a 3 year financial strategy.it has all the hallmarks of one. Arms length involvement, investment in infrastructure, minimize costs, leverage assets, maximize infrastructure potential whilst "stabilizing" the team. That was the message. Stabilization.

That's why it was always a short term investment to TFG. The ongoing cost of keeping a mid table club in the PL competitive is ruinous without Europe. The obstacles was not just the high cost of constant player replacement but the fact that in the case of TFG they already have Roma in the Champions league, they needed Everton in there too but it was never a real possibility due to the two club rule for owners.

Once that was eliminated as a possibility, then the writing was on the wall. We were only ever going to play second fiddle to Roma as long as they were in Europe. So Plan B kicked in, get out and sell the sizzle.

Stability is a dreadful word. I agree wholeheartedly with Tony A when he said TFG sucked the very life out of him in failing to capitalise on the potential involvement of the fans, the team or the city with their absence.

This is not a time for offering thanks to TFG, they NEVER bought into the club, only its potential for short term profit from its purchase. It was the continual price we paid for a generation of mismanagement. They are trying to get out before the real costs of business hit on the field. Carpetbeggers is an old term, but TFG had a plan from the very start but it only focused on bricks and mortar. Never the people.

Yours will be a popular position but I'm not entirely convinced to be honest, Christine. The various NY Times articles seem to strongly suggest Plan A was to retain ownership with some additional investment (much as the owners of the RS have done). Having drawn a blank, they are now "open" to sale.

Even if they were just in it to make money from the turnaround, I cannot see what is so dirty about that. In the process they have stabilised our disastrous finances and that is exactly what any sensible owner with longer terms plans would have done too. It is hopefully what positions us well for further investment (by people who, forgive them, might also want to make a profit). Indeed it's only reputation washing Sovereign Nations and Oligarchs who don't want to make a profit - and that doesn't seem to end happily these days.

On the cusp of signing Balogun, the general consensus was we'd had a good summer window. The fact that a few human beings managed to balls up the deal in the last few minutes (including Balogun himself) doesn't suddenly transform TFG into Carpetbaggers.

As for prioritising Roma, that certainly wasn't the case last summer when we outspent the Italian club by about £90m net.

Robert, I never said nor indicated that TFG had done the dirty on us, the initial indications and actions from TFG were very positive in relation to fixing the finances and ensuring we did enough not to fall into the quagmire of relegation fighting once more. But they never had a footballing strategy. The appointed David Moyes which was and still is a stop gap measure for an ambitious club. Beyond this season we have no manager. That almost certainly means Moyes will get an extension if the club isn't sold.

I contend, that there was no football strategy, no fan involvement or presence to lead the club from its new iconic stadium. They missed a trick, badly.

Too many observations or missed opportunities followed, the last match at Goodison or the first at HD, the "failure" of European qualification. Just why is was a failure can only be seen as an impact on finances. We didn't have and still don't, a squad capable to competing in the PL and a Euro competition. But it was a status symbol of a club on the up and would tick a prospective sale box.

The CEO was left out to dry after saying publicly that the 2nd phase of recruitment would happen this summer, so why were there references to pulled finances in the last couple of weeks?

Realistically they did what they had to do to protect and enhance their investment fair does I have absolutely no complaint about that, but that's all it ever was. Otherwise we might have seen a man in sunglasses at the last game at Goodison if he cared enough. Which he didn't. And that was our problem not his.

TFG published a “long-term football strategy” in December 2024 because they needed one when they bought the club; as I recall it had 4 bullet points and they contradicted it immediately by hiring David Moyes.

This was a commercial exercise from TFG from the start, and the decision to extract a dividend payment of £45 million from the club would have confirmed it for any person, like Christine, who has worked to a senior level in business.

TFG saw a distressed asset with a brand new stadium, and took the chance to buy it and flip it for a huge profit. They did nothing wrong, but it was cynical.

It appears to me that the people who praised them as stable leaders with a long-term, prudent plan to grow Everton are now the same ones who are now claiming that they did us a lot of good, and were reluctant to sell us at all if they could secure a minority investor. Gullibility is a forgiveable occasionally but best not to make it a permanent state of mind.

Steve from a short term financial perspective, they took a punt on sorting out the financial mess that was inherited, with a view to making a gignificant profit, which they will almost certainly do.

Tight financial control and risk adverse management. Sean Dyche would almost certainly still be in place had he not thrown his toys out the pram. The risk of relegation was significant enough to appoint Moyes, which I might add, I proposed for because on the belief it would be a short term, needs must appointment.

I had misgivings about TFG when I thought it odd not to attend the era ending/starting games. Despite what some thought, the failure to attend was intentional, arms length, don't get personally involved, which having spent close to half a billion, could really question the long term intent.

No matter, despite the obvious misgivings we are in a far better place than 777, so it worked for all involved. When TFG recoup their expenditure plus, I won't begrudge it but would hope our next suitor has experience in football at a high level.

Does it matter what we think of TSF? Let’s just hope and pray that we get new owners with the ambition, drive and willpower, to take Everton football club, back to where “some of us” think we truly belong🤞

Has it been confirmed that HDS is part of the sale ?

You did call them carpetbaggers, Christine # 92?

Anyway, like much of what is said on these pages, I think a lot of conclusions are drawn from:

(a) a hatred of Moyes, his association with Kenwright and his association with lowered expectations; and

(b) a hatred (and rejection of) the huge role money now plays in modern football.

I think there are a lot more obvious explanations for our circumstances than some of theories kicking around - but we all have our different opinions and biases (myself included probably).

In terms of where I think we belong Tony # 95, pretty much everything I post on these pages revolves around getting to our rightful place as one of the rich elite clubs in the Premier League and Europe - with a big top class squad of players and the footballing success that follows.

I do get the sense that many posters so hate what modern football have become that they'd rather we did it some other way, from the outside looking in - rather than as one of the rich clubs. For me that is the very definition of a small club mentality and embracing mediocrity. It might be a generational thing though. Aside from a few memorable international games, my earliest footballing memories broadly coincide with the creation of the Premier League. For me, football has always been about money.

We were lucky when Friedkins bought us at the time, at least they have it appears sorted out our finances.
Will they be able to find one owner that can afford to buy us that's the question. It might be better from our point of view if the club was sold to two or three entities as that might make more money available for the running of the club.
Lets not kid ourselves the name of the game in business is to make money so our next owners will be more of the same.
I do think that Friedkins saw an opportunity to buy us cheaply and maybe sell us on for a profit. Or on the other hand it could be that once they owned us they realised how difficult and costly it is to try and compete with your established top clubs in this league,

Robert, "A carpetbagger is a historical and modern term for an outsider who moves into a region to exploit its people or situation for personal, financial, or political gain."
Not my definition but I think it describes TFG to a T.. but as I said I don't hold it against them, split hairs as much as you like but they saw an opportunity and exploited it.
Sorry to burst your other bubbles but contrary to your points I don't hate Moyes, I don't forgive him either, according to TFG he failed last season? Hate the role money plays in today's game? Fact of life, but I do hate the corrupt behavior of those who are supposed to run the league, but that's back to the original post!
I post my opinions based on my life experiences working with very wealthy people and organisation's at a very senior level. The lessons I learnt was how they approach situations contrary to the rest of us which is why they are rich and I'm not!
Happy to see you speculate on why things turned out the way they did, as you say, it's only an opinion!

Robert @ 97, I don’t think a) or b) apply to any of the points relating to the analysis of TFG’s motivations in purchasing Everton.

Your point about fans criticism coming from a dislike of money or Everton becoming a wealthy club is frankly off the mark.

TFG saw a distressed asset with a brand new stadium, and took the chance to buy it and flip it for a huge profit. They did nothing wrong, but it was cynical - carpetbaggers seems a reasonable descriptor.

Robert, I like a lot of your posts and I respect a lot of your views but sometimes I think it’s a real myth that football, is just about money, mate.

City, have been caught cheating, and to a lesser degree so were Everton, but I personally think that if the books of every football club were truly scrutinised, then you would find a lot more clubs cheating, rather than staying within the rules?

My point is that although I believe money is very important, I personally believe having the ambition, desire, willingness and above everything else the talent, is sometimes overlooked.

When Klopp went to Liverpool, he got everyone on the same page, similar with Alex Ferguson, who was one game from the sack, even though history shows us that he inherited a glamorous, but incredibly unprofessional football club.

Guardiola, had money, but he also had drive and talent. Arsenal went through a period of stagnation under Wenger, but his talent helped them build a fantastic new stadium, with the lowest net spend in the league. (Looking back, this wouldn’t have been possible, without consistently qualifying for the rigged champions league?)

Different age, but it was still top level football, when one minute the Everton fans, were having a whip-round for Terry Curran, and then the innovative Colin Harvey, joined the coaching staff, and suddenly got Everton, hunting in packs, and making it extremely difficult for every single opponent they played against.

I know anyone/everyone could argue against me, but football is life and life creates myths, especially if they are repeated often enough, imo.

Something needs to be done imo though because two seasons ago, I could see both Aston Villa and Newcastle United rising, and getting themselves ready to go and knock a few of the biggest teams, right off their perch, but this wasn’t possible because of the current SCR laws.