paul davies

[James Ducker @TelegraphDucker]

#MCFC’s key defence in its appeal over the Premier League guilty verdict was denied by its own title sponsor Etihad Airways in an extensive submission to the US government in 2015

With @SamWallaceTel

⬇️

https://t.co/GEYJT2cm7C

[James Ducker @TelegraphDucker]

From Etihad Airways 60-page submission to John Kerry, US Department Secretary of State, Antony Foxx, US Department of Transportation Secretary and Penny Pritzker, US Department of Commerce Secretary on May 31, 2015

[Magic hat 🎩 @themagic_tophat]

Given Mike’s connections to City, I would assume this has been correctly briefed.

If so, it’s enlightening as to why Man City lost at the Commission and why their appeal is going to be DOA too.

I’m actually flabbergasted that their legal team pursued this defence. Incredible.

[Rui Pinto @RuiPinto_FL]

I will make a very important announcement tomorrow at 18:00 UTC.

[Magic hat 🎩 @themagic_tophat]

Here is definitive evidence that Etihad was complicit in the “sham arrangements”.

Note: Peter Baumgartner was Etihad’s Chief Commercial Officer at the time

@etihad try explaining that away before you pretend to threaten people for telling facts

[David de Gea @D_DeGea]

So we’re talking again…

[Magic hat 🎩 @themagic_tophat]

🚨 BREAKING: Man City is state controlled

The Commission made a finding of fact that Etihad and other Abu Dhabi state-owned companies WERE RELATED PARTIES

The only way that works is if Man City is also state controlled

As such, it has unfit and improper owners by default

[Magic hat 🎩 @themagic_tophat]

The Regulator must force a sale if the Commission doesn’t (through threat of expulsion)

https://t.co/Btlai5IbSI

[Ian Herbert @ianherbs]

When I wrote about this image rights sham for The Independent in 2018, Manchester City threatened to sue us and demanded I tweet out a personal apology on here. We fought them. They did not sue us.
City's sham is confirmed by the Premier League today https://t.co/Fzemh3f8CA

[Nick Harris @sportingintel]

Oasis should release: “Sham. Pain. Supernova”

[Pilib De Brún (Phil Brown) @Malachians]

Utd fans have spent 25 years attacking their owners because Utd were successful in spite of them. City fans are forced to defend their owners because they know they wouldn’t be successful without them so here we are. Sorry lads, they cheated, they are the reason why you’re on here getting the piss ripped out of you as you try to defend the indefensible. You could’ve supported your club without supporting your owners but you chose not to. We’ve all been waiting for this day

[James Coatsworth @j_coatsworth]

Man City were a well chosen vehicle for this fraudulent sport-washing project. Newish stadium and a fanbase who couldn't have been more accommodating. Years in the shade made them desperate for artificial sunlight and willing to ignore, and even deny, the cancerous results

[Melissa Reddy @MelissaReddy_]

Manchester City’s reiteration of their “confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence” given their “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” is incredibly at odds with their own behaviour and the intensity in which they blocked the Premier League’s process of investigation at every step since December 2018.

The scale of their obstructing was revealed in a July 2021 British court judgment. City simply refused to supply information and documents requested by the league, which then issued a disciplinary complaint in August 2019. The club challenged the disciplinary process and the commission that was set up.

The league proposed an ad hoc procedure of appointing a new commission, but City objected to that too. The PL were forced to bring legal arbitration against the club, to be decided by a tribunal of three senior lawyers.

City countered the PL had no power to do that, and challenged the impartiality of the tribunal. That was rejected and the club were again ordered to submit all the documentation and info.

City then appealed to the high court to strike the tribunal down. In March 2021, a judge ruled against the club and that her findings should be published.

City unsuccessfully fought against it being made public knowledge; the judgement published in July illustrated just how hard and long they resisted providing information.

With all that confidence, intent and irrefutable evidence, why the YEARS of non-cooperation and active, intensive blocking?

[Chubby Brown @RoyChubbsBrown]

If you rearrange the letters in the words MANCHESTER CITY you get…

Cheating Cunts

#YFB

[Zar @Zar_RedIssue]

Red Issue calling @ManCity 🚮

[Futbol SA @futbalsa]

🇪🇸🚨 | 𝘽𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂: Pep Guardiola is now the manager linked to two of football’s biggest controversies.

🔵 Barcelona’s Negreira case — involving payments to a former refereeing chief.

🔵 Manchester City’s 115-case saga — with City reportedly found guilty of 114 charges.

[Rui Pinto @RuiPinto_FL]

A historic decision for English football, and one that comes to crown the work I carried out through Football Leaks. Today, we all know that, through structural manipulation and financial manoeuvring, Manchester City did not merely circumvent the rules, they turned them into a mere formality, challenging any attempt to preserve the integrity of the competition. That meticulously orchestrated fraud will finally be subject to punishment, and the impact will not merely be turbulent, but truly devastating for the Cityzens.
Ironically, I cannot help but remember Pep Guardiola's words at his first press conference as City manager: "Fasten your seat belts".

[Zippy Penguin @ZippyPenguin_]

Fantastic post on Red Issue. Should read.

The divs summed up perfectly…

[The Swedish Rumble 🔰 @SwedishRumble]

To realize how far behind United is its rivals -- I suggest that every United fan take a moment and think about these wage figures from Chris at @TheAthleticFC.

The cost of a player that earns 200k a week is £10m. United's wage bill is £168m behind City. £128m behind Liverpool. £74m behind Chelsea. These are 24/25 figures, the gap to Arsenal will be as big right now.

In other words -- if United today signed 17 new players, without selling anyone, to 200k a week contracts, United's wage bill would only match what City pay its players. If United signed 8 new players to 400k a week contracts, without selling anyone United's wage bill would BARELY match what City pay its players. 8 new 400k a week players walking through the door today to join our squad, nobody leaving. Then we match City.

An even more absurd example -- if United sold for example Mount, Zirkzee, Ugarte, De Ligt, Mazraoui -- and signed 5 new players EACH earning 769k per week, United's wage bill would just match City's. Not exceed it. Just match it.

The gap to Liverpool is almost as big, 13 new players signed for 200k a week instead of 17.

These gaps will not be any different this season just because United have CL football since City, Liverpool and Arsenal have signed a ton of expensive players.

For players like Eliott Anderson or Alex Semenyo -- no decision exist whether to sign for City or United. The wages City pays to its players is simply on a different planet. You have to leave at the very very least £37.5m on the table if you want to chose United over City (i.e. you are paid 150k less a week on average).

[Jimmy Murphy @JimmyMu35984013]

Man City advertising for influencers to come and show everyone their “electrifying atmosphere” because their own “core fans are less likely to attend”

Nothing screams authentic matchday culture like paying strangers to turn up and tell everyone how authentic they are