Football365 reported that Manchester City have been found guilty on 114 of their 115 charges after being accused of breaching the Premier League’s FFP regulations between 2009 and 2018. The club continue to insist on their innocence and have appealed.
Possible punishments
Football365 said the possible punishments include a huge fine, transfer ban, points deduction, expulsion and/or being stripped of Premier League titles. Football365 said Manchester City were found to have produced 'sham' deals worth £900m.
McCoist on the level of punishment
McCoist told talkSPORT Bet: "Man City being compared to Rangers? I get the comparison a little bit."
McCoist told talkSPORT Bet: "If City lose the appeal, no matter what happens, people will be unhappy with the level of punishment."
McCoist told talkSPORT Bet: "Some will think it’s too light, others too harsh. It leaves an overall sense of sadness more than anything else that we can’t get this resolved sooner. I understand there’s a legal and appeals process to go through, but it’s a disaster for the English game."
McCoist told talkSPORT Bet: "I just felt sad watching Liverpool and City have a right go at each other, or seeing three incredible goals at Anfield, and then on Monday morning we’re talking about financial charges and whether goals will count. I just find that really sad."
Heskey on the timescale
Heskey told BestBettingSites: "As for the off-field legal issues and their appeal, it’s so complex that it won’t be resolved quickly or sorted this season."
Heskey told BestBettingSites: "Both sides are going to throw arguments back and forth, and it could go on for a year or more. Whether it ends in a massive points deduction or relegation, nobody knows yet, but it’s not getting settled straight away."
Heskey on possible outcomes
Heskey told BestBettingSites: "I think they will probably get a 60 point deduction, but say City get 90-something points, or 100 – well, then they could stay up. They’ve got a chance. If they end up staying up, then I’m not sure that’s the right punishment from the point of view of other clubs. They will probably go into the Championship, but people will have questions about whether they should go into League One or League Two, instead."
Heskey told BestBettingSites: "I don’t know what will be considered good enough, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a bit of negotiations behind the scenes to find an outcome that’s acceptable for everyone. That could go on for a year."
