In a bombshell development last night it was revealed that Manchester City and their Abu Dhabi owners are declaring civil war and taking unprecedented action in the High Court against the Premier League. If they win the case then the Premier League is finished. If clubs funded by oil states like Manchester City are unrestrained from pumping unlimited money into oil state clubs then in my opinion it will completely end the competitiveness of the Premier League.
You may well say that Manchester City are already dominating the Premier League and with Six Titles in Seven seasons there’s no doubt they are. However Liverpool and more recently Arsenal have really pushed them close and of course there is a massive asterisk against every trophy Manchester City have won since being taken over by the current regime due to the 115 charges against them which they’ve fought tooth and nail against by taking court action to delay proceedings against them.
I believe they are taking legal action against the Premier League hoping if they win the case it will severely impact the 115 charge’s against them. Manchester City and their fans argue that there is an elite cartel of clubs acting against them. But I believe that isn’t the case. Twelve clubs have already put themselves forward to defend the Premier League in court if required.
The so-called elite clubs have got where they are under their own steam excluding Chelsea who were the original as Arsene Wenger put it financially doped club. The others like Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have become global giants of the game over many decades using the money they have generated themselves to get there.
I’ve always found it odd that a club like Manchester City who went from scrambling to avoid relegation to the third tier of English football by beating Gillingham in a play off final at Wembley then just a few seasons later how could a mediocre club be getting bigger sponsorship deals than a worldwide global brand like their neighbours Manchester United.
As Henry Winter mentioned last night on Sky Sports News. When William McGregor formed the Football League in 1888 part of the original rules were that no club should sue another. Well Manchester City are suing all the other 19 clubs.
I’m praying that the Premier League win this case because if they don’t football and the Premier League is finished in this country such is the damage it will do to the competitiveness and integrity of the Premier League. It is the Premier League that run top flight football in this country not Abu Dhabi. Manchester City signed up for the rules of the Premier League and if their owners don’t like it then why don’t they take Manchester City out of the Premier League and let them play in the Middle East where they can do whatever they like.
Started going to Highbury in ’66. Season ticket holder since ’76. Love The Arsenal. Need I say more?
You’re a cretin!
“The others like Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have become global giants of the game over many decades using the money they have generated themselves to get there.” That is just not true. Growing up in the sixties and seventies, I remember these clubs having wealthy owners, plowing their money into the above mentioned clubs.
What owners are you talking about, remind me, because I can’t think of any with the exception of the guy who bought into Blackburn Rovers?
But I do remember Peter Swales leading City into financial ruin by overspending – yes you have previous – and City ending up in Division Three.
Spot on, Gary. If C115y win their lawsuit and the 115 charges are dodged then the Premier League will be finished as a true competition. The clubs who have not become C115y acolytes should then leave the ‘Premier League’ as they left the Football League First Division to found the Premiership and create a new English top division with strict financial rules leaving C115y et al behind to play each other every fortnight or join the UAE Super League.