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The Most Creative Punishments Man City Could Face Following Premier League Verdict
So, what happens now?
After more than a 1,000 days since the investigation was opened, City have finally been found guilty of almost every charge thrown their way by the Premier League.
The news hit soccer like a bombshell and has rocked the foundations of the biggest and most popular league in the world. Though many had anticipated some level of guilty verdict at some point, confirmation of it—plus the details of deceit included the 40-page report from the independent commission—was at once cathartic, shocking and ... well, confusing.
From AguerOOOoooOOOOoo to ‘The Centurions,’ what did any of it all mean? And how can we re-appraise and re-litigate the last 17 years of Premier League history?
MORE FALLOUT ON MAN CITY CHARGES VERDICT
• Premier League Stun Man City With Scathing Official Guilty Verdict
• Man City Charges: The Premier League’s Multi-Year Investigation Explained
• The Potential Punishments Facing Man City for 115 Premier League Charges
• Every Premier League Points Deduction in History—and the Clubs Hit by Them
• The Premier League Champions If Man City Are Stripped of Titles
City have until Friday, Oct. 2 to lodge an appeal—which they intend to do—and this isn’t finished yet. Still, the obvious first question is: What kind of punishment will City get? And, more importantly, what do they deserve?
The Premier League handbook lists out all the possible ways it can mete out punishment to those who fail to follow its rules, from fines to expulsion. All very standard stuff, but the book also makes note that it can implement “such other penalty as it shall think fit.”
An unprecedented situation calls for an unprecedented reaction. Here just a few (very serious) ideas to deal with the 114ers...
1. 456-Point Deduction
Follow the math here. Nottingham Forest—the last Premier League team to be hit with a points deduction—got four taken away back in March 2024 for one financial breach.
Using this as a precedent, one rule breach equals four points. Therefore, 114 multiplied by four equals 456 points.
Seems fair, right?
This could be spread out over multiple seasons (let’s say eight, given the charges relate to breaches from 2009–10 to 2017–18) to give City a starting score of –57 points at the outset of each campaign they are in the top flight.
This is a solution likely to be backed by Derby County fans.
2. 17-Year Transfer Ban
It’s 17 years since this whole foul mess started, so no transfers of any kind until 2043—when presumably, the average backup fullback will cost the GDP of Romania.
3. Replay Every Big Game
There are so many cables to untangle, it’s impossible to sort out who is owed what from all this. Clubs that should’ve won titles, others that might’ve got Europe or avoided relegation... The damage can never be undone. Or can it?
Simple solution: anyone with a claim (e.g—Tony Pulis’s FA Cup final losing Stoke City team of 2011) gets to replay their match against City.
All the lineups must be the same as they were on the day, thus creating a veterans Masters League with actual stakes.
4. Restore City’s Roster to 2009
Or, go one further and revert City’s roster all the way back to how it was before any of this happened.
Out with Erling Haaland and in with 45-year-old Elano for the 2026–27 season.
Craig Bellamy could still do a job, you’d imagine.
5. Draft Off Man City’s Roster
Imagine the drama of a one-off NFL-style Draft Day handing out each of City’s current team to the other Premier League clubs. Bottom of the table gets first pick etc, etc.
TV companies are practically salivating at the thought and Tottenham Hotspur fans are intrigued to see just how their club can mess up Haaland ...
6. Reverse Trophy Parade
Self-explanatory, really. City Football Group CEO Ferran Soriano must reverse a bus through the city of Manchester for each of the eight trophies won during the period concerned. At the end of each parade, the cup will be handed back to the correct authority.
Opposition fans may line the streets to form a Game of Thrones-style walk of shame.
7. Return the Poznan
Fans must remain forward facing at all times. Absolutely no bouncing.
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Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, the weather, culture and soccer lured him to Spain over a decade ago where he lives with his wife, son and two untrainable dogs. A player of unspeakably limited talents and only one fully functional knee, he has more than a decade's experience in a wide variety of editorial roles within sports media, from match reporting to in-depth feature writing and interviews. He specializes in soccer history and culture, as well as—of course—La Liga.