Man City found guilty! What we know, and what happens next | The Big Thing

Ryan Bailey (0:20)

Welcome to the Total Soccer Show and The Big Thing. It's the show where we discuss the biggest news stories in the game. And today, it's one of the biggest and potentially most consequential stories to hit the Premier League in a very long time. Manchester City have been found guilty of breaking the Premier League financial rules. On Friday, it was announced that City had been found guilty by an independent panel of all but one of their 115 financial charges that were levelled against them back in February 2023, for offences that were committed between 2009 and 2018

In that period, Manchester City won eight trophies including three Premier League titles. On this episode, we'll take a look at what Manchester City are accused of doing, what this means for them in terms of punishment and whether this will have some deep and messy repercussions for the Premier League, for Manchester City, and for soccer as a whole. There's a lot to unpack here. My name's Ryan Bailey. Joining me today to help unpack, Taylor Rotko. Hi Taylor, how are you?

Taylor Rotko (1:16)

Doing well, Ryan. There is quite a bit to unpack. This could be a 45 minute episode, it could be a three hour episode, and we might still just be scratching the surface. And with that in mind, my opening take is that this is all just a reminder of how difficult it is to be a journalist and run a newspaper in the UK. Because all of the coverage has been very good and very detailed, but also so clearly run through so many different legal screens to make sure that they are not going to be sued by Manchester City if and when things happen.

So the coverage has been excellent, but also I think appropriately restrained thus far at least.

Ryan Bailey (1:50)

Hang on, I just need to send a text to get the firetrucker lawyers involved. It sounds like you're about to go off the rails here, Taylor.

Taylor Rotko (1:56)

I was about to add, until now, the restraint is no longer.

Ryan Bailey (2:00)

Good stuff. Here is a model of restraint, Joe Lowrys here. Hi Joe, how are you?

Joe Lowry (2:04)

Yeah, I wasn't planning on saying anything this whole episode. I thought, are we all doing that?

Just me? All right, that's fine, no problem.

Ryan Bailey (2:10)

For you, it is better you do not speak, is that what you're saying?

Joe Lowry (2:12)

Exactly right. My true model in life, Jose Mourinho.

Ryan Bailey (2:16)

Wonderful stuff. Graham Ruffins also here. Hi Graham, how are you doing?

Graham Ruffins (2:20)

I'm good, Ryan Bailey. How are you? You must be having a great time right now. Oasis are back. City are getting relegated. It's the 90s all over again. This is your era.

Ryan Bailey (2:27)

I didn't think Ace Women would be playing Man City on a league basis anytime soon, but here we are, Graham. It could be on the cards. I'm looking forward to it very much indeed. Yes, yes. So there are a bunch of Oasis gigs happening next summer at the Etihad Stadium.

Will the stadium still be there at that point?

Graham Ruffins (2:47)

Someone pointed out that one of the gigs is on non-league day, or lower league day. I was unclear at some occasion in the lower leagues in the EFL, and so that could pose a problem for Man City if they have a home game against Lincoln City.

They're doing quite well actually at the moment. Lincoln City. Tell me a league two team that isn't AFC Wimbledon, Ryan. That's who they're playing.

Ryan Bailey (3:07)

Well, we're a league one team for a start, Graham, but thank you very much.

Graham Ruffins (3:11)

Not everyone has a league two team. I forget that.

Ryan Bailey (3:15)

Very good. Yeah. Maybe there'll be double book that day. That's probably one of the smaller consequences that we could discuss of Man City's predicament. Almost said their name, unfortunately and correctly there. patreon.com/totalsoccershow, by the way, is our bonus feed. You'll get bonus episodes and access to our Discord server where we discuss City Finds and much, much more. All the cool kids are in there. And on our Patreon feed this week, plenty of new episodes including We Is Gonna Predict the USMNT Starting 11 for the 2030 World Cup Finals.

Taylor Rotko (3:45)

Oh, wow.

Ryan Bailey (3:47)

It's gonna happen.

Graham Ruffins (3:48)

Seems so far away and yet so close. Kevin Sullivan, is he playing for Manchester City in League 2 or someone else?

Is he fleeing that shit before he's even boarded it?

Taylor Rotko (4:00)