Man City FFP charges ‘should be dropped’ as Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea guilty of ‘worse crimes’ | OneFootball

Broadcaster Adrian Durham has leapt to the defence of Manchester City regarding their FFP case and listed five ‘worse crimes’.

Man City are facing over 100 charges over alleged breaches of the Premier League’s FFP rules between 2009 and 2018.

The Premier League referred the club to an independent commission following a four-year probe, with potential punishments including a transfer ban, huge fine and/or points deduction.

Despite the case coming to light at the start of 2022 and the hearing concluding at the end of 2024, a verdict for this complicated case is yet to be reached.

The most recent information teased an announcement at the end of this season, though the initial verdict will be subject to an appeal from either side.

It is fair to say that everyone is bored with this prolonged saga, though most non-Man City fans have had their pitchforks out to demand justice, even though the measly sanction of a fine feels likely if there is a punishment at all.

TalkSPORT journalist Durham is as tired of the process as everyone else, so for his own entertainment and to ragebait rival supporters, he has played devil’s advocate and called for the charges against Man City to be “dropped”.

“Manchester City’s charges should be dropped,” Durham said on talkSPORT.

“Hear me out here, all they did was put money into a football club, so they could spend money on their club, on their team to be competitive. To sign players to entertain the fans, and there are far worse things going on in football.

“So financially, just briefly with the history… City were miles behind other clubs when they were taken over, so they had to rapidly play catchup. It’s funny how the reaction changes from club to club when this thing happens.

“So Wrexham, for example. When the owners of Wrexham came in and injected abnormal amounts of money into a non-league club, where there were no rules down there by the way, they’re seen as cool and heroic, and it’s a great story, and there’s a Hollywood blockbuster ending.

“But they caused havoc with wage levels in the National League and in the lower leagues of the EFL.

“Even bigger than that, Leicester City, not the current problems they’ve got, but they broke financial rules on their path to the Premier League title.

“They were found guilty of FFP breaches in the 2013/14 season when they won the Championship a couple of seasons before they won the Premier League title. Everyone forgets about that, because it damages the narrative of little old Leicester achieving the dream.”

Five ‘worse crimes’ by other clubs listed

Durham went as far as to list ‘five worse crimes than City’s charges’. As you will soon gather, they are pretty ridiculous and peak with Burnley catching strays simply for being quite sh*t.

“Liverpool raising ticket prices. Chelsea’s owners having no respect for their fans with the way they run the club. Arsenal’s time-wasting tactics killing football entertainment. Burnley’s pathetic effort which they claim is an attempt to stay up every other season. VAR, PGMO should be charged for spoiling the fans’ enjoyment,” Durham added.

“So, these are all things far worse than Manchester City putting money into football, and that’s money that filters down into the game through the academy system, into the women’s team, City are about to win the WSL title, and to clubs in the lower leagues.

“And other Premier League clubs as well. Just this season, Manchester City have given a lot of money to Bournemouth, to Crystal Palace and to Burnley.

“Why have people got a problem with this? Because somebody made up some crazy financial rules years ago and they’re sticking to them, and they’re hammering Man City for them.

“There’s no reason, just drop them, we’re all bored of it.”