Man City receive 115 charges verdict as Gary Neville angrily labels case a 'disgrace'

Man City receive 115 charges verdict as Gary Neville angrily labels case a 'disgrace'

Gary Neville has taken aim at Manchester City and the Premier League for the lack of a verdict over the club's 115 charges, labelling the saga an 'absolute disgrace'

Gary Neville was angered with the handling of Manchester City's 115 charges case (Image: @TheOverlap/Youtube )

Gary Neville expressed his outrage over the ongoing Manchester City case involving 115 charges, labelling the absence of a verdict as a "disgrace" to football.

The club faced these allegations from the Premier League for incidents dating back to 2009 through 2018, which came to light in February 2023.

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Despite Manchester City's consistent denial of any misconduct, the hearing that began in September last year concluded in December without a resolution. Even though manager Pep Guardiola hinted in February that a decision might be expected a month later, there has been no forthcoming verdict.

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As the 2024/25 season draws to a close this Sunday, the football world remains uncertain about when a definitive outcome regarding City's situation will emerge.

During a Q&A session for The Athletic, journalist David Ornstein was queried about any new developments on the charges, to which he succinctly responded: "Zero."

The issue was also a topic of conversation on The Overlap Fan Debate, presented by Sky Bet, featuring Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, and Jamie Carragher, with football finance expert Kieran Maguire joining them on the programme, reports the Mirror.

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The Manchester City boss said in February he thought a verdict would be delivered in March (Image: Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images )

Neville has now given his verdict on the saga, which has been rumbling on for years. The United legend is adamant that the lack of transparency in the case is tarnishing the sport and has called for an expedited resolution. "That Manchester City case is a disgrace; it's an absolute stain to the game," he said, reflecting his deep frustration.

"I have a lot of admiration for City, but I don't buy into this theory that clubs do really well, and City have, but it is still a stain to the game.

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"It has just been dragging on for years and years, it's an absolute joke. Yes, City have been defending themselves, but they've been pushing it so far into the long grass that you end up losing the will to live on it and you forget about it. It just needs to be dealt with."

Maguire, who has previously spoken on this topic, recently predicted that some charges will be ruled in the Premier League's favour, while claiming City have had the "upper hand" on the league in the past.

Manchester City lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final (Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images )

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"I think we will see some sort of transitional rule with the APTs," Maguire said. "We have already seen Brighton's loans from Tony Bloom have been converted into something that is between shares and debt.

"There will be discussions taking place between clubs, lawyers and accountants as to how existing loans can be reclassified as equity. Therefore, that will assist things going forward.

"I think, based on historical evidence, that City have got the upper hand over the Premier League. Nick DeMarco thinks it will be a score draw where the Premier League will win some of the 115 charges, but City will have a far stronger case in others."

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City have already claimed a legal victory over the Premier League after an independent panel earlier this year determined that Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules are void and unenforceable.

Meanwhile, it has been a disheartening season for the former league champions who'll conclude the season without any trophies for the first time since Guardiola's arrival nearly a decade ago, having suffered a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley last Saturday. Their season wraps up on Sunday with a journey to Fulham, where a victory will guarantee them a third-place finish.

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