Club figures differ over political interference fears in City appeal

Burnham, Manchester’s mayor until this summer, made the comments to the BBC on Wednesday, according to Dutch news agency ANP. He said losing the owners from the United Arab Emirates would worry him. He credited City Football Group, which owns the club, with investing in its stadium and the wider city. [1]

ANP reported that City had been found guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules. Burnham compared the situation with that of Everton, the club he supports, while cautioning against hasty conclusions. [1]

Everton was docked 10 points in 2023 over financial-rule breaches. Burnham made his remarks from Everton’s stadium, where he drew the comparison with City’s situation. [1]

Update

The Conservatives have criticised former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham for saying he would be concerned if Manchester City’s owners sold the club. Shadow sports minister Louie French called the comments “completely out of touch” and said on Thursday that the Premier League’s independent commission must be able to work free of outside influence. [2]

French accused Burnham of publicly backing the owners while the league case continues, and asked whether political pressure was being applied. Burnham’s remarks about losing the owners came in response to a question about a possible sale. He said they had contributed to both the club and Manchester, but also said he was not directly involved in the league process, which should be independent, and that it would be wrong to prejudge the contested case. [2]

An independent commission has found City guilty of most of the 115 charges it faced over Premier League rules. City denies wrongdoing and has until Friday to appeal. A hearing to decide any sanctions has yet to take place. [2]

A No 10 spokesperson called the initial judgement serious and said the independent process must run its course, with its outcome respected. If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face appropriate consequences, the spokesperson said. [2]

Update

Downing Street reissued its response to Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s comments on Manchester City a little over an hour after releasing it, changing “If” to “wherever” in a sentence about the consequences of wrongdoing, the BBC reported. [3]

The original statement said the initial judgement was serious, nobody was above the rules and the independent process should be allowed to run its course. It said those responsible should face appropriate consequences if wrongdoing was established. [3]

Burnham had said he would be concerned to lose Manchester City’s owners, while also saying he was keeping his distance from the process. The BBC reports that the Premier League has concluded the club broke its rules; City denies wrongdoing and is considering an appeal. [3]

Update

BBC Sport reported on 8 October that unnamed senior Premier League club figures were concerned about possible political interference in Manchester City’s appeal after comments by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Another club source took the opposite view, saying the scrutiny now facing Burnham would make interference impossible. [4]

One senior source said the level of concern depended on how Burnham’s remarks were interpreted, pointing to geopolitics and investment in the UK. Other senior club figures criticised the remarks and said they had put the Independent Football Regulator in a difficult position. The clubs were not named. The Guardian had already reported unease among several clubs on 1 October. [4] [5]

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for details of Burnham’s meetings with senior City figures to be released. Her demand, reported by The Telegraph on 6 October, covered both his time as Manchester mayor and his premiership. The Guardian had already reported on 2 October that Liberal Democrat spokesperson Anna Sabine had called for disclosure of meetings and conversations with City’s ownership groups or UAE government representatives, including any hospitality. Downing Street said Burnham had not met City’s owners since becoming prime minister in July and that his quarterly engagements list would be published before the end of the year. That statement does not address his mayoral period. [4] [6] [7]

City is appealing an independent commission’s finding that it breached Premier League financial rules. The League says a separate Appeal Board will hear the case; its rules require appointed members to declare their impartiality. The Telegraph has also reported a UAE warning to Burnham that UK investment could be withdrawn over the verdict. [9] [10] [11] [7]