Man City fans were shocked by what the club sent them just hours before the Premier League 115 charges decision.
Manchester City fans were shocked when they saw an email from the club arrive right after the news about the 115 charges verdict. After a long legal fight, Manchester City was found guilty of almost all the charges the Premier League brought up more than three years ago.
With this decision, City fans have been wondering what the club’s future holds. So, they were pretty surprised when they got a monthly questionnaire from the club asking how they were feeling.
Even though City plans to appeal the guilty verdict, people have been guessing what kind of punishment the club might face for breaking nearly all 114 charges. Possible penalties could include big fines, losing points, transfer bans, or even being dropped from the Premier League.
For City fans, it’s tough to know what’s next, and feelings around the club are understandably low. That’s why it was surprising when fans opened their emails and found the questionnaire with a question that already felt out of touch.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the survey asked fans how hopeful they felt about City’s future and some other questions. One fan shared on social media, “I was shocked by the timing. My answer wasn’t very hopeful.” They also joked, “When asked what the club could’ve done better last month, I didn’t hold back: no more gluten-free burgers?! WTF!”
Other questions aimed to get views on “life as a City fan these days,” feelings about the future, and opinions on how the club is doing off the pitch.
Some people thought the email was just a mistake—an automatic message sent at a very unlucky time. But it also fits with City’s “business as usual” approach since the verdict came out.
City insists they’re innocent and say the verdict is based on “one false accusation.”
Along with the club’s statement, Manchester City Chief Executive Ferran Soriano shared a video with club staff on Tuesday, which quickly spread online. In it, Soriano said the Premier League’s case came from a “single false accusation” and that the commission ignored lots of proof that City is innocent.
He told staff, “This is just not true. We’ve provided bank statements, money transfers, witnesses—everything to show the money didn’t come from the owner.”
Soriano said that other charges stem from that false claim and that after nearly two years, the commission sadly sided with the Premier League’s “conspiracy theory,” ignoring the club’s strong evidence.
He also confirmed City will appeal before the October 2 deadline.
Right now, we don’t know how long the appeal will take or how likely it is City wins any of the charges.
Fans just have to wait and see what happens next.