Gary Neville has warned that the owners of Manchester City could face a serious challenge to their standing at the club if the Premier League’s decision on alleged financial violations remains in force after the appeal process. The club announced on Friday that it has filed a thorough appeal against the guilty verdict issued by an independent commission, which accused City of extensive breaches of financial regulations over a nine‑year span. Manchester City has consistently maintained its innocence throughout this protracted saga, which began in 2018 and reached a pivotal moment on Tuesday when the Premier League released its findings, declaring the club "guilty of all charges related to serious breaches." The league outlined a range of possible sanctions, from monetary fines and points deductions to the most severe penalty – expulsion from the competition. Neville, who also co‑owns Salford City in the English Football League, argued that the appropriate response should be to reassess whether City’s owners satisfy the league’s owners’ and directors’ test.
He suggested that the alleged misconduct has "dragged English football through the mud" and that the owners must be held to the strict standards set out for club proprietors. "It’s hard to see how the Manchester City owners can meet the owners’ and directors’ test in this country if the guilty verdict stands," Neville said.
"Because of the presence of improper owners, the league has introduced tighter rules. It will be difficult for the City owners to retain their status under those conditions." He emphasized that football clubs are more than commercial enterprises; they are community assets that hold deep meaning for fans and the cities they represent. "Owners have to comply with the rules and laws set out in the test," Neville added.
"The only appropriate punishment is to apply the owners’ and directors’ test first, then evaluate the achievements during the period in question to decide whether they should still stand." Neville continued, "Those two steps would have the most direct impact on English football. If I were Manchester City, I would accept a fine or even a points deduction – even a 60‑point penalty – because that would only cause a temporary setback. Owning a football club in this country is one of the greatest responsibilities you can have and must be taken very seriously." He warned against focusing solely on monetary penalties or points deductions, urging that the core issues be the club’s achievements during the disputed era and the accountability of the owners and executives who oversaw that period. The investigative panel concluded that Manchester City had artificially inflated its revenue by more than £900 million through what the league described as "sham" deals, effectively circumventing the financial fair‑play regulations.
This inflated revenue enabled the club to acquire some of the world’s top talent, contributing to a period of dominance in English football’s most prestigious competitions. Neville expressed his disappointment, noting that the Premier League is "our greatest export around the world," and that its reputation is now being tarnished because the most successful team of the past fifteen years is facing accusations of winning titles improperly. "If the guilty verdict stands, the triumphs will never feel genuine.
The era will be forever stained, and the achievements themselves will be tainted," he said. In summary, Neville’s stance is clear: the focus should shift from punitive fines to a rigorous application of the owners’ and directors’ test, followed by a thorough review of the club’s historical successes and the responsibility of its leadership. Only through such a comprehensive approach can the integrity of English football be preserved and the community’s trust in its clubs be restored.
The situation remains fluid as Manchester City prepares its appeal, and the football world watches closely to see how the Premier League will enforce its regulations and what precedent this case may set for future governance of club ownership in the sport.