Jamie Carragher has argued that Manchester City should have the trophies they secured while under investigation for financial misconduct stripped away, and that the club’s owners ought to be removed from their positions. The Premier League’s independent commission has concluded that City breached its financial regulations on every count, labeling the violations as serious.
Despite the ruling, the club continues to deny any wrongdoing. Chief executive Ferran Soriano dismissed the findings as a "Premier League conspiracy theory" in a video addressed to players and staff, and the organization has announced its intention to appeal the decision before the October 2 deadline.
The period under scrutiny spans from the 2009/10 season through to 2017/18, a stretch during which Manchester City amassed three Premier League crowns, one FA Cup, three League Cups and a Community Shield. Carragher, who regularly appears as a pundit on Sky Sports, said, "I do think Manchester City's titles they've won in this time, or trophies, should be taken off their list." He stopped short of endorsing the automatic transfer of those honours to the runners‑up, noting that the emotional impact of winning is what matters most. "Whether other clubs should get them is slightly different," he explained. "But what Manchester City have done is they've not just hurt their own players in terms of no one looks at their trophies and medals now in the same way..." Carragher reflected on his own experience of winning medals, saying that the true value lies in the feeling that accompanies the moment of victory, not in the physical object itself.
"I've been very lucky to win a few medals. I never look at the medal years later. But my mind goes back to a moment, I get a feeling in my stomach. I remember the referee blowing a final whistle of a big game.
Those players will never get that feeling and it was robbed by Manchester City. That's what they haven't got. I don't think any player will care if you go and give them a medal, and he puts it in the house, in his trophy room, he'll never look at it. It's not about medals, it's about feelings, and that's what Manchester City have robbed." Beyond the symbolic loss of silverware, Carragher believes the owners must face personal consequences.
"The club are going to get punished," he said. "You've got supporters, players, the club and owners. For me this is all about the owners, the people who are at the top of the club." He questioned whether the current ownership could remain in English football after a decade of alleged misconduct that, in his view, has left a permanent stain on the club’s reputation.
"We talk about a fit and proper test for owners. What they've done for 10 years – and left this stain that will be there for the next 10 years – it starts because they don't like the word no. When you see the statements – the one from [CEO Ferran] Soriano last night – it's beggars belief what you're hearing. They have so much power and finance behind them, nobody ever tells them no.
Until they move away from the club, I don't know how this stain is removed from the club." Carragher praised the Premier League for persisting with the case, noting the sheer scale of the charges – 114 out of 115 were upheld – and describing the outcome as a significant victory for the governing body. He expressed surprise that the league was able to prevail against a club with such financial clout, saying, "I'm shocked but also not surprised.
I always felt they were guilty for two simple reasons. It would be impossible for Man City ever to have the commercial revenue of Liverpool, Man Utd or Real Madrid. They said for years they had that type of income coming in.
It's impossible for that to ever happen, no matter how successful Man City are. And number two, as they said yesterday and have continually said over this period, 'they've done nothing wrong, they have irrefutable evidence'. Every man and his dog knows if you're charged by the police and had irrefutable evidence it would be over in a day or a week – this has dragged on for years.
This idea that nothing has gone on and it has dragged on this long tells you something was there." When asked about the impact on the legacy of City’s most celebrated players, Carragher expressed empathy for those who might see their careers tarnished by an asterisk. He singled out Kevin De Bruyne as an example of a world‑class talent whose achievements could be called into question if the titles are voided.
"He could have played for any team in the world and he still would have been one of the best players. He was fantastic. But he chose his club to be Manchester City.
Now, one of those reasons he may have chosen, maybe was his wages, that maybe were inflated because of the situation around Man City and what they've been charged with. If he sits there at the end of his career now and the whole world looks at his Manchester City career of 10 years of service and looks at it as a sham, I'd be furious.
Absolutely furious that around the world people are looking at my career like that because of what's going on upstairs." Carragher also noted that some former City players continue to defend the club, which he described as a normal reaction but also a source of frustration for fans and current squad members. He warned that prolonged denial could erode support from ex‑players and increase resentment as the narrative around their achievements becomes increasingly contested. In his view, the owners’ refusal to accept responsibility amounts to "gaslighting" of players, supporters and former teammates, exploiting the strong emotional bonds they have cultivated.
In summary, Carragher’s stance is that while the club may eventually move on and field competitive sides, the individuals at the top must be held accountable. He believes the removal of titles and the removal of owners from the club are essential steps to restore integrity to English football and to ensure that the feelings of triumph that define the sport are not permanently robbed from those who earned them.