Jamie Carragher has publicly urged the football authorities to strip Manchester City of the honours they have accumulated after an independent inquiry concluded that the club committed serious violations of the Premier League's financial regulations. The commission determined that City breached the rules in every charge relating to the period from the 2009/10 season through to 2017/18 – a span that saw the club capture three league crowns, one FA Cup, three League Cups and a Community Shield. The findings have set the stage for a further hearing where sanctions will be discussed.
Manchester City, which continues to deny any wrongdoing, has said it will appeal the decision and has until Friday, 2 October, to lodge its appeal. The range of possible penalties is wide. The league could impose a points deduction, levy hefty fines, enforce a ban on registering new players, or even expel the club from the competition altogether.
One of the most dramatic scenarios, however, would be the removal of the titles and cups that City won during the tainted years. What would that look like in practice? First, a quick recap of the achievements in question.
Between 2009/10 and 2017/18 Manchester City lifted the Premier League trophy three times. In 2012 they edged out Manchester United on the final day thanks to Sergio Aguero’s iconic last‑minute goal.
Two years later they beat Liverpool by a narrow two‑point margin, and in the 2017/18 season they set a new points record by reaching the 100‑point milestone, again denying United the crown. If the league decided simply to hand those titles to the runners‑up, the historical record would shift dramatically. Manchester United would be credited with two additional titles – one under Sir Alex Ferguson and another under Ole Gunnar Solskjær – pushing the club’s total to fifteen. Liverpool would also gain a title, marking their second under Jürgen Klopp.
This straightforward reassignment, however, is just one of several possible outcomes. Another approach would be to leave the championships vacant, mirroring what happened in Italy when Juventus were stripped of the 2004/05 Serie A title after the Calciopoli scandal.
In that case the league chose not to reallocate the trophy to the second‑placed side, and the record simply shows a blank entry for that season. Applying the same logic to the Premier League would mean that the 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2017/18 seasons would have no official champion.
A more radical option would be to expunge Manchester City’s league results for the nine seasons in question. Removing every City match from the tables would alter the points totals and final positions of all other clubs.
While Manchester United and Liverpool would still emerge as title‑winning sides under this scenario, the ripple effect would be far‑reaching. For instance, Blackpool, who were relegated in 2010/11, would have survived if City’s points were erased, but Wolves would have been the ones to drop instead. The knock‑on consequences extend beyond the league title. In four of the nine seasons under scrutiny, Everton missed out on European competition because City finished above them.
In the 2013/14 campaign, Everton finished fifth and qualified for the Europa League, but the top four – which included a City side – earned Champions League spots, pushing Everton out of the continent’s premier tournament. Tottenham Hotspur also suffered, failing to reach the Champions League in four seasons because City occupied a higher league position; they were consigned to the Europa League each time. Similarly, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United lost potential Champions League berths in various years due to City’s superior placement.
Liverpool, Swansea City and Southampton were among the clubs denied European qualification for the same reason. The loss of a Champions League slot has financial implications as well, reducing broadcast revenue, sponsorship opportunities and prize money for the affected clubs. The impact is not limited to league play.
In the 2011 FA Cup final, Tony Pulis’s Stoke City were beaten 1‑0 by Manchester City, giving the Sky Blues their first major trophy in 35 years. Pulis later described the victory as a “cheating” of his side, given the later financial revelations.
City also claimed three League Cup titles during the period – defeating Sunderland in 2014, Liverpool in 2016 and Arsenal in 2018 – as well as the 2012 Community Shield against Chelsea. Sunderland, a club that has not lifted a major trophy since their 1973 FA Cup win, would see that drought extended even further. Jürgen Klopp was denied his first piece of silverware when City won the 2016 League Cup on penalties, and Arsène Wenger missed out on a fitting farewell trophy in his final season at Arsenal. If the governing bodies were to strip City of these cup victories, the record books would need to be rewritten.
Sunderland might retain their 1973 FA Cup as their most recent honour, while the 2014, 2016 and 2018 League Cup titles could be left vacant or possibly awarded to the losing finalists, depending on the decision taken. The Community Shield could follow a similar path. Beyond the statistics, the emotional and cultural impact on fans cannot be ignored.
Supporters who celebrated Aguero’s last‑minute strike, the 100‑point season, and the numerous cup triumphs would see those memories called into question. The narrative of a club transformed by substantial investment would be replaced by a cautionary tale about financial misconduct. In summary, the removal of Manchester City’s titles and trophies would reshape Premier League history in several ways: 1.
Potential reassignment of league crowns to Manchester United and Liverpool, or leaving those seasons blank. 2. A possible recalculation of league tables that could alter promotion, relegation and European qualification for dozens of clubs. 3.
The erasure or reassignment of three FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield victories, affecting the historical records of Sunderland, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and others. 4. Financial repercussions for clubs that missed out on Champions League revenue because City occupied higher positions.
5. A lasting legacy for fans and the broader football community, highlighting the importance of financial fair play. The final decision will hinge on the outcome of the upcoming hearing and any subsequent appeals.
Until then, speculation continues, and the football world watches closely to see how the Premier League will address one of the most significant governance challenges in its modern era.