Jamie Carragher has publicly argued that Manchester City should have all the trophies they secured during the period in which they were found guilty of financial rule breaches stripped away, and that the club's proprietors ought to be ousted from their positions. The Premier League’s independent commission concluded that City breached serious financial regulations, and the verdict covered every charge brought against the club. Despite the ruling, City continue to deny any wrongdoing.
Chief executive Ferran Soriano dismissed the investigation 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 deadline of Friday, October 2. The sanctions, if upheld, would affect a highly successful era for the Sky Blues.
Between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 campaigns, Manchester City captured three Premier League crowns, one FA Cup, three League Cups and a Community Shield. Carragher, who now works as a pundit for 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 a redistribution of those honours to the runners‑up, noting that the most significant loss is not the physical medals but the emotional experience of triumph. "Whether other clubs should get them is slightly different," he added, "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 explained that the feeling of winning— the rush when a referee blows the final whistle, the surge of adrenaline, the pride of lifting a trophy— is something that cannot be replaced by a piece of metal placed on a shelf. "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," he said. Beyond the emotional impact on players, Carragher believes the club's owners must also face consequences. "The club are going to get punished," he asserted.
"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 owners could continue to operate within English football after the scandal, invoking the "fit and proper" test that governs club ownership.
"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," he argued. The former Liverpool defender expressed shock at the length of the investigation, noting that the Premier League had to secure a conviction on 114 out of 115 charges to make the outcome credible. "A huge well done to the Premier League for the result it seems they have right now.
For the Premier League to not just win this case but people talk about 114 charges out of 115 - they had to win it like that for it to be convincing," Carragher said. When asked about the legacy of the players who thrived under the disputed financial regime, Carragher showed empathy for both former and current squad members. He singled out Kevin De Bruyne as an example of a world‑class talent whose reputation could be tarnished by the scandal.
"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 look at it as a sham, I'd be furious," Carragher said. Carragher also highlighted the psychological toll on players who continue to defend the club amid the controversy.
He suggested that the ongoing narrative of an "asterisk" on their achievements could erode their personal sense of accomplishment. "I think of Kevin De Bruyne, who's one of the greatest players I've ever seen… But 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 look at it as a sham, that's the word the Premier League used, 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," he explained. Carragher warned that the longer the legal battle drags on, the more former City players may distance themselves from the club, feeling betrayed by a hierarchy he described as "gaslighting" supporters and ex‑players. He believes the damage extends beyond the pitch, affecting the club's reputation for generations.
"What Manchester City's hierarchy are coming out with in the last couple of days as well, they're just gaslighting the players, their ex‑players, their supporters, because those people want to believe them so much. They've got such strong relationships with them, they want to believe it right now.
I think the longer this goes on, the more you'll see less support from maybe ex‑City players and more frustration about maybe how their careers are going to be viewed by the outside world," he concluded. In summary, Carragher's stance is clear: while the titles themselves may be a point of debate, the emotional theft experienced by players, fans and staff is undeniable, and the owners who oversaw the financial misconduct should be held accountable, potentially losing their stewardship of the club altogether.