Hearing date set for Manchester City’s financial rule breach charges
A date has been set for the hearing into Manchester City’s alleged financial rule breaches, the Premier League’s CEO Richard Masters said.
City were charged in February with more than 100 alleged breaches of finance rules since their acquisition by the Abu Dhabi-based City Football Group and were referred to an independent commission for a hearing.
“There is a date set for that proceeding.
“Unfortunately, I can’t tell you when that is but it is progressing,” Masters told the culture, media and sport committee of the UK parliament.
When the charges were announced in February, City said they welcomed “the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position”.
The charges against City, who are targeting a fourth straight Premier League title this season, were different to
those brought against Everton and Nottingham Forest on Monday, Masters told the committee.
“If any club, the current champions or otherwise, had been found in breach of the spending rules, they would be in exactly the same position as Everton or Nottingham Forest.
“But the volume and character of the charges laid before Manchester City, which I obviously cannot talk about at all, are being heard in a completely
different environment.”
Everton and Forest are facing potential points deductions
which would be a second for Everton this season after they were docked 10 points in November.
Everton made mistakes but took steps to do things correctly, manager Sean Dyche said.
“Certainly in the recent stats and facts I think we are in the bottom three or four net spends in the last three or four seasons.
“So there is a starting point of the club motioning to doing things correctly ... there were mistakes, I’m sure, down the years ... but that’s a natural part of football. It’s not an exact science.”
Dyche said the club had been cutting resources in an effort to adhere to the league’s rules.
“Since I have been here we have let players go out of contract. We have been working hard.
“We sold three young players in the timelines we were given to make sure the money was in,” he said.
The manager said Everton would remain focused on their appeal against the 10-point deduction.
“I don’t think it was just me who was shocked.
“The pundits, the media were all shocked so we have to wait and see what the appeal brings.”
Everton are 17th in the league with 17 points after 21 matches, just one above the relegation zone.