From Liverpool, Jamie Carragher has argued that Manchester City’s honours from the period covered by the Premier League’s financial case should no longer stand, saying the consequences reach beyond the club’s record books and into the memories of players across English football.
The former Liverpool defender, now a television commentator, said City should lose the titles won during the nine-year span in which the Premier League found the club guilty of more than 100 financial breaches. City collected three English league championships as well as several domestic cups across that timeframe.
“I think the titles City won during this period should be removed from their honours list,” Carragher said. He did not fully support the idea of retrospectively handing every trophy to former runners-up, despite calls from past players and managers for those prizes to be reassigned.
For Carragher, a replacement medal cannot restore what rival squads lost at the moment success was decided. He said City’s actions had also diminished the meaning of the medals held by their own players, whose achievements will now be viewed differently.
“I won several trophies in my career, but I do not look at the medals,” he said. “What stays with me is the moment you win it — when the referee blows for full-time in a huge match. Players from the other teams will never have that feeling, because Manchester City took it from them. I do not think any player will care about receiving a medal to put in their house. They will never look at it.”
“This is not about medals; it is about emotions, and City have stolen those,” Carragher added.
Questions over City’s ownership
Carragher also questioned whether City’s current owners could remain in the Premier League following the case. He said the club could continue to assemble strong sides and compete for major honours in the years ahead, but believed the stain would remain while the same ownership group was in place.
“Until they leave, I do not know how that stain can be removed from the club,” he said. “City will move on and have great teams in the future, but I do not know how these owners can continue after what has happened. They say they have irrefutable evidence. Where is it?”
