Micah Richards says he felt “absolutely devastated” after reading the Premier League’s “damning” guilty verdict on Manchester City’s financial charges. The former City defender spoke publicly for the first time about the decision, which found the club guilty of arranging “sham contracts” with commercial partners to disguise more than £830m in secret funding.
The independent commission’s findings cover a nine-year period, from the 2009-10 season through 2017-18. During that stretch, City won the Premier League three times, with Richards part of the title-winning squad in 2011-12. The league confirmed City have been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of financial rules, and all but one in relation to failure to co-operate with the investigation.
City continue to deny any wrongdoing and have until 2 October to submit an appeal.
The Verdict’s Words
Richards spoke on The Rest is Football podcast about the weight of the report. He pointed directly at the language used by the Premier League.
“The reports were troubling,” he said. “I saw the words which were used by the Premier League in ‘sham contracts’ and I felt absolutely devastated.”
He framed the reaction personally, drawing on his long history with the club.
“I was at that club since I was 14 years old, I would die for that club,” he said. “I achieved my dream at Manchester City, but then to hear these reports, and not only me as an ex-player, but the fans, what they have to go through, absolutely devastating.”
The scale of the breach is notable. The £830m figure represents funding that was hidden from view, arranged through contracts the league described as “sham.” That is a serious charge against a club that built its success on open play.
Fans React
Richards also described the reaction from one longtime supporter, a man he knew through his early days at the club. While Richards was part of the City youth academy, he lived in “digs” with a local family who have followed the club for decades.
“My digs man, he rang me and he was literally in tears and asking me about information, which I don’t know,” Richards said. “I haven’t got the answers to tell him.”
“That’s someone who’s supported the club for 60-odd years and the uncertainty around it is just heartbreaking.”
The fan’s response is telling. A man who has watched City for six decades reached out to a former player for answers that neither of them had.
The Club’s Response
City’s leadership has pushed back against the findings publicly. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued a statement on Saturday saying the club remains confident of proving its innocence.
On Tuesday, chief executive Ferran Soriano addressed the matter in a video message that was shared externally, separate from staff and players. Soriano argued that “irrefutable evidence” had been “ignored” by the commission.
The two statements together present a picture of a club that accepts the verdict’s conclusion while rejecting the path that led to it. City denies wrongdoing and says the evidence was misread.
Jamie Carragher’s Strong Words
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who retired in 2013, took a harder line. He said the club’s current hierarchy is “just gaslighting” and called for the titles to be stripped.
“I feel for the players… they’ll almost feel like a lot of their career is going to have an asterisk, or a lot of people will be calling it a sham,” Carragher said on Sky Sports News.
Carragher’s comments land with particular force because of his connection to the sport. He played alongside Steven Gerrard at Liverpool, and the 2013-14 season was the closest Gerrard ever came to winning the Premier League title.
City won that title, overtaking Liverpool during the run-in to finish two points above the Reds. Carragher believes that victory was hollow.
“Those players will never get that feeling and it was robbed by Man City,” he added. “No-one remembers the medal. Giving trophies or medals back, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s not about medals, it’s about feelings.”
What Happens Next
City have until 2 October to file an appeal. The deadline gives the club time to prepare its case, but it also sets a firm end to the uncertainty.
The appeal process will be closely watched. City have denied wrongdoing throughout this case.
Richards, for his part, has offered a personal account of what the verdict means. He is not a lawyer and does not represent the club. He is a former player whose career was defined by his time at City.
The Title Question
Carragher’s call to strip the titles is not a small suggestion. It would remove the Premier League crowns City won during the period in question, though the source does not specify the exact number.
Carragher drew a distinction between City and other clubs. He said City have “not just hurt their own players,” implying that other teams might have acted similarly without facing the same consequences.
The proposal raises practical questions about how the league would be reordered and which teams might gain from City’s demotion. Those details have not been worked out.
Weighing the Verdict
The combination of Richards’s devastation and Carragher’s anger tells you everything you need to know about this case. One man is hurting because he loved the club, and the other is angry because he believes justice was denied.
The Premier League’s verdict is final until appealed. City live with that weight until 2 October.
Key facts:
- The £830m figure represents the total of secret funding arranged through “sham contracts”
- The guilty verdict covers the 2009-10 through 2017-18 seasons
- City won the Premier League three times during this period, including Richards’s 2011-12 title
- City have until 2 October to submit an appeal
-
Jamie Carragher calls City’s response “just gaslighting” and wants the titles stripped
-
Richards was at the club since he was 14 years old
- His digs man has supported the club for 60-odd years
- The 2013-14 title came at Liverpool’s expense by two points
- City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says the club remains confident of proving innocence
- Chief executive Ferran Soriano says “irrefutable evidence” was “ignored” by the commission
The appeal will determine whether City can overturn the verdict, and whether the titles remain on the board. For now, the club lives with the label attached to it: guilty.
Source material: “Richards devastated by Man City guilty verdicts,” the BBC.
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