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Former Manchester City chairman David Bernstein has called for the club’s directors and senior management to step down following the independent commission’s finding that City committed serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.
The commission found City guilty of all charges relating to serious financial breaches between 2009-10 and 2017-18, including the use of “sham” commercial arrangements that artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs by more than £900m. City deny wrongdoing and have said they intend to appeal.
Bernstein, who chaired City from 1998 to 2003 and oversaw their return to the Premier League from the third tier, believes the verdict raises fundamental questions about those who ran the club during the period under investigation.
“I can’t think of a penalty strong enough for this, really. I mean, this is absolutely terrible,” Bernstein said.
“I want to raise another question, and that is the position of the board of directors.”
Bernstein argued that City’s directors should face scrutiny over their continued positions while the appeal process runs its course.
“Because the directors of the club, including the chief executive, who’s been there for years and went through this period, are responsible for the running of the club in every respect,” he said.
“And again, if this was a public company of some sort, I think the directors with something as serious as this would have to stand down or be suspended pending the outcome of all this, appeal or no appeal.”
Bernstein went further, saying: “I don’t think the present management can credibly continue.”
City have until 2 October to appeal the commission’s findings, with sanctions to be determined separately. Potential consequences could include a fine, points deduction or other sporting penalties, although no punishment has yet been imposed.
Bernstein believes the matter cannot be resolved through a financial penalty alone if the findings survive an appeal.
“All I would say is that money, a fine, is not sufficient now,” he said.
“If these charges stand now and let’s say the appeal does not happen or fails, then I’m afraid for the club I love, that they’ve got to come out of the Premier League.”
He also warned that a prolonged legal battle would damage both City and English football.
“If it drags on for a year or two, heaven forbid, that would be the worst thing for everybody,” Bernstein said.
